Wanting to get some script cut for my American Pacemaker lathe

[m-lud]

I'm one of those guys that gets silly with paint jobs and polishing the metal on my old iron.
I'm looking for someone that I can send a template of the script in the photo and can cut it out in either brass or stainless.
I would prefer brass, but I think that would eliminate laser cutting as an option. Stainless would be ok.
Maybe 10 thousandths in thickness.

I'm not looking for a freebee here. Quote as you would any customer.

I could Wittle this out, but it would take some time and I have seen how clean water jet cuts. I havnt seen laser cutting.
It's just an old lathe but I'll be looking at it until I expire. It's my 57 Chevy.
It's been on my want list for about 40 years

You can P.M. me or lay it out here. The lettering on the casting has flaws. I can fill and shape those

Any suggestions on an adhesive that would hold up to a machine shop environment.
I can always pin it on.


Thanks Mike

 

[m-lud]

i think a c.n.c router may have been better option for thin brass. I have found another option; a trophy shop finally returned my call.
Thanks

 

[rcoope]

You could waterjet the thin brass.

 

[m-lud]

You could waterjet the thin brass.

rcoope
It's fell back on my priority list of things to do right now but that's good to know. I ordered a 6" x12" x .020 sheet of 510 bronze shim stock. It's pretty soft.
I thought If I have to cut it out with a band saw or jig saw a little thicker material would be easier to work with. I would prefer the waterjet option if I find someone to do it. I just thought it would be a nice touch to the lathe. Once it's running, I won't worry as much about appearance but like a fresh paint and polish to start out.
3M has a double side tape that is oil and solvent resistant for mounting.

Thanks Mike

 

[rcoope]

If you waterjet something as thin as .01" or .02" it's worth sandwiching it between some sacrificial sheets (~1/8" to 1/4") of plastic or wood to prevent blowback from the slats on the underside, and to reduce the burr, which in waterjet is mostly caused by material vibration.

 

[Metalurgent]

If I had to do it..
I'd epoxy brass sheet to a clean wood backer and mill it with a small endmill at high rpm.
Precision brass shim stock works for similar work that I've done. Its hard enough that the chips break away. Softer brass wants to grab the tool, curl up the brass, and make a mess. A small chamfer bit will break the edges and you can cut off sections to buff and finish. Light heat from a smoothing iron will release the parts.

 

[dkmc]

I would be in contact with this guy

Gallery | Von Industrial, LLC

 

[m-lud]

I would be in contact with this guy

Gallery | Von Industrial, LLC

dkmc
I'll give him a call. He does some amazing work. I didn't get his website in my searches.

Thanks Mike


Edit
Thats Tom from the South Bend forum. Restoring his south Bend got him going into a new business. Nice work

 

[m-lud]

I have contacted Thomas Utley and I am working on a pattern to send to him. It will be in .040 brass or maybe .060. A little more brass edge may look better as long as it's not too thick, the Cast raised letters already stand out. Contact him for this type of work. Look at his website, his work speaks for itself.
I'll update as we go.
Thanks Mike

Contact | Von Industrial, LLC

 

[rcoope]

Millud it's excellent you're going this direction. I just came across Von Industrial on Wednesday because @blacksmithtools Andrew Alexander was showing his labels on instagram. Waterjetting or laser cutting a stencil can be made to look OK, but it always has that stencil characteristic, so for an actual machine label, these etched and painted labels are far nicer. We've just developed a new piece of automation hardware for DNA sequencing sample prep and now I'm so tempted to get Von Industrial to make old timey brass plaques for the control boxes.

 

[m-lud]

Millud it's excellent you're going this direction. I just came across Von Industrial on Wednesday because @blacksmithtools Andrew Alexander was showing his labels on instagram. Waterjetting or laser cutting a stencil can be made to look OK, but it always has that stencil characteristic, so for an actual machine label, these etched and painted labels are far nicer. We've just developed a new piece of automation hardware for DNA sequencing sample prep and now I'm so tempted to get Von Industrial to make old timey brass plaques for the control boxes.

I do most jobs myself, but you need to know when to hire it out. Thin brass and cutting all those contours are not easy without getting a blooper. As said, it wants to chip and tear. I agree with those that suggested mounting it on a piece of plywood backer to hold it down.
To look right this has to have clean edges.
Making the template for the word AMERICAN It's evident that the casting is not very symmetrical between one letter and the next. Lots of small imperfections so I traced the lettering from the lathe and then am refining the pattern. Some of the letters may have a 32nd or so overhang on edges but that's ok.

Making the print stand out in brass those letters will show the crooked imperfect letters more. so, I'm refining them'.
Thomas U. called and suggested the same.
The word Pacemaker is pretty good but I'm making a couple small refinements on it.
It's in the works.