Ever scroll copper?

[Capt Weasel]

Thinking of cutting a pattern out of a sheet of copper and wondering if anybody ever tried it. The idea just intrigues me. The combo of the right pattern in that color seems intresting. Thinking of cutting it and applying to a plaque or something. This is all in the "tossing the idea around" stage and looking for input.

[Rick-H]

I have sawed copper and I have not had any luck getting the nice finished edge tha is normal to scrollsaw projects. I was told copper is too soft and it tends to act somewhat like plexiglass. The sawdust , I guess is what to call it, sort of sticks to the edges of the cuts. I found you can scrape it away, but still the cuts are not as smooth as cuts on wood.

[Jediscroller]

Just a curiousity question Rick. Did you try a jeweler's blade with the copper? I've cut aluminum with good results in the past which admittedly is somewhat harder than copper.

[Minnesota scroller]

I was told copper is too soft and it tends to act somewhat like plexiglass. The sawdust , I guess is what to call it, sort of sticks to the edges of the cuts. I found you can scrape it away, but still the cuts are not as smooth as cuts on wood.

Rick, I cut quite a few ornaments out of plexiglass recently and they cut very nice. Admittedly, the cleanup is more of a pain but other than that I was more than happy with the way they turned out, as was my wife.

[Mick Walker]

Capt Weasel, I have never tried to saw copper but I would think if you sandwiched it between to pieces of 1/8" plywood it should work. I would also use a blade with lots of t.p.i. Let us know how it turns out.

[PuzzledMoose]

I haven't tried cutting copper but I've recently tried cutting thin brass - 0.010 thick - sandwiched it between 2 scraps of 1/4 inch thick ply - overkill I guess but it was the thinnest ply I had around.

FD #3 metal blades cut it a treat... hard to tell there was metal between the ply!

[workin for wood]

I took a penny and was scrolling it into a puzzle. It cut fine, but the blade I used was too big, so the puzzle wasn't acceptable to my standards..I need to get some jeweler blades next time I order.

[Rick-H]

I tried many different blades. From everything I could find copper is just too soft to scroll clean. Now I was using sheet copper from a exterior metal fabrication shop, not a copper penny , so it may be a softer copper. It cuts, but there is some cleanup involved after the cutting is done. Sort of like removing fuzzies from a wood project.

[CanadianScroller]

Rick, I cut quite a few ornaments out of plexiglass recently and they cut very nice. Admittedly, the cleanup is more of a pain but other than that I was more than happy with the way they turned out, as was my wife.

so were the people who received them

I cut some aluminum a short time agao and found it to be as hard as steel. I imagine copper, like aluminum comes in many alloys.

I ended up using jr Hacksaw blades to rough out the shape and then switched to a scroll saw blade for finishing. I still ended up using emery cloth on the edges.

I have since bought some metal cutting scrolling blades but I haven't tried them yet.

[Capt Weasel]

Where would I find some suitable copper to scroll with? I like the idea of putting it betwenn my stacked sheets to cut. Get to test it and produce something at sametime

[PuzzledMoose]

Where would I find some suitable copper to scroll with?

I've just been trying to find out the same thing here - and found that one source is the art supplies shop that is next to the college of art and design in Halifax - students use it for printmaking. If you have any similar art supplies places in your area you could try there.

Other than that we have a hobby shop that sells small (6"x3") sheets of copper, brass aluminum and tin in different gauges, all fairly thin. These are produced by a company in Illinois called K & S http://www.ksmetals.com/ I don't think they sell direct to the public but they could probably point you to a local retailer if a small sheet to try out was all you needed.

[Rick-H]

At most home stores thin copper would be in the flashing department. It comes in rolls to use under wood shingles. To get heavier copper, I went to a sheet metal shop that mainly uses it for copper roofs and gutters.

[BirdOasis]

I have a roll of copper that is used as a roofing material, to go around a chimney or something. Very thin stuff with tar on the bottom. The tar just peals off, but I was thinking it may help stabalize the copper.

I'll sandwitch it between two pieces of ply to add some extra support. i was planning on cutting some ornaments with it. Maybe some jewelry, but we all remember how copper jewlery leaves a green tint on the skin, haha.

[Dchatley]

If you like southwest style scroll saw projects this one by Patrick Spielman has alot of designs that use copper and other soft metals to accent the project.

Most books I have read seem to suggest that you use the "sandwich" method that has already been mentioned here for the best results.

Dan

http://www.amazon.com/Southwest-Scro...e=UTF8&s=books

[dtoggs]

To find suitable copper,go to the big box stores and ask for flashing. You can cut it sandwiched,but it will require clean up and of course,a zero table insert(probably the sandwich material will cover this). As has been stated,its mostly too soft and gummy. I just thought of another source for small items; split a pc of copper pipe you have laying around. pw