Cutting 0.7mm copper plate... advice please :)

[MontyVeda]

I've got a sheet of copper plate at 0.7mm thick that needs cutting (a curve, just to be awkward).

I figured my junior hacksaw would do the trick but that's proving tricky; not enough teeth and the force is bending the sheet when i'd like it to remain perfectly flat.

My Jigsaw blades for metal don't seem to have any more teeth per inch than my hacksaw, and looking at screwfix I've got got as finer blade as one can get. Would sandwiching the sheet between some plywood help?

Or would i be best off buying a coping saw with an ultrafine jewellers blade?

I guess at 0.7mm thick, I'd be looking for a tooth pitch of around 0.2mm... if such a thing exists??

Thanks in advance

 

[MontyVeda]

Cut a template out of plywood/mdf. Firmly place on copper and use a new Stanley knife.
0.2mm isn't thick and a knife will leave a sharper edge than a saw.

Thanks.

it's 0.7mm

 

[midlife]

Is it a tight curve?

 

[wonderloaf]

Have you tried a pair of scissors? I flattened out a piece of plumbing pipe just recently and used a pair of kitchen scissors to cut a fairly intricate shape which had a few tight curves. Blunted the scissors but easy enough to re sharpen (or buy a cheap pair).

 

[classic33]

Is the piece you need an external or internal curve?
If external, a series of small straight cuts, finished with a file.

 

[slowmotion]

Sandwich the copper between two bits of scrap MDF (each say 6mm thick) and then cut the curve with a fine tooth jigsaw. Make sure that the MDF remains in intimate contact with the copper when you are cutting.

 

[JohnHughes307]

Isn't this a job for tinsnips?

 

[Adam4868]

Definately decent pair of tin snips if your confident enough.Id never really cut with a jig saw.To much of a chance for error.How tight of a curve are you cutting ?

 

[presta]

Isn't this a job for tinsnips?

Yes, yes, and yes again.

(By the way, it's a job for tin snips.)

 

[slowmotion]

Definately decent pair of tin snips if your confident enough.Id never really cut with a jig saw.To much of a chance for error.How tight of a curve are you cutting ?

Oh, all right then...how about a laser cutter?

[media]
]View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YIp_WASCQ4[/media]

 

[MontyVeda]

Sorry, rushing. It's still not thick and a knife should have no trouble.

Thanks. I'll give it a go

 

[MontyVeda]

tinsnips tend to bend either side of what you're I'm cutting, so they're the last option.

I tried Darius' stanley knife option on the smallest cut and whilst it took a fair few passes, did work without bending the plate.

The curve is not too tight, 50mm radius at the tightest.

 

[presta]

tinsnips tend to bend either side of what you're cutting, so they're the last option.

If you're going about it the right way it's the swarf that curls, not the workpiece.

 

[MontyVeda]

If you're going about it the right way it's the swarf that curls, not the workpiece.

That's what happens on YT videos. Maybe its my snips (cheap/blunt) or my technique (clumsy/impatient) or a combination of the two

 

[Adam4868]

That's what happens on YT videos. Maybe its my snips (cheap/blunt) or my technique (clumsy/impatient) or a combination of the two

You can get left hand and right hand snips....your cutting it the right way ? Not trying to be patronizing !