Cutting Aluminium

[GeorgiePorgie]

I was thinking of buying one of these cutters for putting on my crosslide saw.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Pow...urpose+Disc+230+x+19+x+22mm/d80/sd1750/p90233

However I'm told that its not the norm for cutting aluminium with a grinder blade? so what is?

I suppose a hacksaw is the way to go but I want to chamfer a 20mm block of aluminium and that could take ages.

 

[piman]

Hello G.P.,

not sure what you mean by a cross slide saw but tungsten carbide tipped circular saws work well. I've used an ordinary portable circular saw to cut aluminium sheet, very fast.

Alec

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Sorry, the correct term is Compound Mitre saw with crosslide.

Basically I take off the wood saw blade and replace it with the metal cutting disc.

but tungsten carbide tipped circular saws work well.

I tried and went out and bought a new blade but a few tips flew off and decided too have a relationship with wall.

 

[langy]

A steel cutting disc is not the thing for ally really, I use a Mitre saw with a TCT blade, cuts 100mm ally bar like butter.

 

[hotrodder]

^ This. Abrasive blades typically make a mess when cutting ally, probably designed to run at a very different speed to your saw too (potentially dangerous). What you ideally want is a negative rake non-ferrous TCT blade... google shopping

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

As I can say from experience,those Silverline TCT blades are not worth a blow on a ragmans trumpet cutting Aluminium.

I bought a brand new one just for cutting the aluminium,it just threw a few of the TCT lugs off the blade...I guess these were prolly stuck on with Araldite.

 

[hareng]

Try a decent TCT blade and slow the feed, get a feel for it cutting.

To cut aluminiums usually requires a slower speed than steel or wood.

 

[hotrodder]

As I can say from experience,those Silverline TCT blades are not worth a blow on a ragmans trumpet cutting Aluminium.

I bought a brand new one just for cutting the aluminium,it just threw a few of the TCT lugs off the blade...I guess these were prolly stuck on with Araldite.

Don't buy a cheapnese silverline one then . Loads of different brands available in both 1" bore for use on metal cutting saws and 30mm bore for wood cutting saws. Make sure that whatever you buy is rated for the rpm of your saw

 

[roofman]

Sorry, the correct term is Compound Mitre saw with crosslide.

Basically I take off the wood saw blade and replace it with the metal cutting disc.



I tried and went out and bought a new blade but a few tips flew off and decided too have a relationship with wall.

you'll have to knock up a spacer on your lathe George as the spindle bore wont match....i use a petrol stihl saw with a 300mm tipped wood blade for cutting plywood on the roofs and ive had to knock a few spacers up to accomadate the bore size diference

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Have you been on the winegums,RM?

I'll go the bank tomorrow and get some money out for a stihl saw.

 

[roofman]

Have you been on the winegums,RM?

I'll go the bank tomorrow and get some money out for a stihl saw.

all ime pointing out is they dont make bore sizes the same for wood and metal cutting blades for obvious reasons to stop the sunday morning drill jockeys cutting hands off....and its midjet gems this end mate after 1 hour in the freezer

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

oh,spacers....yeah I made a few on the Lathe.