Burnish Sharp Metal Edge Copper Sheet

Here are photos of some of my work using 10 mil copper sheets.

Burnish sharp metal edge copper sheet.

The beveltools beveling machines are ergonomic making it easy to get them to the metal. This means this is not a step that will produce the exact same results every time. R ub transferring is a great way to add a texture or an image to the tooling metal. For lack of better tools i had to use an angle grinder with a steel cutting blade and used a piece of angle iron to cut against to keep the cut straight.

The compact design of the beveltools concepts introduces unprecedented flexibility in rounding metal pipes and sheets. Run the mounted point over the other sides to break those sharp. It always looks different but always great. They include fractures burnishing rollover burrs and work hardening in the adjacent area see figure 1.

The sheared edge exhibits some distinctive characteristics. I usually use a pair of snips to cut 10 mil. I have created metal atcs and metal collage cards with 10 mil copper sheet. For example the image of a coin placed under the copper sheet can be transferred by rubbing or burnishing the metal over the coin with a rounded tool the pen cap works well here as well.

Examination of the edge surfaces of cut sheet metal will display differences between the burnish region and the fracture region. Burnished finish is a type of finish applied on copper usually after fabrication of planters and other items. As a result rounding small openings from a diameter of 5 8 16 mm becomes child s play. The sharp edges can be smoothed and softened using simple tools such as sandpaper and metal files which can be found at hardware or home stores.

Figure 2shows a cross sectional profile of the sheared edge of an aluminum blank note the burnished depth fractured depth burrs microcracks and other edge conditions. Step 1 place the metal on a rubber block to stabilize the piece and leave the edge exposed or place it securely in a ring clamp. You can also use a pair of scissors or a utility knife but the edges are very sharp so you will want to be careful. The burnish zone is straight and has a smooth surface while the fracture zone is angled and has a rough surface.

The blanked edge condition can be improved by adjusting the punch and die clearance tolerance shaving the area of the defected blanked edge designing an appropriate contact profile of the tool and die and understanding the mechanical properties of the sheet metal used. Step 3 repeat. Reducing the damaging effects of fractures burnishing burrs and rollover improves subsequent forming processes. Heat is applied to copper is order to generate the random discoloration of the metal.

Step 1 secure the sheet metal to prevent slipping. In manufacturing practice sharp tools can mitigate burrs.