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DoN. Nichols
 
Posts: n/a
Default Looking for a machine to notch Colonial came

According to :
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
he

http://boyd.aluluei.com/came1.jpg

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


[ ... ]

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?


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.

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