How To Cut Thick Copper Sheet

Take your time and let the cutter work its way through the copper for a straighter and even cut.

How to cut thick copper sheet.

There are three tools that kevin caron uses a lot to get a precise cut from a thin piece of metal. Work gloves must be worn during the cutting process as the cutting edge of the copper is very sharp. They have a plastic covering that you have to peel off on one side. Draw your shapes you want to cut onto copper with pencil or a sharpie marker.

It is approximately twice as thick as 1 4 mil and 4 5 times household aluminum. The sheers handles are brought together to cut through the sheet. Snip the two sides. Then bend the sheet back and forth a few times to snap it.

Measure the dimensions needed with tape measure. Metal is difficult for saws to cut and rubbing wax along the blade helps prolong its sharpness. These tags are made of 020 thick 24 gauge copper material. Apply a thin layer of paraffin or saw wax to the blade just enough to cover the surface before making any cuts in the metal.

While you can still cut the copper material with the plasma cutter you should not force it and cut too fast. One tool is a foot shear or a jump shear. Cutting slower will also give you plenty of opportunity to blow away the bits and pieces of copper and dust caused by the cutting process. Clamp or hold a straightedge or square along the cutting marks and score a line with the tip of a sharp utility knife blade.

Mark the required dimensions on the surface of the sheet using marking tool and straightedge. Another tool is a plate shear for cutting slightly. Perhaps the easiest way to cut copper sheet metal shears or tin snips are ideal for making straight cuts in high and medium gauge sheet metal. You can use the same trick to cut metal studs.

Tin snips are perhaps the most popular and affordable but there are also heavier duty versions available designed for cutting thicker sheets. The cricut machine cannot cut metal anywhere near this thick so if you want to work with thicker materials like this you will need to buy a pre cut tag or shape. See a video thickness guide of 3 mil below. Begin cut with metal cutting sheer.

Wax your saw blade before cutting sheet metal. 3 mil is used for various arts and crafts electrical and research and development applications. It can be easily cut with scissors torn by hand and wrinkles fairly easy. You can use barkeepers powdered cleaner bon ami is similar or if you want to go all natural baking soda lemon juice and dish liquid work pretty good.