Those Side Pieces of aluminum

[CNC Brute]

I have been looking through designs and always see the side brackets made of aluminum. To further describe them they are the supports for the gantry that everything seems to mount into and have an angle added.

Balsaman, built his I see, but where on earth are you guys getting these?

This is the design l like the best and would like to incorporate into my own.

Also, if all of you are machining them by hand, any idea how much you would charge to make a set?

Thanks,

CNC brute

[balsaman]

See if there is a scrap metal dealer in your area. Ask for 1/2" aluminum plate.

You can cut aluminum with a tablesaw with a fine toothed carbide blade. Be careful, wear safety glasses.

[Mr.Chips]

Ahh Yes, Thoes shiny all alum. machines.
Many people including Balsaman start out with a fairly easy to build MDF machine. They use it to cut the alum for their dream machines.
When you have the new machine all cut out and assembled you can transfer the stepper motors and electronics to the new machine. Or sell the MDF CNC.
This is what I'm doing

Good luck
Hager

[Cold Fusion]

I plan on using .500 and .625 aluminum for my cnc router. Ebay is probably the best place. http://search.ebay.com/ws/search/Sal...category=31488

[kong]

What Balsaman said - Scrapyard.
I cut mine using tablesaw and jigsaw, finnishing where needed with files.

[HomeCNC]

Yes, I also used the table saw when first cutting the aluminum. I then finished my gantry sides and other parts on my CNC drill/mill.

[CNC Brute]

Cool, thanks for the ebay link.

There is a scrap yard one city over from me and I get most of my stuff there.

However, I wasn't sure how to cut it. Carbide tipped blade? Any guesstimate on the TPI for the blade to cut that?

Thanks,
CNC Brute

[kong]

I was lucky enough that my father gave me a "proper" non-ferrous cutting blade. 60 Tooth over 10", and a special negative rake tooth pattern. I have read plenty of times on the net you can use a regular carbide blade as long as it's not too coarse, and you don't try to cut the sheet in one pass!

[HomeCNC]

I have cut 3/4 thick aluminum in one pass. As a mater of fact I think it's safer to raise the blade all the way up so you are cutting almost in a straight down fashion. Move slowly. I have tried to cut with the top of a blade and you really need to hold the material from it kicking back at you. make sure your saw is cutting straight with the fence. You sure dont' want any binding on the blade when cutting metal.

[balsaman]

I am with Jeff. I cut my 1.5" extrusion on my tablesaw in one pass. Just feed it slowly. Wear glasses as the aluminum shavings fly everywhere. A face shield would be better.

Eric

[ger21]

As mentioned before, they make blades for cutting aluminum. A triple chip grind blade is best, from 60 to 80 teeth. The safest way is to make a wooden crosscut sled for your tablesaw.

Gerry

[CNC Brute]

What's a wooden crosscut sled