Cutting Copper

[ryan92084]

since theres no real case modding section (if there is please smack me) and a lot of people make thier own copper blocks and such i figured i'd ask you guys this question.

Using common tools what would you use to cut through a 1/8 inch copper block. The width of the cut is a mild issue as i don't have a lot of material to work with and would prefer not to waste it. The most exotic tool i own is a dremel tool and i would like to keep cost low, so buying bits/blades is possible but a new tool is unlikely.

[sirheck]

A dremmel should work just fine.

Watch your eyes and respatory sys though.:)

[ryan92084]

standard cutting disk? i was worried about the thickness as those disks don't really like a lot of material on the sides.

[AndrewZorn]

A Dremel should work, but it will be hard to make a clean cut.

EDIT the discs are very cheap.

[sirheck]

They make a few different sizes and types of cutting disk for the dremmel.
Cut off less than required then grind or polish to the desired length.

[iandh]

Buy a cheap hacksaw w/blade included and use some vegetable or motor oil as lube since your budget is zero.

[Petra]

Buy a cheap hacksaw w/blade included and use some vegetable or motor oil as lube since your budget is zero.

QFT

Cutting copper bar stock with a Dremel will only result in a huge mess, a jillion broken/worn cutoff wheels, lots of frustration, and one really, really hot piece of copper. I'm not saying that it can't be done with a Dremel... it's just a pain in the butt.

[T_Flight]

QFT

Cutting copper bar stock with a Dremel will only result in a huge mess, a jillion broken/worn cutoff wheels, lots of frustration, and one really, really hot piece of copper. I'm not saying that it can't be done with a Dremel... it's just a pain in the butt.

I am a modeller and I agree. If you have lots of experience with a Dremel it can be done, but it is tricky. I know I could do it, but I've had one of those things in my hand for 25 years and use it for everything, and have a blue million different tools and attachments. It would require a reinforced cutoff wheel. The cheap stone one's you can take and throw over your shoulder...they are useless. They will fly apart just spinning up and bust you right in the face, and I speak from learning that the hard way. Once you get hit by one you have an awakening! :yepp: They will then zip accross the room like a micro frisbee of death.

It takes a reinforced cuttoff wheel, a steady hand, a vice to keep from burning yourself as the part will get very hot, and speed, and you have to mark the piece, cut outside the line and grind back down or hand sand it if you are real good with the tool. A piece of copper is not something I'd learn with. :)

It's easier to just get a hacksaw and use some elbow grease. You'll have more control. It may be slower, but it won't make a mess. Be sure to file any kerf edges. It will leave a raised edge anywhere you make a cut.

[kinghong1970]

so... um... what's with copper and respiratory system?

[luxbel]

Small bits, actually dust, inhaled is "not a good thing"(tm). technically speaking, if you're cutting/drilling/dremeling anything, you should wear appropriate safety gear.

[Kayin]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/scar-1.jpg

Flying cutoff wheel. Dremels work, but the above advice is excellent. Just take it slow.

[Polizei]

I never got hit in the face, but my knuckles sure got hit with the flying shards when I was modding my case. Looked like I had been in a fist fight or something... they were all cut up.

[Giannis86]

wont a diamond cutwheel for the dremel do it?

(offtopic)..i took my dremel out of the closet yesterday and its busted:eek::shocked: it makes some kind of noise (as if it was in water, i see sparks inside and it turns really slow..:( )

[Eddie3dfx]

Holy crap.. Yeah, I've had so many diamond dremel cutting wheels fly off..
Probably 20 or so.
Any good ones that won't do this?

[evil-98]

+1 to hacksaw

[Petra]

(offtopic)..i took my dremel out of the closet yesterday and its busted:eek::shocked: it makes some kind of noise (as if it was in water, i see sparks inside and it turns really slow..:( )

Check your brushes, perhaps?

