Cutting Aluminium

[blfuller123]

Here is a dumb question. Can you cut aluminium with a table saw with some kind of metal cutting blade?

[ger21]

Yes. They make blades for cutting aluminum and non ferrrous metals. Usually a triple chip grind with a slight negative hook angle. There are a lot of posts about that subject if you search here.

[mxtras]

Here ya go -

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11232

Scott

[Smackre]

Yes a triple chip grind. The TCG breaks up the cut so you aint taking a full chip with each tooth. The TCG Breaks it up into two teeth per cut. We make custom ground blades that cut 4 cut per blade. But they are for industerial use and would not be cost effective for a home user. However we do sell tenryu and other metal cutting saw blades if you guys need any. Pm me !

[lakeside]

When I was employed by Polaroid’s Model shop as a model maker(back in the good old days) we would cut 1.5" alum. plate on a very nice Rockwell table saw without a problem make sure your blade guard is on as this is something that people tend to take off chip will fly also some wax on the table surface can make feeding a little easy do to weight of stock just let the blade cut don't force if starts to bind on fence stop at once and wear a face shield

[sdantonio]

Not quite as dumb a question as you might think.

I bought a 7 inch course grit metal cutoff wheel (designed for a chop saw) and put in on my table saw. I figured there is less metal to protect you around a chop saw than a table saw, so if anything went wrong then I still had a chance to live to tell about it. In my case I was looking to cut some .125 steel plate. Worked fine. I suspect it would work just as well for Aluminum. The only problem you may have with Aluminum is that it sometimes tends to clog the wheel.

[mxtras]

Yeah - abrasive blades and AL do not like eachother. Don't even attempt it - learn from those of us that have tried it...

Scott

[sdantonio]

Yeah - abrasive blades and AL do not like each other.

Well, at least I know now it's not something I was doing wrong with the blade. It's good to see others have had this experience.

However, it does work great for ferrous metals.

Well, looks like your back to the 80tip blade (and wear your ear protection, I would think this would get loud).

Steven

[martinw]

Don't do what I did about 15 years ago and try to cut an aluminium extrusion using a 24 tooth ATB, positive hook, woodworking blade on my Powermatic 66. Even though I started to cut really gently......bang.....carbide saw tips flying everywhere. I was lucky not to get a face full of them. Be careful with your choice of blade. Preferably, ask the blade manufacturers.

[bryanrabb]

I know this may sound dumb, but I use a Hitachi miter saw with a stock blade and cut 80/20 all day long. Even some bar and angle. Man it cut smooth, much better than a chop saw blade. It is loud and goes slow. But it works and I still have 10 fingers.

[martinw]

Originally Posted by bryanrabb I know this may sound dumb, but I use a Hitachi miter saw with a stock blade and cut 80/20 all day long. Even some bar and angle. Man it cut smooth, much better than a chop saw blade. It is loud and goes slow. But it works and I still have 10 fingers.

Dear Bryanrabb,

I'm happy that you have had no problem with cutting aluminium. I was scared off fifteen years ago. Wimp

I was using a Powermatic 66 table saw with a cross-cut fence and a timber-cutting blade, not a mitre saw or chop-saw, so the blade tip hook angles are probably quite different.

I am absolutely no expert on this, but I think that part of the problem for me was that when cutting quite thin section ,soft aluminium, the chips tend to stick to the blade and the work piece binds, hence disaster.

I was not using any cutting fluid, I didn't want it inside my woodworking saw.

Some time later I bought a DeWalt cross-cut mitre saw (for woodworking) and asked DeWalt if they had a saw-blade for cross-cutting aluminium . The DeWalt man said that this was absolutely not a good idea. If I remember correctly, it was something to do with the rigidity of the cross-cut mechanism.

Please don't get me wrong, I just love ignoring "official" advice and getting away with it. I would be really grateful for info on how to cut aluminium safely on a table-saw or cross-cut mitre saw.

Keep cutting,

Best wishes

Martin

[ger21]

Originally Posted by martinw Some time later I bought a DeWalt cross-cut mitre saw (for woodworking) and asked DeWalt if they had a saw-blade for cross-cutting aluminium . The DeWalt man said that this was absolutely not a good idea. If I remember correctly, it was something to do with the rigidity of the cross-cut mechanism. Please don't get me wrong, I just love ignoring "official" advice and getting away with it. I would be really grateful for info on how to cut aluminium safely on a table-saw or cross-cut mitre saw. Keep cutting, Best wishes Martin

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/ac...categoryID=967


The safest way to cut aluminum on a table saw is to use a sliding cutoff sled. This way you're not putting your hands near the blade, and you don;t use the fence so there's no danger of binding. If you're cutting think aluminum, make several light passes of maybe 1/8-1/4". With a good 80 tooth triple chip blade, aluminum cuts like butter. Just go slow and easy.