Let's machine some brass!

mkepke

Mark
Senior User
Wanted a branding iron to 'sign' my work

Random offcut of 2" dia brass. Original artwork done in Inkscape and free Carbide Create.

Faced the blank in my metal lathe. Tapped for 1/4x20 on the backside. Fixtured onto scrap plywood with a bolt, painters tape and CA glue. Re-faced 0.006" DOC on the CNC just in case the plywood was not flat.

Tooling: 1/8" EM at 0.01" DOC at 24 fpm, 18K rpm
60 degree Vee bit at 0.05" DOC at 35 fpm, 18K rpm
Full depth of cut is 0.05"


Heat to 600F and apply to a piece of wood..
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Challenges/areas for improvement:
- Had trouble centering the workpiece - probably operator error. Next time either double check the alignment, or change the design so it doesn't use the full diameter of the brass bar stock.
- I had to leave the workpiece overly thick @ ~0.4" to allow it to be tapped for a bolt. Wasted material and it takes a while to heat with a torch. Ideally, silver-solder a fitting on the back and reduce the thickness to 0.25"
- the little trim router on my CNC didn't sound super happy cutting 0.05" in brass

-Mark
 

kserdar

Ken
Senior User
Had trouble centering the workpiece - probably operator error. Next time either double check the alignment, or change the design so it doesn't use the full diameter of the brass bar stock.

Next time don't try to center the workpiece ... Cut a 2" diameter pocket and place your material in the pocket.
To make workpiece removal easier, route finger pulls or place to lever work out.

I skipped many things that are dependent on your machine and controls.
 

mkepke

Mark
Senior User
Had trouble centering the workpiece - probably operator error. Next time either double check the alignment, or change the design so it doesn't use the full diameter of the brass bar stock.

Next time don't try to center the workpiece ... Cut a 2" diameter pocket and place your material in the pocket.
To make workpiece removal easier, route finger pulls or place to lever work out.

I skipped many things that are dependent on your machine and controls.
Not feasible here as I bolted the brass from underneath to a larger plywood ‘carrier’ to increase the clamping footprint. If I could rely on just tape and CA glue to hold the brass in place, - and skip the bolt- then a recess would work well.

Center-finding shouldn’t be hard. Machinists have to do it all the time.

-Mark
 

kserdar

Ken
Senior User
Not feasible here as I bolted the brass from underneath to a larger plywood ‘carrier’ to increase the clamping footprint. If I could rely on just tape and CA glue to hold the brass in place, - and skip the bolt- then a recess would work well.

Center-finding shouldn’t be hard. Machinists have to do it all the time.

-Mark
I have pressed many acrylic drink coasters into a pocket to engrave designs on the bottom. I have only had 1 that "moved" on me.

You could alway turn the pocket into a "vise" pocket - cut a line from bottom of pocket circle upwards to outside of carrier board. The use a clamp to pinch the pocket to the brass.
 

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