What sort of router?

[ynneb]

My machine is not ready for the router yet, but I was thinking to buy one so that I could use it to mill some aluminium to help with the construction of the pieces.

I have never actually used a router to mill aluminium, and I was wondering if this was a wise practice to do so by hand?
Is there any dangers that I need to look out for?

Do I just go to a hardware and buy a beefy plunge router or are there things that I need to consider ?

[Urgundiz]

You mean milling alu by hand with a wood router? sounds really dangerous.. I'm not sure if it is safe with a DIY machine, but I am almost sure that it is not safe by hand...

/U

[samualt]

ynneb:
Do not use a manual-router to try and mill aluminum! First, your going to lose a hand that way. Second, assuming you could hang on to it as it dances around like a ballerina, it wouldn't be accurate at all. I have been cutting aluminum extrusion with a miter saw with special metal-cutting blades. Aluminum is allot tougher than it looks. It isn't anything like cutting wood. I know that many people with CNC-routers do cut aluminum with them. But, it would be dangerous to try and do that by hand-holding a router.

If you need to have some metal parts machined then:
1. Buy them pre-made.
2. Have them made at a local machine shop.
3. Buy a mill and make them.

Actually, there are very few parts that you should need machined, if any. On my router the only part I can't readily buy is the mounting bracket for my Makita router. So I'm going to make that out of wood. Everything else I could find at the hardware store, ebay, ect...
Perhaps a good idea would be to go check out some plans. It might give you an idea of whats needed and how to make each of the parts.
John C. Kleinbauer's Plans for Hobbyist
HobbyCNC
DataCut
MachineToolCamp
CadCut

Hope this helps!

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The happiest two days of a boat owner’s life is the day he buys the boat of his dreams, and the day he sells it.

[ger21]

You CAN safely hand route aluminum. Make templates of your parts out of mdf. Rough cut your aluminum plate about 1/16" oversizer with a jigsaw or whatever you have. Clamp the template to the aluminum and trim it flush with a bearing bit. It will look just like it was CNC machined.

Gerry

[samualt]

ger21:
I'm too chicken to try that, but how thick is the aluminum you are talking about? Have you done it with 3/4" aluminum plate?

[aghobby]

quote:Actually, there are very few parts that you should need machined, if any. On my router the only part I can't readily buy is the mounting bracket for my Makita router



Can you tell wich model of router you ar etalking about and what is the mounting bracket.

Thanks,

Alex

[ynneb]

Well I am a risk taker. Most say I cant route aluminium. 1 says I can. I am thinking about the end plate for the gantry mainly, and a few slots here and there. While I could cut the parts with a hack saw and drill I thought a router would give a better finish, espacially if used with a guide.

My original question was what sort of router should I buy that will do the cutting, but I then could use on the cnc router when it was finished. I am thinking that any router so long as it is powerfull, and I can make a mounting bracket for it when it it ready to be put on the machine?

[ger21]

I got one of these:

http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=4855


I wanted something with variable speed and power, but not the weight of the bigger Porter Cable 7518. (Although I have one of those too if I find I need it )

I'm too chicken to try that, but how thick is the aluminum you are talking about? Have you done it with 3/4" aluminum plate?

Not 3/4", but 1/2". Make sure you use a new or at least very sharp bit. I like to use these:

http://www.eagle-america.com/html/ca...p.asp?id=87703

but these would probably work best:

http://www.eagle-america.com/html/ca...p.asp?id=87707

Just slow the rpm's down a little and go slow.

Gerry

[lsfoils]

...and use a liquid coolant to keep the bit from loading up with aluminum! Perferably one that is made for aluminum. Here in the states thats A-9 or Alumacut.

[robgrz]

I've had no problem routing 1/8" Al with a Porter Cable trim router. I used cutting wax and it worked great with a bearing guided bit. Just be careful, the chips really fly and they're hot.

Robert

[samualt]

aghobby:
The router I have is a Makita RF1101. They are very quite. The bracket I spoke of is the bracket that holds the Makita router onto the CNC-machine's Z-Axis. A bracket like that is going to be different for each brand of router you may want to mount.

ger21:
For flat plates and easy things you can always check out ebay. I search for
aluminum plate 6061 and get lots of results. Some of those guys will cut stuff for no additional cost.
I really enjoy having all my fingers and thumbs...I think I'll keep them!


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Risktakers get remembered, but paranoids never die.

[ynneb]

Samualt.......Can I add to your saying?

Risktakers get remembered, but paranoids never die, and cautious risktakers have it both ways.

Oh and thanks guys for all your input.