[TheForge] Anyone tried to cut 24 gage brass sheet?

[Dr. Stephen A Bloom]

At 01:12 PM 9/6/2012, Ron wrote:
>This stuff is hard as woodpecker lips- and it is folded- the 5.25 idea
>will work but it may require heating to unfold- maybe that will soften
>it enough to cut.

Anneal - anneal - anneal ....first rule of non-ferrics.  A bit more 
convenient than steel, at least, since the time-to-cool is about the 
time to dunk it in water.  IF the design uses a central hole (like a 
candle-wax dish), I've had good luck with a steady rest on the knife 
grinder with a peg set at the radius of the circle from the belt 
center.  Trim the disk a slight oversize, get it on the peg with 
grinder running, and start spinning the disk slowly (parallel jaw 
pilers minimizes burn & sliced finger tips).  It the material is 
really thin, the steady rest stage needs to just off the belt.

Steve