Ceilidh ... Here is something to think about.

Hydraulic Die Forming Forum

Here is something to think about.

I was working with a guy making leather covers for cellphones. He had a company in Tiajuana cutting and sewing the leather. He stated that the company cuts leather, soft copper, and other materials with "steel rule" dies. I have not seen them but my experiments have led me to believe that they look like .010 inch thick .5 inch wide "Steel Rulers" slightly sharpened along one long edge. A form material - I used .5 inch thick cabinet grade composition board - is jig sawed out into the desired shape. The rules are inserted into the slot left by the saw blade and then the material to be cut is placed sandwich style between the sawn pattern (sharp side of the "rules" a second piece of composition board and the press plattens. Then pour the coal to it.

The composition board compresses. The rules do not. Net net is that the rules are forced into the material. Release the pressure and the composition board reexpands and forces the material off the rules.

It works on copper foil, do not know the extents of the process yet. More to follow as I find it out - On the other hand I would love to hear from somebody that has some experience, literature or ideas. --- SAN

Sun Jun 20