How do I cut 19mm aluminum?

[waddycall]

Hacksaw and tidy up with a file. If there is a radius in the V’s just drill a hole of the right diameter to give the radius and cut up to that. Clean up with a file. You can rotate the blade on a hacksaw by 90 degrees so it doesn’t struggle with the length of cut. Just make sure you have decent blades. Not sure how many Tpi but someone here will know. Do it a bit at a time and keep in mind that it’ll be quicker than researching machinery and getting quotes etc for getting it outsourced.

 

[Onoff]

Rub chalk on the file I do when filing aluminium.

 

[julianf]

If I was doing it here, I'd either CNC mill the whole thing, in more than one pass,

Or, rough cut it however I could, and then use the mill to clean the edge, cutting in, incrementally, from the sides.

Or, I'd just outsource to waterjet.

It would depend on the complexity of the shape and how much I could be bothered.

 

[waddycall]

Some hacksaw inspiration for you -

 

[Red'n'Black]

I've never had much luck trying to make accurate 90° cuts in thick material with a jigsaw, even a brand new blade always seems to tilt.

OP, if you post or PM me a sketch of what you're after, I might be able to do it on my bandsaw. I've put 15mm aluminium through it ok, so 19mm shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Chain drill and a fret saw?

 

[chunkolini]

9" angry grinder?
I cut these barrels and head in half with one. And to my surprise did not get killed as I hit the steel liners.
Maybe drill good sized holes in the internal corners?

 

[minimutly]

A liquid lube when sawing aluminium is not always the best. To be useful, you need to use it as a flood, to sluice the chips away. Dampness just makes a messy slurry of liquid and aluminium dust. There is not really a good halfway house: either cut dry and blow the chips away, use a wax lubricant (candle rubbed along cut line from above and below) or cut properly wet.

A variable speed jigsaw on a low setting is good for aluminium. Clamp a straight edge to the piece and use it to guide the jigsaw.

No-one has mentioned that for metal cutting, you need to switch off the pendulum action.

"The pendulum action"?

 

[Munkul]

It is not too bad, this is straight off the plasma, not a nice smooth surface like steel but still acceptable.

View attachment 448955

Do bear in mind that you get a nicer plasma cut edge than most plasma tables, indeed better than some lasers

 

[Onoff]

"The pendulum action"?

This. You get quicker cutting but a rougher cut. The amount of "swing" is usually on a switch with say 1 to 4 settings:

 

[Hood]

Do bear in mind that you get a nicer plasma cut edge than most plasma tables, indeed better than some lasers

The Jasic does cut Alu nice but the TecArc wasn't too far behind.

 

[waddycall]

I’m going to ask about the thickness requirement . Does it need to be bang on 19mm and does it need to be all one piece or could you stack a few profiles to make up the thickness? The problem you are having with outsourcing the cutting may be related to suppliers needing to buy a full plate to cut it from. If it was a common thickness stacked it would probably be cheaper and easier.

 

[Erie Fred]

Clogging will be the biggest issue,

 

[Seadog]

Find someone with a coarse metal cutting bandsaw, it will be a cinch.

I cut some 40mm on wood bandsaw with coarse blade. It was only a toy SIP with a 300W motor. WD40 and applying gentle pressure worked very well

 

[minimutly]

This. You get quicker cutting but a rougher cut. The amount of "swing" is usually on a switch with say 1 to 4 settings:

View attachment 448974

Ahhh, misread, I thought it was referring to bandsaws.....

 

[DAPPH]

A few years ago when I was desperate for a guide , I cut my own set of 75 x 50 mm square Vee blocks out of 50x 50aluminium using a medium wood band saw with a hard point half inch bimetal band blade without mishap . Just used bare hands to hold the metal block and when it got warm let it cool off in a bucket of cold water whilst I cut the other block .