Cutting Copper Sheet

Use a more conductive material.

Cutting copper sheet.

Depending on the tool you re using the process will differ a bit. Align the snips with the line you want to cut with the upper blade of the tin snips touching the sheet metal. Cutting your own copper sheets is a simple way to add a personal touch to any project to allow for custom dimensions possibly unavailable commercially and to save the additional costs of custom cutting which can quickly impact the total costs of your project. 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.

An angle grinder fitted with an abrasive metal cutting disc works well to cut all kinds of metal including bolts angle iron rebar and even sheet metal. Clamp the sheet metal in place on your work table to hold it in place while you work. The sheers handles are brought together to cut through the sheet. Cutting sheet metal with snips can be tricky and frustrating.

For higher gauges meaning thinner copper you can easily do it with standard hardware store metal snips. These problems are common for those of us who don t work with sheet metal every day. Now we re ready to answer the question of how to cut copper sheet. Once the copper sheet has been marked where it needs to be cut the sheers blades are positioned on each side of the sheet as would be regular scissors when cutting paper.

They look like big scissors and work the same way. For thicker copper sheet you would want to use a jewelry saw it s a bit slower but gives you a nicer finished. But you don t have to be a tinsmith to cut sheet metal successfully. Cutting your own copper shapes can be easier than you think.

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. Cutting the copper sheet. The edges are sharp the cutoffs are stiff and get in the way the snips bind or you just can t seem to negotiate the curve. Work gloves must be worn during the cutting process as the cutting edge of the copper is very sharp.