Cutting up Alloy Rims with a Plasma Cutter

[awemawson]

I've acquired some Rangerover rims (beaten up so don't get excited!) as a source of alloy for casting but I need to cut them up to fit in the pot.

I'm thinking of trying with my Hypertherm 900 plasma cutter. Is this sensible or a none starter? (trying to avoid a crude bonfire reduction)

 

[Hood]

Plasma cuts aluminum no problem as long as you have enugh current for the thickness. Not sure what current a hypertherm 900 is and not sure what thickness of Alu it is.

 

[jordhandson]

I had the same idea when I had cut up my ally rims in the end bought a metal cutting saw blade from screwfix and used it in my circular saw, its much quicked and the saw chipping got collected for the pot off the top of my head the blade was about 23 quid

 

[8ob]

Or a decent size bandsaw, probably cut them a lot quicker.

Bob

 

[bigegg]

I used my LIdl recip saw with a metal blade in it..
I subsequently discovered, its just as easy to dig a shallow pit, fill it with hawthorn + leylandii hedges, get it nice and hot [1] then throw the wheels on top to melt down.
.
[1] orange/brown bread baskets thrown on burn *hot* - like the bricks that Doc brown throws into the Loco engine in Back to the Future

 

[Hitch]

If the plasma is suitabl sized it will eat through them in no time.

Issues come when you start mixing fine aluminium dust and steel dust.

 

[jordhandson]

Or a decent size bandsaw, probably cut them a lot quicker.

Bob

Nay Bob I found the bandsaw blade clogged on the ally

 

[8ob]

Nay Bob I found the bandsaw blade clogged on the ally

Maybe a courser blade Watching with interest because I have a mountain of them to smelt

Bob

 

[jordhandson]

Maybe a courser blade Watching with interest because I have a mountain of them to smelt

Bob

And a big bandsaw mine was only a strtrite one with 14TPI also the jaws weren't to big

 

[jordhandson]

Just a though what about one of them log splitters with a sharpened blade, Id like to give that a go.

 

[awemawson]

Good thinking. Mine is mounted on the tractor at the moment

 

[jordhandson]

Good thinking. Mine is mounted on the tractor at the moment

get the blade sharpend and let us know how it goes. I got a feeling it will be ok

 

[Shox Dr]

A friendly scrap merchant with a kin’ big shear, would be the easiest. Though maybe not in these times

 

[minimutly]

I made a melter big enough to throw wheels in whole out of scrap propane bottles- not tested it yet, but one issue will be getting enough suitable vessels for the aluminium while it sets.

 

[bigegg]

Just a though what about one of them log splitters with a sharpened blade, Id like to give that a go.they go *

they go *bang* as tbey go tbrough.
new undies time.