You should be able to cut brass on a table saw with zero clearance insert. Got an old melamine blade to try it with? I would think that the shear is stretching the edge when it cuts.

 

Thanks. With a 10 mil thickness, the brass sheet should probably be sandwiched between two layers of wood. With my SawStop, I am hesitant to circumvent the safety circuitry and leave metal filing on the saw.

I don't see any reason it would "have" to be brass.

Thanks. With my "pride in craftsmanship", I want to stick with brass.

https://www.mcmaster.com/metals/cop...om/metals/copper-brass-and-bronze/ultra-formable-260-brass-sheets-and-strips-8/

scroll to the very bottom

Thanks. I had looked at McMaster and somehow overlooked the "strips". It is worth a try even though the 16 mil thickness is thicker than desired.

 

I don't see any reason it would "have" to be brass. I've got some steel strips, probably around 1" wide, around here somewhere, along with some aluminum about the same width. Easy to bend either to the desired shape, might take a hammer to do it, but it wouldn't be rocket science. For that matter, you could even use wood/plywood, which is what I would likely use. I just now even thought of a way to use plastic.

 

https://www.mcmaster.com/metals/cop...om/metals/copper-brass-and-bronze/ultra-formable-260-brass-sheets-and-strips-8/

scroll to the very bottom

 

That thin a stock, I would sandwich it and use a hacksaw...works like a champ. You could sandwich the whole 6x12 and use your bandsaw and make a bunch of strips...or sandwich it and use your miter saw...even a sawzall, pull saw, scroll saw, etc...

In any event, making a sandwich is the key point then use whatever tool you feel comfortable with...

 

If you go to that Mc Master page that Doug posted

https://www.mcmaster.com/metals/cop...om/metals/copper-brass-and-bronze/ultra-formable-260-brass-sheets-and-strips-8/

and use the selection guide on the left side of the page, you can easily select the width, length, and thickness, although you won't find the exact 0.010 thickness. It will be a little thicker than that, but once you have entered the requirements, it will give you the part number, price, etc. I came up with a piece 3/4 X 12" long for $1.75 . I doubt you will find a better deal.

Charley

 

When I make tools I use precut width strips ,it saves a lot of hassle and time. Then cut them to length on a miter box I make to fit the strips, with a fine tooth saw.
Herb


https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s6010.htm

https://www.megahobby.com/categories/scratch-building/brass-strips.html

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_ex_...l?_ex_kw=&_mPrRngCbx=1&_nkw=brass+strips&_sacat=&_sop=12&_udhi=&_udlo=&_fosrp=1

 

If I HAD to rip the strips myself I would do like everyone says and sandwich it between (2) 3/4" thick boards. with 3 wingnut clamps,one each end and a middle one to clamp it tight and use the table saw or band saw with metal cutting blade.
HErb

 

Just make sure you share pictures of the finished product!!

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Just make sure you share pictures of the finished product!!

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Doug: The picture with my post is prototype no 1. I have subsequently completed two more using the utility knife as my cutting tool. I was looking to the future in case I need to cut brass for a similar project.

 

Here are my finished products where I used the 3/4" x 3 3/4" brass strips I cut using a utility knife and straight edge. This technique worked but I was interested in a "better" technique for cutting the brass. I had to round over two edges on each of the sliding runners because the brass performed as a scraper.

The photo sequence shows how I would do it if I had to repeat this process again. My sheet of brass was sandwiched between two layers of 1/4" MDF; painters tape was used to hold the assembly together. I was able to cut the strips to width (3/4") with a Freud LU89 non-ferrous metal blade in my old Delta 10" miter saw; luckily the cut strips did not get thrown into the saw blade. If I did this again, I would tape the off cuts to the saw base. The six sandwich-strips are shown in the next picture. The sandwich-strips were then cut to length. The final 3/4" x 3 3/4" strips are shown in the last picture. The results are superior to cutting with a utility knife. If my table saw was not a SawStop, I would have made the cuts on the table saw instead of a miter saw. I was not willing to gamble on using the SawStop. Unfortunately, the sequence of the photos was changed by the computer gods.

 

Good job, very professional looking.
Herb

 

+1 on Herb's comment! If you have Herb's approval , that's the highest accolade.

 

agreed...

 

@bfblack What is that thing sticking out the butt end? a screw eye for hanging? How did you secure the nut onto the brass collar?
Herb

 

You guessed it. It is a cup hook for hanging. The brass nut was soldered to the brass strip. My partner is an experienced stained glass gal and she performed the task. I tried to get her to teach me but she said she did not want to waste her time.:smile: