Cutting Aluminum

**Earl Murchison** · 10-01-2003, 09:37 PM

1/2 to 1 inch I use a wood cutting band saw with a 4 tpi hook blade from Sears. Al that I cant get in my band saw i cut with worm drive skil saw with carbide blade.

**sho305** · 10-01-2003, 10:43 PM

I worked in a shop and we used standard steel bladed band saw to cut it. It worked ok dry too, but used a cooling pump to save the blade all the time anyway. Just a little pump in a wash basin under the saw. Use the water mix lube and it is not messy at all. They run pretty slow and cut nice. Also used a steel cutoff saw with the ferrous blade like a grinder, for cutting angle and such. It left a big burr but went through easy. We used AL tubes to cut wood on and hit them with the skill saw a few times...it went through it like butter. They had about 3/16" wall thickness. Clamp a straight edge to run your skill saw against, and cut deeper & deeper; multiple passes. We used tapping fluid when we drilled, or oil, to make it cut nice. I bet the pam spray would work nice. It is funny, you have to try to find the way it wants to be cut, what speed/lube/etc. or it will plug your tools.

**Racemore** · 10-02-2003, 05:13 AM

To make the adapter plate for my t-3 to an alpha case I used a circular saw with a regular carbide blade that I'd use for wood construction.Cut 1/2"plate like butter.To work the edges,smoothing or rounding corners I use a metal cutting adbrasive blade in the same saw.I turn it upside down and lock it in a vise,wedge the guard open and clamp the switch on.I work the edges on the table of the saw to keep it square.Use to make custom mods to ATV's for my kids by putting suspension on ridged frames.I made my tripple clamps that way out of 5/8's alum and put xr80 forks with the springs remove and air fittings in the top caps.Trick 50 and 60cc 3 wheelers that handled woops like a 250R.For porting I've always used trany fluid to keep the bits from clogging up.It eats.ALWAYS wear eye and hand protection.Lonnie

**Liqui-Fly** · 10-02-2003, 08:31 AM

I'm going to try my bandsaw first. It sounds the safest...and I found some blades for it. I'm going to lubricate with dry film lubricant that has Teflon.

Thanks for the ideas.

David

**sho305** · 10-02-2003, 11:01 AM

Bandsaw does make a course cut. Once I did take a DA with 320 paper and sanded a finned area, then I sprayed color on it. I locked the DA to spin with the worn 320 paper and polished the raised fins....then cleared. It looked cool. Was the top plate on a quad four engine. It gave a shiney machined look to it.

**RB in NM** · 11-20-2003, 03:33 PM

with a cheap wood blade for years. Don't use the type with the welded on carbide tips, they will fly off if pushed to hard.
I just cut some more 1/4" plate last night. Dry cut, no juice or lube needed. Tape the bottom of the saw foot with frezzer tape or the blue painters masking tape to prevent form scratching yer alum plate. wear gloves and eye protection, have a cold beer on hand for when you'e done......LOL !

Russ

**1FASTLASER** · 12-16-2003, 07:49 AM

You already have had some input on cutting aluminum and they are all good. Do to the fact that I am a journeyman in metal fabrication i have cut many miles of aluminum. The best by far to cut aluminum with is called a Metabo. In a way it is a right angle grinder but with a built in clutch so you cant burn it up easily. The standrd metabo blades work well but they get used up quickly. It is a much better investment to get the blades called Razorblades or get the metaboblades called Professional Gold. Both the tool and the bladescan be purchased at a industrial supply company,macmaster carr and I beleive even home depot has this. If you need help obtaining these or any other questions about metal Fabrication I would be willing to help you in anyway possible.

Just Another Fast Boater Friend
1FASTLASER

**Fast Fred** · 12-16-2003, 08:23 AM

use cutting wax

, this is the key

**Liqui-Fly** · 12-16-2003, 10:12 AM

I had some success with my bandsaw with a new blade but then I got intertested in some new projects after everything was wavy and crappy looking. Looks llike I should be liikong for the "right tool for the job". 1fastlaser I thought Metabo was an actual company name. I'll dig around and see what I can find on them. Perhaps it's not to late for the wifey to get me something for Christmas

David

**Liqui-Fly** · 12-16-2003, 10:13 AM

Is the clutch to keep you from getting murdered by kickback?

David

**natzx7** · 12-16-2003, 11:21 AM

I just sheared the drive key in my cheapy Delta 10" table saw cutting some 3/16" plate.

**mjwalters** · 01-14-2004, 11:45 PM

Ihave cut 1'' alu with both a hand saw and a table saw. Try to find the thinest carbide blabe you can find. Use some lube. Some blades last forever some only make one cut. When a carbide tip comes off it embeds in the alu and takes out the other teeth. where glasses and a shield and a hat.

**Techno** · 01-15-2004, 04:15 PM

I haven't tried this but it should work. Get an end mill for mill machines and use it in your router. Routers are built to take side loads.Select the mill by the collet size since they aren't standard like a router is.
Use a guide and shallow cuts to start.
It's better if you find one thats meant for aluminum since aluminum will clog the steel type. Different helix angle. And a roughing bit would be better than a finish type.

**bulldogdaddy** · 04-01-2004, 08:01 PM

if ya feel like making a trip,we have a computerized plasma cutter that we use to cut down 10ftx4ft sheets.
can progam any design,name or whatever.
after cutting you just da the edge and its great!

**Georgia Boy** · 04-12-2004, 07:41 PM

The thoery of taking a side load is the same but the one difference is that a router has an extremely higher RPM than a milling machine has plus it does not have the horse power a mill has to turn it. Its worth a try, but becareful if the mill was to break it could be like a bullet coming at you. Goodluck~ GB