copper sheets- how, rip and cut??

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My question is whats a good way to cut sheets of copper in the field.      The stuff is to expensive to eperemint with.     I want to cut and/or grind some 3'x8'x.125" sheets to size for outside corner welds or braze.      Just thinking about how soft copper is , i would think it'll plug up grinding wheels muck like aluminum but worse?     Any one have any experiance with this?      Also, do those 6"cutoff wheels for small grinders work for cutting long strips?    What works best in field in the line of practical hand tools?
Reply:Porter cable wood working tools with carbide inserts work great on copper and aluminum. To rip sheets use a worm drive circular saw with a carbide tipped blade.
Reply:As said above worm drive with a fine tooth carbide tipped saw blade. Put masking tape down so the saw doesn't scratch the copper and go slow.Make sure to wear googles as the chips are hot and fly everywhere.BrettLast edited by UP BRETT; 05-14-2009 at 07:37 AM.Brett B & B Fabrication and Welding Inc.Spalding, MI.
Reply:Copper is about as "gummy" as it gets, but it cuts well with "toothed" saw blades (hole saws, circular saws, etc.).  I don't even think a carbide circular saw blade would be the best choice.  One of those fine blades made for plywood could possibly be better.I have cut copper with abrasive discs before, and it does work, but not too great.I do wonder though, if those special discs made for cutting and grinding aluminum would work on copper.  They're designed not to gum up, and have a much higher ratio of adhesive matrix to abrasive.
Reply:Sounds like the skillsaw wins it.    l like the masking tape and the fine toothed blade.   Copper wouldn't stand a chance against that.      However, being the diff positions it will need to be cut in a hand held grinder sounds best so far.    Anyone have a favorite thing to put on there.      My experince w/ Sait aluminum cutoff wheels is that they become imbalanced when cutting alum.    So I just use the ones for steel on that.
Reply:Copper is as "Gummy" as it gets when cutting..The stuff sucks..In plain English..Rough Blade and lots of wax is your best bet if cutting dry...Or if you have access to a watercooled cutoff saw of some sort..Copper sucks to Cut/Machine......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Plasma.  Plasma doesn't care if the metal is hard or soft or brittle or gummy or nonferrous or whatnot.  If it conducts electricity, plasma will cut it (with the appropriately sized machine (amperage).Or since copper is so soft, just cut it with a shear or snips.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterCopper is as "Gummy" as it gets when cutting..The stuff sucks..In plain English..Rough Blade and lots of wax is your best bet if cutting dry...Or if you have access to a watercooled cutoff saw of some sort..Copper sucks to Cut/Machine......zap!