Working with brass

With the right blade you can cut brass nicely on a bandsaw. For small pieces it is hard to beat a piercing saw and a bench block. I would never recommend a tablesaw. Similarly I know of people experimenting with routers to cut out brass clock plates, I’m not convinced this is a good idea.
If you only have a small quantity of brass to cut I would recommend farming the task out to a local machine shop, much cheaper than hospital bills and replacing damaged tools. If you are going to be cutting a lot of metal then perhaps it is time to invest in a small mill, a Sherline would be worth investigating.

-- Troy in Melrose, Florida

I would farm it out or use a file and hack saw.

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence

1. Secure the piece.
2. Use lowest RPM and small diameter bit. At 12000RPM and 5 mm diameter you get about 3m/sec linear cutting speed. It is still too high for non-ferrous metals but OK.
3. Use small increments (1 mm or less).
4. Use guide, don’t rout free hand.
5. Cool and lubricate with oil.
6. If doing larger amount of cutting invest in specialty bit. Wood bits angle is to sharp for metal and cause grabbing, that’s why #1, 2, 3, and 4 are important.

I’d find someone who has a milling machine, and do it that way. My mill runs way way slower than my router, and the bit is open and accessible to add water and to watch the waste material’s color to see when it’s getting too hot.

Unfortunately, you’re on the other side of the country from me.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke