Cutting Aluminum

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I ran out of excuses for my lousy woodworking, so I decided
to try metal fabrication. This way I can make a bunch of mistakes
and blame it on lack of experience!

Here is my first attempt at cutting aluminum.

Before we even get started, must I remind you:

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


I don't mean to shock you, but this is what will happen to you
if you don't wear your protective gear!

All kidding aside, you will need Eye, Ear, and Respiratory protection.
I recommend the full goggle, rather than just glasses. As you will see
later, the aluminum bits fly everywhere.
 
There will be aluminum flakes flying around, and you need to protect
you saw, too. Look closely at the air intake - I would hate to see the
result if you didn't use a nylon sock to keep chips out.

The cashier at the drug store had a strange look on her face when
I bought the nylons, though...

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Here's a link to a video.

http://www.ericherman.com/images/MOV01437.MPG

It's a pretty big file, so please be patient.

Any questions? Are you all brave enough to try it now?

The truth is, I have been researching this forever. Every one I talked
to said I needed a bandsaw. Finally I just tried it. You can see from the
video it cuts like butter. However, I did hide behind a large piece of
plywood the first time!
 
Been cutting metal (especially aluminum) for a while now. I was in metal shop class in Jr. High School (1973-1975) - and woodshop too for that matter. Do schools even have those kind of classes anymore?

It is a bit intimidating to cut metal if you've never done it before.

This is the blade for my 10" sears tablesaw. Freud makes excellent blades - I have wood/laminate blades also. Highly recommended!

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Works like a champ. I use WD-40 as lube. I've even cut AL up to 3/8" with no problems.

Not really any extensive cutting, but here is a recent case design for my T-Amp which I modified some 80/20 extrusion.

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An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


-Ken
 
Aengus,

I agree with you 100%. The blade looks virtually identical
to my Freud (wood) finish blade. Now that I have some
experience, I would use it for this thin aluminum. I am
not promising the same blade life, and your future
finish cuts in wood may suffer a small amount, but it would
definately work!

Also, the lubricant is probably just helping the life of
the blade. I'm fairly sure the cut is identical with or
without it.

Kec,

I love that little 80/20 box! Great creativity...

Geek,

My cuts with a scroll saw looked so bad that I gave up!
Now I can get a end product worth having.

rdf,

Manual cuts? Are you sick? You canadians scare me :)

Poobah / Kec,

I am too chicken to try this on a table saw! The chop saw
rotation has the blade contact PULLING the piece into the
fence. On a table saw, the contact is (somewhat) PUSHING
the piece back at you. Do you wear cast iron boxer shorts
when you cut?
 

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OK,

I got a question..

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

I want to get some flat bar and cut it but i want that milky look on the metal as he finnish..

Quick search for a faceplate.. Simular to this > http://www.bryston.ca/images/3bsstban.jpg
 
Charged,

I have never bought something from Dewalt that I wasn't
satisfied with. Go yellow!

The case(s) will be for power supplies for my myriad of Aleph
variations. I have Zen V4s up, Aleph 2s soldered, and several
Mini boards waiting to be populated. Pics to follow soon.

Peter,

You're probably best suited to answer Jasons question, and
I wouldn't mind hearing how you would smooth it out.
 
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