On Friday, May 6, 2011 8:49:54 PM UTC-7, Steve B wrote:
My wife wants me to make some sconce lights out of sheets of sheet metal.

I want to punch squares or rectangles to get a stairstep southwest Indian
design type of thing, or variations on that theme.

In terms of getting shaped holes, why not oxyacetylene? The
spark-making is fun, and the edges get a nice rounding.
Some metal coloration should be expected (can be integrated
into the design, or painted over).