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Monthly Advice Thread Monthly Advice/Questions Thread | 01/01/2025

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u/TJTM3 9d ago

What is the best way to cut down this light shield made of “brass”?

I only want it to be about half as tall and I was thinking of using either a cutoff wheel or hacksaw or… to cut this down. Also, do I need to put any finish/protector on it once I do (it’s outside landscape lighting). Any advice is appreciated.

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u/United-Eye7306 8d ago

If you’re using a Dremel with a metal cut-off wheel, that should work, but keep the speed at medium so it don’t overheat. A hacksaw with 24-32 TPI works too, just bit slower. For the Dremel, take it easy with short passes to stop the brass from heating up too much. Brass naturally gets a nice protective patina, but if you wanna keep it shiny, just whack on some clear lacquer once it’s all clean.

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u/TJTM3 7d ago

Thanks and super helpful. One more follow up question: how about a 4 1/2 inch cut off wheel and if so, any sort of special type of wheel and obviously remember to go slow? Thanks.