Creative Woodworks & crafts 2004-11, страница 31

A great source for thicker brass is door kick plate panels, which can be found in just about any home improvement ccntcr and in many sizes. This thicker metal would be nice for key chain tags. For smaller sizes of a few different metals, try the hobby shops. Other metals, such as sterling silver, can be used to make jewelry. There are metal cutting blades, but sometimes they are not needed to cut these metals. Try using your regular saw blades first on some of the scrap area; you may not need that special blade.

Pictured here are some of the blades 1 have used for cutting metal. The Nos. 2/0 and 2 blades seem to work the best if you are usinsj standard scroll saw blades.

I normally use the clear packing tape on the metal when I cut it. It protects the surface from scratches and gives enough lubrication to make cutting relatively trouble free.

On thicker metals, you may want to try a blade lube of some type. Suppliers have a hard stick lube, but mineral oil. water, or WD-40 work fine for some applications. Not all metals need the lubes, but you can try them if you are not getting the cutting results you need. T find the lube helps a lot on l/8"-and-thicker aluminum. 1 normally use a zero clearance insert, on the saw table and cut metals one layer thick at a time. Others like to sandwich the metals between thin layers of plywood. Like anything on the scroll saw, what blade you arc using, the speed you are running, the vibration of your saw, and many other factors may affect the way the metal cuts. Don't be afraid to try different blades and speeds. Try using a backer, or try cutting the metal alone. Somewhere you will find title perfect combination for your cutting style.

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Sheet plastic comes in so many colors that it is often real hard to make the decision on which one to use. There are the solid colors, translucent colors, and mirror finishes—each offering many different uses. The translucent colors are great for suncatchers and back-lightcd scenes. The solid colors can be used instead of wood to eliminate painting; wood cannot be painted to show colors like plastic for projects such as outdoor sign letters. The mirrored colors of plastic can also add a unique look to many wood projects with pictures and/or background pieces. There are just so many places that it will really accent your project.

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■ Creative Woodworks & Crafts November 2004 • 31