Brass spacers

I was wondering what the best way to make the nice brass spacers I see is?

I have some 0.016" thick brass sheet to use, but don't know how to cut it. I have some old tin snips, but it deforms the brass, especially near the cuts.

I was thinking of spray painting the brass with something impervious to water, then tracing around the scales, etching out the paint for an outline and using electrolytic etching or some etchant solution from there.

The easiest way would be to cut the spacers oversized, attach them and sand off the deformed or damaged edge of brass on a belt sander.

If your scales are already finished, maybe making a quick template from the finished scales on plywood or something similar? Then sand it down to those contours, which should be the same as the finished scales.

If you figure out a quick, easy, free way, make sure to let everyone know!

I bought some for myself and Garythepenman from www.microfasteners.com
size #0 to go between the scales and the blade and size #0Wide for outside of the scales.

Tom

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tombuesing

I bought some for myself and Garythepenman from www.microfasteners.com
size #0 to go between the scales and the blade and size #0Wide for outside of the scales.

Tom

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You sure that's not backwards?

I'm confused... we talking about butt spacers or pivot pin bushings for the blade or washers to hold everything together?

I meant these. Sorry if my terminology isn't that great :shrug:
http://lordsofquake.net/~ToxIk/spacer_diag.jpg
(Pic borrowed from gary's older thread)

Ah... None of the above. Those are liners. If you want detailed info, you need to get my cd. If you want a bunch of free info, you can find it on my blog.......
that I've been neglecting lately :o

http://razortips.blogspot.com/

Don't worry about curled brass or aluminum. Use one of those hobby wooden rollers to flatten it out. Then epoxy away.

Liners! that's it. I've never been good with terminology.
The worst part is, I've used the term spacer before in proper context many times, I dunno what the hell I was thinking :confused:

Thanks for the info bill. I don't have a metal band saw... or wood bandsaw... guess I'll have to go find some metal blades for my coping saw :)

Get a jeweler's saw with specially-made thin blades for metal - and rub the blade with beeswax before you cut with it.

Tom

I was replying to the idea of butt spacers, but the "glue it in and sand it to shape", idea would suit scale liners too.