metal sheets

[alan morrison]

I would like to incorporate copper/brass /aluminium into my pens and would appreciate guidance on the optimum thickness to use.
The sheeting would be to highlight between two different woods. I would be grateful to know a good source.
Thanks in advance
Alan

 

[martin.pearson]

Got any pictures of this sort of thing Alan? I was going to post something about different grades & how they cut but if I am understanding correctly then I don't think machining is going to be an issue here.

 

[Themackay]

Plenty on the well known auction site Alan

 

[Themackay]

thin metal sheet | eBay

 

[alan morrison]

thin metal sheet | eBay

I've seen sheets from 0.2 mm upwards and don't know if they would even show when turned.
What would be a good thickness to use that would be just visible?

 

[alan morrison]

What would be a thickness that is visible and also can easily turn?

 

[flexi]

Drinks cans work well for Alli segmenting, and won't cost anything

 

[martin.pearson]

Alan, not sure if this will help or not, the segmented pens you posted were done with guitar pickboard you said, never used that but it looks to be an engraving laminate or something very similar. Engraving laminates vary a bit by brand but the front & back ply on them tend to be in the region of 0.1 to 0.3 mm, the core tends to be thicker obviously.

 

[alan morrison]

Alan, not sure if this will help or not, the segmented pens you posted were done with guitar pickboard you said, never used that but it looks to be an engraving laminate or something very similar. Engraving laminates vary a bit by brand but the front & back ply on them tend to be in the region of 0.1 to 0.3 mm, the core tends to be thicker obviously.

Hello Martin
The copper/brass sheets that I saw on internet were A4 size sheets of varying thicknesses from 0.2 mm up. I was looking for a material thickness that was more flexible than the pickguard material, as it is too thick to bend ( it being 2.50 mm). I don't know how visible the thinner sheets would be, so I was looking advice on the optimum thickness for flexibility visibility and ease of turning. I thought I might try 0.5 just to see. Mark above recommended aluminium from drinks cans, and it is pretty thin. I don't know how uniform the thickness would be.

 

[alan morrison]

Drinks cans work well for Alli segmenting, and won't cost anything

Mark:
Do you know what the thickness of that aluminium is, and how uniform the thickness is? ( having never taken a can apart before )
Alan

 

[flexi]

Alan, sorry no....I know Woody has used it before and a few others both on here and Facebook.....
Not tried it myself either but see no reason it won't work, also if you use it square or at a diagonal it will make a difference....

 

[martin.pearson]

Alan, yes I understand the pickgaurd material is far to thick but the point I was trying to make is that the Black is probably no more than about 0.3mm & look at how well that stands out, 0.3mm doesn't sound like very much but when you use it in the way you are looking to try then it is far more visible than you think it is going to be.
I have had this sort of thing myself with different projects I have done, have done stuff in the past where I bought a thicker material to be on the safe side & then wished I had just bought the thinner stuff lol
As has been said it will make a difference how you use it, straight or diagonal as for cutting I don't think you will have any problems as long as you are using sharp tools. It isn't really a big enough piece to cause cutting problems as long as it is bonded correctly.

 

[Lons]

Hi Alan

Drinks cans work well as said though dont know the thickness, just make up your own laminated sandwich to suit with thin plastics or wood veneers, all easily available. A scrap yard or caravan repairer is a good source of thin aluminium. The caravan external sheet is very useful. I've seen aluminium sheet in B&Q as well.

If you want a cheap source of copper you can split some std thin walled copper pipe, 15mm works well or better still call at a scrap dealer and ask for a bit of an old hot water tank. I have some I rescued and it's thin and flexible. Alternatively available from model shops and model engineering suppliers.

When I was in the plastics industry we sold various thicknesses and colours of engraving sheet, if you can get some sample swatches from a semi finished plastics distributor or on line they're worth having. Also was a product called "Alucobond" which was basically an ali/plastic/ali sandwich, probably not available now but I had some 2mm thick bits.

