How many teeth per inch (tpi) on your hacksaw blade? The fineness rule is at least two teeth per material thickness, but there is no courseness rule for sawing thick stuff. I find even sawing soft 1/4" steel goes best with a blade that looks like a wood saw. For sure you can - and should - use the coursest blade available on 1/2" copper.
You can get the final dimension by sawing the rough edge on very course sandpaper (e.g. 40 grit on a flat surface) - paper meant for floor sanding machines is a nice size. This takes less effort and is more accurate than using a file.
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