Lesson 3: Cube

Lesson 7: Cube

• Measure out the height of your cube onto a sheet of metal and mark with dividers.
• Cut a strip with the bench shear on your divider mark.
• Use the steel square to make sure that one end is at a right angle.
• Measure out the width for each side (for a perfect cube this is the same measurement as the height) and mark with a steel square.
• Cut off any excess with the bench shear and square the ends.
• Use your scribe and metal ruler (or steel square) to scribe a deep line for each corner seam.
• Use your triangle needle file and file down into the thickness of the metal at those points.
• When you have gotten 2/3 of the way though the metal, switch to your square needle file.
• Continue filing until you are almost all the way through the metal.
• You should be able to see a thin score line coming through the metal on the back.
• The closer you are to going through the metal, the sharper your corner will be.
• File the 2 ends of the strip at 45 degree angles.
• Bend the filed sides together.
• The ends should meet up as well.
• Hold with binding wire and solder all the corner seams.
• File the top and bottom edges flat.
• Double check all measurements.
• Solder to a bottom and top plate.
• Plug the air hole if using one.
• Cut off excess sheet, file and sand.

Tips and Tricks:

• Remember that the thickness of your top and bottom plates will add height to your cube- so you need to subtract 2* thickness when marking the height of your strip. Example: For a 20mm cube in 20ga metal, the height of the strip should be 18.4mm (20-2(.8)).
• Make sure to file slowly at first and keep your scoring perpendicular- check it!
• If you are having trouble doing all of the sides on one strip, do 2 strips. File each end of the strips at a 45 degree angle and score down the center.

Homework:

Make a 20-30mm square cube out of 20ga. brass. The cube should be the same measurements on all sides, and all sides should be square. File and sand the cube to 400 grit.

Due at the beginning of class Sept 26^th.