[orclev]

I haven't had a cutoff wheel come apart on me before, but I always use the reinforced ones designed for working with metals. I'm also only working on very thin aluminum (Lian Li case, and a washer) and I take breaks when the dremel feels like it's getting a bit too hot for my taste. Aside from the cutoff wheels I also use quite a few of the tungsten-carbide cutting bits, in particular the ones that look like routing bits.

I love my dremel and consider it one of the best tools I've ever purchased (in terms of utility versus cost). In particular I bought this kit (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=129663-353-400-3/55&lpage=none), and then picked up the drill platform and the jigsaw attachment (called multi-saw I believe, lets it take standard U and T shank saw blades), plus miscellaneous bits. All told, I've spent less than $200 and there's very little that I need to do that it can't handle.

Edit: Forgot to mention, when working with my dremel I always wear safety glasses and a respirator (like this one (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=75491-429-95070-80000&lpage=none), although that's probably the wrong type). In addition a well lit work area (or like me, a cheap headlamp) is critical. I also wear thick work gloves to protect my hands from flying shavings and such.

[Giannis86]

Check your brushes, perhaps?

i assume you mean those spring+small black pieces that you can screw out from the sides of the dremel?

i removed those to check but honestly i dont know what to look for...

[Eddie3dfx]

I personally think the standard dremel stinks.The motor constantly blows under pressure.
The black and decker one withstands far more pressure and doesn't blow out like the original dremel.
Not to mention it's cheaper.

[orclev]

I personally think the standard dremel stinks.The motor constantly blows under pressure.
The black and decker one withstands far more pressure and doesn't blow out like the original dremel.
Not to mention it's cheaper.

What do you mean when you say "standard dremel", is that all dremels, or only some of them? Check my post for the one I have. So far I haven't run into any problems with mine, but I haven't used it for anything too strenuous, as I said mostly just cutting thin aluminum (and a little bit of wood working with some 2 x 4's).

[Petra]

i assume you mean those spring+small black pieces that you can screw out from the sides of the dremel?
Yup, those


i removed those to check but honestly i dont know what to look for...
The brushes and commutator may just need to be cleaned... but, going off what I recall from working on brushed RC car motors, you should probably check for spring deformation/weakening, any physical damage to the surface of the brushes or commutator, and glazing of the brush contact surface (though, this is more of a 'too much heat' kind of thing).

I could be completely wrong, though...

[Eddie3dfx]

What do you mean when you say "standard dremel", is that all dremels, or only some of them? Check my post for the one I have. So far I haven't run into any problems with mine, but I haven't used it for anything too strenuous, as I said mostly just cutting thin aluminum (and a little bit of wood working with some 2 x 4's).

The dremel brand. I burned out two of these. :down::down::down:

http://www.casemodgod.com/ModGuides/ModTools/toolbox01.jpg

The black and decker is bullet proof. :up::yepp: Also, it's 2 amps vs the 1.4 amp standard dremel.

http://toolmonger.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/post-bdrotary.jpg

[tgm_of_xxl]

I also have a B&D and it's awesome! :up:

[ryan92084]

wow i didn't expect such a response, thanks for the tips.

[Waterlogged]

Eddie, if your burning out motors, your pushing way too hard. Your supposed to let the tool do all the work. I've got a Dremel that's 11 years old and only now is it starting to make a few odd noises and I couldn't even begin to remember all the things I've done with it if I had to.

[orclev]

The black and decker is bullet proof. :up::yepp: Also, it's 2 amps vs the 1.4 amp standard dremel.

What about part compatibility? If I picked up a B&D could I re-use the accessories from my dremel, or would I need to get all new parts? At any rate my dremel is working fine, but if it ever burns out I'll look at getting a black and decker.

[Kayin]

All reusable.

I'm using the Dremel Spiral saw. Chucks all the tools, and it cuts through copper like butter. Monster, it is...

[Eddie3dfx]

What about part compatibility? If I picked up a B&D could I re-use the accessories from my dremel, or would I need to get all new parts? At any rate my dremel is working fine, but if it ever burns out I'll look at getting a black and decker.

