Embossing (not cutting)

Post by **Patm** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:48 am

Someone approached me with a request to emboss a pattern into thin copper sheet ( I don't think she understands that routers cut things ). At first I was dismissive of the idea but then I thought why not? The Z can apply pressure and I can chuck up a ball-end stylus just as easily as a cutter.

So, has anyone attempted anything like this?

I was thinking I could use leather to support the copper sheet since it will compress under the copper the way MDF wouldn't. Normal ball milling MOPS would probably work (have to figure out the DOP (depth of press) that works etc.

Sound crazy?

Post by **JamesB** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 1:26 pm

It's not crazy, I have seen presses cut on a CNC made from MDF for low volume runs. The guy I know that made one cut a male and female part with a amll vertical edge on it to hold the material. In turn the copper shapes were cut out on the router and then the ridge on the "die" held them in place while he pressed them in a vice! So not crazy but your biggest challenge will be setting up the part to cut a male and female with an allowance for the material thickness. Obviously this can only be used to press thin material... good luck figuring out the technical side of it!
Cheers, James

Post by **Patm** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 3:02 pm

Ah thats a good idea! Just create a mold for pressing instead of pouring.

Thanks!
P.S. Actually, it also takes the onus off me for future production. Hand over the press-mold and she can do the grunt work

Post by **jseiler** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:24 am

We used to do something like this in summer camp. The counselors gave us hard plastic "molds" with shapes embossed into them (horses and stuff), then thin pieces of copper. We'd tape the copper onto the mold platen and rub them with the edges of popsicle sticks to force the copper into shape. they were actually fun to make. I bet one could cut a shallow relief into mdf, harden it up with a little lacquer and do the same thing with copper or aluminum sheet.

John

Post by **lovebugjunkie** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:37 am

Did same as jseiler when I was in grade school. Teacher gave us a small sheet of copper and we set it on a piece of cork and used different sizes of knitting needles to make patterns. Worked really well.

Post by **Perry** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 2:47 am

Another thought: Take your round over tool, make a spring loaded jig to support it. I made something like this for my shopbot to hold a swivel head exacto knife and also markers and pencil crayons. The spring prevents going through the material, but keeps pressure on it.
Just thinking outside the box.