Looking for a machine to notch Colonial came

Hi, all:

I would like to build a stained glass window using zinc Colonial came. This came has a cross section like a double-headed arrow as illustrated here:

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Where one came joins another at an angle, it's recommended that its end be "notched" in order to accomodate the shape of the joint more closely. In the early 20th century, artisans using this came (notably Frank Lloyd Wright) notched the ends of their came with a cutting wheel machine. The machine and a diagram of the joints and cuts is shown here:

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This second image is copied from an excellent book on Prairie art glass designs by Dennis Casey.

Since the device photographed in the image is no longer available, what machine can I use to precisely cut these notches for a variety of joining angles between 15 and 90 degrees? What machine should I obtain to do this? (NB. This machine should not be confused with a frame notcher, which is a punch that takes a small angular bite out of U-shaped came for wrapping around corners)

I've heard that some stained glass workers use a modified key cutting machine, but I have no idea what models of key cutters would be amenable to the proper modifications. Are there any recommendations out there along the line of this sort of solution?

Thanks!

Reply to
boyd_steere
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from dim recollection zinc, lead and aluminium are types of hardwood.:-)

why couldnt you make the cuts on a bandsaw?

if putting metal through a woodworking bandsaw offends the sensibilities then paint it brown and pretend it is a piece of hardwood you are cutting. the saw wont know the difference.

it works. the good thing is that the blades get replaced with new sharp ones a little more often. ...as you'd expect cutting hardwood :-) Stealth Pilot

Reply to
Stealth Pilot

According to boyd snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com :

[ ... ]

I would think that just about any of them could be so modified. They have a milling cutter which is specially shaped to duplicate the nose of a feeler which reads the original key. And they have a brush on the other end of the spindle, which is used to deburr the just cut key.

What you will probably need to do is to make a platform on which to slide the "came" (a word which I just learned from you today), with a sliding fence to hold it upright, and some sort of protractor head to hold it at the proper angle (assuming that you can't judge the angles by eye, which you may well be able to do.

I picked up a nice key cutting machine at a hamfest several years ago, and later acquired a couple of incomplete ones from a friend who was disposing of his father's estate. His father used to be a locksmith.

So -- what I would suggest that you do is to go to the older locksmith shops, and ask if anyone has an old retired key duplicator, perhaps missing parts such as the key chucks, since all you need is the motor, the spindle and the cutting wheel. Explain to him what you need it for (perhaps even bring along a short example of your "came", and tell him that it is fine with you if he removes all parts which are not needed for your purposes (in case he feels uncomfortable relasing the key duplicator to someone who is not a licensed locksmith -- some locales have rather restrictive laws.

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Thanks to both of you, SP and DoN!

The bandsaw idea might work if I could find a saw with an appropriately angular shape to its blade. And I'd have to find some means of securing the piece at a vertical angle from the stage to mimic off-90-degree joining angles.

I'm more inclined towards the key cutter idea, but I confess to knowing little about the machines. I'll take up your idea on prowling old locksmith shops and forums - perhaps I can find an old machine on eBay to acquire cheaply to experiment with before investing in a better machine for regular production.

Thanks once again!

-Boyd

Reply to
boydsteere

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