Transferring designs to metal

[MrZebra]

I have a design on the computer that I want to cut into sheet metal - does anyone know any tricks for getting the pattern onto the metal?

I know there are some tricks you can do with laser printers, but unfortunately I just have a regular printer. Not sure where I could find a photocopier to try a toner transfer, either.

[Rustic Pumpkin]

I'm not sure if this will help or not, as I don't know if I'm correctly interpreting what you are looking for. Is it some kind of stencil? If so, I would print out your design and stick the sheets together if multiples are needed. Then I would cut out a series of dots along the design line. This makes a stencil. I would tape the stencil to the metal and then 'pounce' over the dots with a pen that will adhere to the sheet metal. Remove the stencil and join up your dots and you should then have the pattern transfered reasonably well. Hope this helps.

[Clunkshift]

There are several factors here but the type of metal and its surface finish are crucial to the plot.

I agree with taping the drawing to the metal but you could just lightly centre-punch all along the lines (assuming a reasonable sheet thickness) and if you are making curves, you can make an adjustable curve with a piece of plastic like an old curtain rail, pulled into a curve with string - like a bow string.
You could then transfer the curves from the drawing to the dots with reasonable accuracy.

In the interests of science, assuming that the metal is not too thick (thus making a huge heat sink), you might try transferring and image from printed paper using an electric iron. This is used by aero modellers to put an outline onto wood, so it is possible that it may leave an image on metal. You would need to do a small test piece to try this theory.

Finally you could make a pantograph out of wood and use a felt type suitable for the metal. This would have the benefit of allowing you to scale up or down from the drawing size.
http://www.green-trust.org/junkyardprojects/FreeMiscellaneousPlans/Pantograph.pdf

I'm afraid that all my design expertise is on ferrous and nickel alloys over 6mm thick - much too thick for tin snips...

[annie fenbug]

Provided the metal is free of grease - wipe down with vinegar, or dry-cleaning fluid if you can stand the fumes - tracing from a computer print-out with good old-fashioned carbon paper should work, and should give sufficient detail for anything you could cut out of sheet metal. Go over the traced lines with a marker pen if you're worried about rubbing or smudging the carbon marks while you're cutting out the shapes.

[MrZebra]

Some good suggestions, thanks!

I considered a pantograph (although I didn't know it was called that!), but the design is very small and fine, so I thought there might be too much play in it. I think that ironing on the design only works with a laser printer, which I don't have.

I don't have any carbon paper, can you still get it?! I thought that went out along with the typewriter and the dodo...

For the record, I'm planning to use ~1mm thick brass, and cut lines/holes in it so it ends up looking kind of like a stencil. I have a dremel type drill that I plan to use for cutting, although I don't yet know how!

[Clunkshift]

for an off-the wall theory:
A kind of "reverse carbon paper" would be to coat the brass with soot from a candle, put thr printed sheet on top and press along lines with a biro (for the roller action) and the soot should come away onto the paper, leaving a pattern in the soot.

[annie fenbug]

Carbon paper is certainly still around - try stationers' or art suppliers (Googling 'carbon paper' and 'price' brings up quite a few options). To add to Clunkshift's suggestion, you can use wax or oil crayon (often sold for children's drawing activities, so try toy shops as well as stationers') to coat the back of the paper, then trace through as he suggests.