Bob

 

[21William]

I’ve just measured a drinks can with a Mic and it’s 0.1mm. The outside is obviously painted and the inside looks varnished so I guess it may be worth abrading both sides before glue up? Cheap and easy to do a quick test to see what works.

 

[martin.pearson]

Also was a product called "Alucobond" which was basically an ali/plastic/ali sandwich, probably not available now but I had some 2mm thick bits.

That would have been a trade (Brand) name Bob same as DiBond, the actual material you are refering to is ACM (Aluminium Composite Material). Comes in different thicknesses & grades, 2mm I think is about the thinnest Sign Suppliers sell. Face thickness (aluminium part) varies between 0.1 to 0.3mm depending on grade.

Never thought about samples lol, I have a whole bunch of Engraving Laminate samples that are about Business card size, that I got from various suppliers for work on the CNC machine, will need to dig them out & see what I have lol

 

[Phil Dart]

Mark:
Do you know what the thickness of that aluminium is, and how uniform the thickness is? ( having never taken a can apart before )
Alan

Look up [MENTION=1432]Paul hd[/MENTION] in the members list on this forum, and take a look at some of the recent videos he's done - he regularly uses drinks cans in his segmenting. He's a really nice gut too, so I'm sure he won't mind giving you the benefit of some of his experience if he pops along.

 

[Paul hd]

Look up [MENTION=1432]Paul hd[/MENTION] in the members list on this forum, and take a look at some of the recent videos he's done - he regularly uses drinks cans in his segmenting. He's a really nice gut too, so I'm sure he won't mind giving you the benefit of some of his experience if he pops along.

Hi Phil,
Leave my gut out of this

Hi Alan,
Here is a recent vid using aluminium can. I think it gives a nice look. I think it would work great if you doubled or trebled the layers too.
I suppose if you wanted to go very subtle you could use cooking foil.

Bullet pen. Help for Heroes. - YouTube

 

[alan morrison]

Hi Alan

Drinks cans work well as said though dont know the thickness, just make up your own laminated sandwich to suit with thin plastics or wood veneers, all easily available. A scrap yard or caravan repairer is a good source of thin aluminium. The caravan external sheet is very useful. I've seen aluminium sheet in B&Q as well.

If you want a cheap source of copper you can split some std thin walled copper pipe, 15mm works well or better still call at a scrap dealer and ask for a bit of an old hot water tank. I have some I rescued and it's thin and flexible. Alternatively available from model shops and model engineering suppliers.

When I was in the plastics industry we sold various thicknesses and colours of engraving sheet, if you can get some sample swatches from a semi finished plastics distributor or on line they're worth having. Also was a product called "Alucobond" which was basically an ali/plastic/ali sandwich, probably not available now but I had some 2mm thick bits.

Bob

Thanks Bob thats a lot of good advice there, and I appreciate it.
Alan

 

[alan morrison]

Look up [MENTION=1432]Paul hd[/MENTION] in the members list on this forum, and take a look at some of the recent videos he's done - he regularly uses drinks cans in his segmenting. He's a really nice gut too, so I'm sure he won't mind giving you the benefit of some of his experience if he pops along.

Thanks for the heads up Phil. I watched the video that you recommended and have been in touch with Paul but didn't mention his nice gut by the way.
I'm getting queries answered through this forum, and thanks for all the work that you put into it.
Is there a link I can look up that tells me how to insert photographs that are the right way up?
Alan

 

[alan morrison]

I’ve just measured a drinks can with a Mic and it’s 0.1mm. The outside is obviously painted and the inside looks varnished so I guess it may be worth abrading both sides before glue up? Cheap and easy to do a quick test to see what works.

Thanks William. I suppose I wondered how visible such a thin piece of drinks can would show in a finished pen, though watching Paul hd 's video below I think that it would be clear enough. I suppose also there would be tarnishing issues if it wasn't well abraded.
Alan