Brass

[toe_jam]

I'm going to have a huge project coming up involving making interior signs with brass. Some high end interior signs mixed with etched glass. Anyone been cutting brass with the router. I'm wondering if I should sub out to a water jet or if it's pretty painless with the shopbot. I've never dealt with brass until right now. Is it soft like aluminum, or is it harder to work with? Any input would be appreciated

[Brady Watson]

Erik,
Your biggest issue will be holding the brass to the spoilboard. Depending on size, vacuum may be your best option.

Here is one example of bits used for cutting brass on the router:

[Mike Windsor]

I've cut out boat numbers from brass on my Bot . I first clamped the sheet to the spoilboard , then used the shopbot to drill the holes in the numbers that are used to fasten the finished letters . I used these holes to screw down the letters while cutting . There are a lot of different types of brass . Engraving , or " Trophy brass is pretty easy to cut with an evgraving bit .

[jay_p]

I need to make a slotted brass plate for a donation box for a museum. This would be similar to a mail slot, but smaller, and it would be mortised into the surface of a counter top.
I was looking at 1/16" or 1/8" brass. In McMaster-Carr, they have Alloy 260, 353, and 360 brass stock. If I do a search in Onsrud, they have a "Metals-Non-ferrous other" category that brings up a variety of cutters.
Am I going to have any luck cutting any of this material with the Bot? Any recommended cutters? What about the various alloys?


Thanks
Jay

[bleeth]

Jay: If you can find yourself in Seattle before you need to do the project stop in at Alaska Copper and Brass just south of downtown and they will give you all you ever wanted to know about brass and machining it as well as sell you "cut-offs" cheap. It's probably worth a call to them as well if you can't get there.

Dave

[dingwall]

Anyone ever try a 1/8" O-flute bit for brass sheet (.060")?

I've got a small project coming up and I'm thinking that's the best way to go.