Cutting an ally block

[skotl]

I've got a block of aluminium around 30cm long and 5cm deep that I want to cut down its length.

A brief google suggests that a jigsaw with a wood blade, and plenty WD40, is the way to go - any other suggestions?

 

[optima21]

since you have a milling machine...... how about a slitting saw like this

not sure if you will have enough travel of the milling machine though.

 

[123hotchef]

i would clamp it tight and use ur rage saw then turn it 180 deg and cut from the other end

 

[zx9]

i would clamp it tight and use ur rage saw then turn it 180 deg and cut from the other end

As above, I think my Rage 3 (255mm blade) would do it in one cut, I was cutting 300mm wood for book shelves yesterday, I can't remember which saw Scott has.

 

[Maker]

since you have a milling machine...... how about a slitting saw like this

not sure if you will have enough travel of the milling machine though.

What is the purpose of the lolly stick? It looks like a machined face so not for taking up irregularities.

 

[octo0072000]

maybe to stop vice marking the alloy

 

[skotl]

Hmmm... might try the rage - it's a 355mm slider so probably could do it in two passes.

Cheers guys!

Tomorrow is a rage/lathe/plasma/mill day

 

[123hotchef]

what ya making Skot? 1 pass moght do it but i reakon 2 at that depth

 

[zx9]

Hmmm... might try the rage - it's a 355mm slider so probably could do it in two passes.

Cheers guys!

Tomorrow is a rage/lathe/plasma/mill day

Yer, a 355mm should do it in one, get it well clamped down and go for it.

 

[skotl]

what ya making Skot? 1 pass moght do it but i reakon 2 at that depth

Bit of a story here - I'm now locking my bike up outside the office, unlike the last job where I could bring it indoors.
So I have a £30 light, a £150 light and a gopro mounted on the handlebars - I'm going to (possibly!) make an extension that all three of them mount onto, that has a quick release so I can remove it in a couple of seconds and take it into the office.

You can buy light extensions for a tenner, but where's the fun in that?

 

[mike os]

Bandsaw would be first choice then circular saw

 

[skotl]

Bandsaw would be first choice then circular saw

Yup - if I had a bandsaw (darn - next purchase!) then I'd have used that.

 

[Parm]

Going against the grain of playing with toys but is it not easier to acquire a bit of metal roughly the correct dimensions to start with

 

[skotl]

Going against the grain of playing with toys but is it not easier to acquire a bit of metal roughly the correct dimensions to start with

Oh, yes, absolutely! But the stars have aligned where; the family are away for the weekend, I have a new mill, I've got a random block of alu, and I have more ideas than skill

 

[optima21]

you could always take up foundry work as a hobby, melt the big chunk of aluminium,and cast it into a smaller ingot, which you can then machine to size

 

[ronan]

Whatever method you use make sure you use plenty of cutting oil, soluble oil or wd.

 

[bigegg]

Id use the table saw (cos i have an ali blade) or hacksaw - if i didnt have the vertical bandsaw.
Cutting it lengthways on a chopsaw is an accident waiting to happen - and i'm not keen on ripping (for want of a better word) with a hand held circular saw.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I've got a block of aluminium around 30cm long and 5cm deep that I want to cut down its length.

A brief google suggests that a jigsaw with a wood blade, and plenty WD40, is the way to go - any other suggestions?

Just a small point, I was taught that only cloth comes in cm, or furniture from Argos!

 

[skotl]

Just a small point, I was taught that only cloth comes in cm, or furniture from Argos!

Oh no - I'm still clueless when watching American youtube videos when people talk about "going from 3/8th of an inch to 1/4, taking off 17 thousandths at a time". Why would you not want to work in a unit that is divisible by ten?

 

[fixerupper]

I think he means 300 x50....jeff