Source for 1/16th x1/64 brass strip?

[glbarlow]

Google, Amazon, even the K&S Metals website have failed me. I cannot locate the 1/16th wide brass strip I need for Winchelsea's port hinges!  Does anyone know of a source for getting this??

 

 

Help!

[allanyed]

Hi Glenn,

I looked at McMaster Carr and they have nothing that narrow either.   Maybe get 1/4 wide and cut strips with metal sheers.   The strip will curl as you cut, but easy to flatten for filing and otherwise shaping.

Allan

[bruce d]

Glenn, do you have a Byrnes or Proxxon saw? 

[glbarlow]

Yes, but I’m not going to cut metal with the blade. 1/64 would just curl. 

Edited March 25, 2023 by glbarlow

[Dr PR]

The 1/64" (0.0156") thick strip would be equivalent of 3/4 inch thick at 1:48 or 1 1/2 inch at 1:100. That would be pretty thick.

 

You could use thinner brass - 0.008" or 0.005". Sheets are available on line or at many hobby shops.

 

I cut this thin brass using an ordinary hobby knife with a #11 blade. An old blade will do (a new one will dull quickly). Just use a metal straight edge to guide the cut and make several passes until the cut goes through. Cut on a hard surface and you won't get much curl or waviness along the cut edge - much better than cutting with scissors or tin snips. The cut edge will have a bit of a bevel (sharp) so I usually touch up with a file.

 

The nice thing about this is you can make any width strip. If you accidentally slip and mess it up it is easy to do over again. And you can create complex shapes if you feel adventuresome.

[bruce d]

8 hours ago, glbarlow said:

Yes, but I’m not going to cut metal with the blade. 1/64 would just curl. 

If the brass is firmly sandwiched between two sacrificial pieces of wood you should be able to get a decent result. I do.

If scale matters however it's probably best to use thinner material and follow Dr PR's advice above. 

Let us know what you find, I doubt we are getting a new commercial source of thin brass strips anytime soon.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  I've cut 1/64" thick brass stock into thin strips using an old fashioned long-handled paper cutter ... the kind where there is a large wooden base marked with a grid and a side-mounted blade with handle.  The parent piece can have strips cut from the long edge, but when the parent piece becomes too narrow one needs a new piece of stock.

 

  There is a small burr on the cut edges that should be cleaned up with a fine file.

[allanyed]

5 hours ago, Dr PR said:

The 1/64" (0.0156") thick strip would be equivalent of 3/4 inch thick at 1:48 or 1 1/2 inch at 1:100. That would be pretty thick.

3/4" should be close or perhaps a little bit too thin.  The 1719 Establishment gives them 3/4" for a 40.  There were no 32's in the 1719 Establishment so the 3/4" may be the closest to a 32 without under sizing. 

 

The  1745 and 1750 Establishments do not indicate a size, but the trend was to go thicker as time went on . In David Steel's The Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture he gives them at from 1" to 1.25" thick depending on the size of the ship/port lid. 

 

Goodwin shows an example at 1.5" thick on page 188 of the Construction and Fitting.   

 

Keep in mind the thickness often reduced from the area of the shoulder to the lower area of the hinge.

 

Allan

Edited March 25, 2023 by allanyed

[glbarlow]

I appreciate the input and suggestions, thank you.

 

I’ll go with @Chuck design and research on the thickness at 1/64.  Very odd to me that what I simply ordered on Amazon just a couple of years ago appears to be no longer commercially available. I was hoping someone knew of an obscure hobby shop that might have a supply.  

[Edwardkenway]

Glenn, CMB usually have some 3mm wide by Occre https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=brass 1%2F16in strip&PN=Occre-Brass-Strip-OC17040.html#SID=3142, although it's showing unavailable at the moment.

[Roger Pellett]

Sheet brass is readily available in different thicknesses.    OnLine Metals is a great source but maybe not for small quantities.  sheet brass for hobbyists is readily available in 3in x 8in (approx?) sized sheets.  I find .010in thickness to be a good compromise.  It is easily cut with ordinary scissors but thick enough for structural purposes.  The eye is not going to recognize.001” thickness differences.

 

A Byrnes Saw with a very fine blade is ideal for cutting brass sheet into strip.  These small fine toothed blades are designed to cut metal.  Glue the sheet to a piece of 1/8” craft plywood.  Duco Cement works fine for this.

 

Roger

 

[allanyed]

 

52 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

The eye is not going to recognize.001” thickness differences.

Seems right Roger. I got curious and did some digging and found this.

 

 At best, humans can resolve two lines about 0.01 degrees apart which is a 0.026mm gap when 15cm away.  In practice, objects 0.04mm (0.0015") wide (the width of a fine human hair) are just distinguishable by good eyes, objects 0.02mm wide are not.

 

Allan

[Chariots of Fire]

Looks like others are having the same issue I am.  KS was a good supplier but not any more.  I think I will try the paper cutter option and see what happens.  I'm looking to get some 1/64" x 1/8" strips.  They don't have to be long as I am making some truck springs out of them and the longest is about 3".