100% compatible and the mechanism for the bits is much better.
No need for the stupid wrench.

[Weapon]

Eddie, if your burning out motors, your pushing way too hard. Your supposed to let the tool do all the work. I've got a Dremel that's 11 years old and only now is it starting to make a few odd noises and I couldn't even begin to remember all the things I've done with it if I had to.

that may be a case of "they don't make them like they used to"....

I had a dremel that lasted for years. After it finally died. I went and bought one of the newer ones and it died after five or six months. I think I have killed about 2 per year on average since then and that is despite regular cleaning and replacing brushes as recommended in the manual. I now have a small dremel graveyard under my work bench. I think I'll give one of the black and decker versions a shot after my current dremel dies.

back to cutting copper.

If you use any type of power tool on copper, the copper will get hot. One way to tone down problems with heat while cutting it is to use a good cutting oil (and lots of it) and put the block in the freezer for a couple hours before you cut it.

[orclev]

If you use any type of power tool on copper, the copper will get hot. One way to tone down problems with heat while cutting it is to use a good cutting oil (and lots of it) and put the block in the freezer for a couple hours before you cut it.
I don't have any experience with cutting copper, but a couple questions. If it's frozen and you start cutting into it and causing local heating would that cause it to warp at all due to thermal expansion (probably depends on how fine your tolerances are I suppose)? Also, would (ironically enough) attaching a heatsink to the copper maybe help disperse some of that heat?

[orclev]

cos you be breathing arsenic

Heh, copper smelting is different from cutting copper. I imagine the exposure during smelting is from one of the chemicals used in the smelting process. In the case of cutting the copper the danger is in inhaling the tiny shavings which could lead to all sorts of problems. In general foreign matter inside your lungs is never "a good thing"™, no matter what it is.

Edit: Thought so! When using Electrorefining (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_extraction_techniques#Electrorefining) one of the byproducts is arsenic, which is how you can get exposed during smelting. That won't be a problem when cutting copper.

[T_Flight]

Yes on "let the tool do the work"

I get the multi speed Dremel. There is nothing wrong with a B&D though. They are good tools, and my rocketry, and modelling buddies have them as well.

There are 3 types of cutoff wheels that Dremel makes.

1. Reinforced - Has a cross hatch pattern of glass reinforcement.
2. Stone - Light brown in color. Resembles Sand. These fly apart. I never use them anymore.
3. Diamond - Good for cutting thin metals, and reinforced fiberglass such as G10. Possibly Lexan, but may melt edge slightly. Also great for CF (Carbon Fiber). Has very small "kerf" and the tool is silver in color with bright shiny diamond chips, and it has holes drilled in the wheel. These are expensive. Use them wisely. I wouldn't use one on copper because it will wear it down, and they are 11 bucks a piece.

Really, I'd use the hacksaw. If it was a straight cut the hacksaw is slower, but it will give you more control. If you slip with a dremel it can gouge and ruin the part.

[orclev]

Really, I'd use the hacksaw. If it was a straight cut the hacksaw is slower, but it will give you more control. If you slip with a dremel it can gouge and ruin the part.
That reminds me, when I'm cutting a part I almost always put a nice layer of tape over either everything, or everything but what I'm cutting. As an added bonus you can stencil your cut onto the tape and follow that. If you slip the tape will either prevent or minimize scratching/gouging.

[Kayin]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/003-17.jpg

When a standard dremel just isn't enough.

I carve out blocks on 6. It goes to 10.

[Giannis86]

Kayin;3348990']http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/KayinStorm/003-17.jpg

When a standard dremel just isn't enough.

I carve out blocks on 6. It goes to 10.

wth is that thing?:shocked:

[Waterlogged]

wth is that thing?:shocked:

It was supposed to be Dremel's answer to the Rotozip...called Dremel Advantage. It's apparently no longer made by Dremel, but you should be able to still find one somewhere.