Cutting Aluminum

[jleaman]

Originally posted by rdf


Now you made me feel self-conscious about the 2"W x 1/4"T copper bar I was cutting last weekend. Lengthwise.

Copper bar i have been looking for some. got any more ?

[rdf]

No, sorry, only had about a 6" piece but you may still be in luck. I bought mine at the Langely Metal Supermarkets. In your area:

Victoria
(250) 544-4000
2111 Keating Cross Road
Victoria, BC V8M 2A5

or

Nanaimo
(250) 751-2323
2266 McGarrigle
Nanaimo, BC V9S 4M6

Fun place for those with the illness to just browse around. The staff appear to understand.

[jleaman]

Originally posted by rdf
No, sorry, only had about a 6" piece but you may still be in luck. I bought mine at the Langely Metal Supermarkets. In your area:

Victoria
(250) 544-4000
2111 Keating Cross Road
Victoria, BC V8M 2A5

or

Nanaimo
(250) 751-2323
2266 McGarrigle
Nanaimo, BC V9S 4M6

Fun place for those with the illness to just browse around. The staff appear to understand.

Funny i work on bertram place right beside the car auction Maybe we can meet up and i can get some cut ? You have more tools ? I have hardly any tool's.

( ps if you need help with other stuff pm me or email me )

[Geek]

Also checkout http://www.onlinemetals.com ...There's some stuff that's cheaper importing, duties and taxes included, compared to Metal Supermarkets

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by tg3
With wood, doing a cross cut is a no-no with the rip fence. Comments?

Why would it be a no-no?

[Peter Daniel]

Originally posted by jleaman
How do you get the ends of that metal finished now ?
Is it good to sand blast it to give it that nice finnish?

You can do sandblasting, but before you need to prepare the surface anyway. The easiest way is to use a beltsander with 80-120 grid. You can leave it like that, or blast it later.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...181#post377181

[BobEllis]

Originally posted by poobah
You can cut 2" plate on a good tablesaw... just go slow.

Everybody keep in mind... you CANNOT do this with just any aluminum. You must use "free-cutting" grades. Purer alloys of aluminum are gummy and will not cut like this.

Poobah,

Can you shed a little light on which alloys we should choose?

Thanks

[rdf]

Originally posted by jleaman


Funny i work on bertram place right beside the car auction Maybe we can meet up and i can get some cut ? You have more tools ? I have hardly any tool's.

Aren't you on the Island? I'm a latte-sipping mainlander!
Geek, many thanks for the link. Hmmmm, titanium Gainclone...(kidding!)

[jleaman]

Originally posted by Peter Daniel


You can do sandblasting, but before you need to prepare the surface anyway. The easiest way is to use a beltsander with 80-120 grid. You can leave it like that, or blast it later.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...181#post377181

Thank's peter. I'll try it this week if i get to it. So many project's not enough time.

Originally posted by rdf


Aren't you on the Island? I'm a latte-sipping mainlander!
Geek, many thanks for the link. Hmmmm, titanium Gainclone...(kidding!)

yup im on the island ( for some reason i thought you were because you posted the one in vic )

What did you pay for your copper plate ? Are you able to get scrap stuff / what thicknesses ?

[poobah]

Herm and others,

Cutting plate is a little scary at first... it just doesn't seem natural.

You want to make sure your piece has no burrs or anything else that might hang you in the middle of a cut. Be well prepared for the shavings... there will be a lot.

NOW... POST 15 IS BAD NEWS . That piece between the blade and the ripfence is much wider (from blade to fence) than it is deep )front to back). Compound that with a soft fence so the workpiece can **** or twist; the piece will jam and kick. At best you'll ruin your blade... at worse you'll ruin your body. BAD JU-JU.

Bob Ellis,

I'm sure there are cheaper alloys, but I used 6061-T6. Just check to make sure they are described as "free cutting/free machining". These will be more silver in color and less white... a fine line there I guess. If your are using scrap... test a piece first. If it is "gummy" you'll figure it out. I believe it is the 300 series in particular you want to avoid... but don't chisel that in stone.

And guys... you can use your routers with carbide too!