--- title: Machining Copper: Bus Bars and Heat Parts | Wolf Machine Reno url: https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/copper/ business: Wolf Machine & Fabrication, Inc. address: 4812 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 phone: (775) 359-5570 hours: Shop Monday-Friday 7:00 am-3:30 pm; closed Saturday and Sunday type: Metal and plastic fabrication and machining (custom and CNC machining, welding, metal and plastic fabrication, gearbox and part repair, align boring, metal spray) --- [Photo: Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying] - [Home](https://wolfmachinenv.com/) - [Materials we machine](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/) - Copper # Machining copper We machine copper at our Reno shop; it is used for electrical and heat-transfer parts such as bus bars, contacts and cooling blocks. Pure copper is soft and gummy, so it needs sharp tools and a plan for burrs. Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying Copper carries electricity and heat better than almost any common metal, which is why parts that move current or take heat away are copper. It is also the base of brass and bronze, so many copper parts are really copper alloys. ## At a glance - We machine copper at our Reno shop - Bus bars, contacts, terminals and cooling blocks - Pure copper is soft and gummy to cut - Burrs and surface finish need attention - Copper alloys lead to brass and bronze Love working with these guys, and gal. Great customer service and knowledgeable skill base. They have helped with many big projects and have always pulled though when our machines went down. JoHannah W. ยท Google review, March 2017 [Leave us a Google review](https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJVWVOfCI_mYARibcFMPsDEKc) ## What copper is used for In the industrial plants around Reno, copper turns up where current has to pass or heat has to leave: electrical gear, motors, cooling jackets and process equipment. The part is often a flat bar, a block or a round, drilled and tapped for bolts. The Copper Development Association groups coppers and copper alloys by number. Several commercial coppers are very pure for conductivity, while alloys trade some of that conductivity for strength and machinability. ## How copper cuts Pure copper is soft and ductile. The chip tends to stretch and stick instead of breaking, and the metal smears on the tool edge. Sharp tools with polished faces, steady feeds and coolant keep the cut clean. Alloys with a little tellurium or lead are sold as free-machining coppers, and they cut more like brass. Burrs are the second watch point. Soft metal rolls over at the edge of a hole or slot, so a bus bar often needs deburring and a clean edge to make a flat, tight electrical joint. ## What to tell us Give the copper type if it is on the drawing, along with the quantity and any finish or flatness needs on the contact faces. A sample works too. If the part is a brass or bronze alloy rather than pure copper, the pages on [brass](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/brass/) and [bronze](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/bronze/) cover those. Send the quote request or call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570). ### Sources - [Copper Development Association: copper and copper alloys](https://www.copper.org/resources/properties/) (2026-10-18) ### Copper parts - Bus bars and electrical terminals - Contacts and grounding parts - Cooling plates and heat-sink blocks - Washers, shims and spacers - Gaskets and sealing rings ### How to send us the job Send a drawing (PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP or IGES), a sketch with sizes, or photos of the part with a tape or scale in the shot. A sample works too: bring it to the shop. [Request a quote](#quote) [What to put on a drawing](https://wolfmachinenv.com/guides/what-to-put-on-a-drawing/) ### Talk to the shop [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) | Monday to Friday | 7:00 am - 3:30 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Request a quote](#quote) ### Related - [Brass](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/brass/) - [Bronze](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/bronze/) - [CNC milling](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/cnc-milling/) - [Custom machining](https://wolfmachinenv.com/services/custom-machining/) - [Materials we machine](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/) ### Terms on this page [Surface finish (Ra)](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/surface-finish-ra/) [The full glossary](https://wolfmachinenv.com/glossary/) ## Other materials [Plastics](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/plastics/) [Stainless steel](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/stainless-steel/) [Steels and steel alloys](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/steel-and-steel-alloys/) [Titanium](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/titanium/) [Tool steels](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/tool-steels/) [Aluminum](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/aluminum/) [Brass](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/brass/) [Bronze](https://wolfmachinenv.com/materials/bronze/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [(775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570), Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. ### Why is copper hard to machine if it is so soft? Softness makes the chip stick and smear instead of breaking away. Sharp tools, polished tool faces and coolant help. ### Do you machine bus bars? We machine copper. Send a drawing with the hole pattern and the thickness you need, and we will review it. [Photo: Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying] ## Request a quote Tell us what you need, attach a drawing or photos of the part, and we will get back to you during shop hours. Free consultations; prompt estimates. [Call (775) 359-5570](tel:(775)%20359-5570) - From your specifications, drawings or samples. We can also assist you in designing your product or part. - Free consultations and prompt estimates - Stands behind the work: Our rates are very competitive and our quality is second-to-none. Wolf Machine stands behind the work we perform. - Company accounts: all major credit cards, or we can open an account for your company Shop hours Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Send your request any time and we will get back to you during shop hours. Stock photo: a lathe turning a bar, hot chips flying