If memory serves, sandwiching the material between two bits of wood/board/mdf etc can help stabilise it for machining

I'm pretty sure theres a thread on this problem somewhere

For doing soft sticky stuff like aluminium I use the backgear on a stiffish lathe to reduce heat buildup issues but you don't have that option

Edited By Ady1 on 03/07/2012 23:19:23

Now … there's a thought … a CNC Piercing Saw !!!

Maybe one for an "Open Source" Design Project , as proposed in another thread.

Tricky, but by no means impossible.

Most of the youngsters would probably expect to use a Cutting LASER, but there is so much very fine work that can be done with a Piercing Saw.

[Clock Hands being an excellent example.]

Is anyone up for this ?

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 04/07/2012 07:34:37

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 04/07/2012 07:41:27

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 04/07/2012 07:43:26

Chris,

"They are not cheap either !!"

If you mean the Blades; the best ones [Vallorbe] seem to be about £4 per dozen, and the cheap ones about £4 per gross … which seems pretty good to me.

MichaelG.

With great care – a splinter of copper in your eye and you could end up blind. I have used a jig saw quite successfully with the sheet sitting on top of a sheet of closed cell insulation. Then cut thro the sheet and insulation together. Wear goggles as a minimum.