needing advice on cutting C channel in 6061 ALUMINUM

[mikey74063]

Thanks to all the guys that gave me advice on milling.. I got a R8 milling machine with a shop fox vise. I should be getting it here next few days so I will get started milling my small channels.

I have a new question.. I have 6061 aluminum 1" x 3/8" x 4' and I have a small drawing below..

I need to mill out a C channel 9/32" wide x 3/16" deep

with my plastic I have used in the past I have used my table saw and run the plastic throw the blade and moved the fence a bit and run my plastic again until I had my channel.

I have a Triple Chip Grind blade for aluminum but I wonder if it would be safe to do this without the aluminum bar kicking back? I need to do quite a few bars like 100 maybe 200.

does anyone have a suggestion on a safe way of doing this?




Thanks again

[Fatboy]

Trying to cut this with a table saw (if that's the way I understand it) would be a good way to have a major kick back.

My thought would be to use a hand held router with a guide and a 1/4" carbide two flute upspiral bit. Since the first cut would be .250" and 9/32" is .281" you will need to set the guide over .031" for the second cut. I'd use a light coat of wd40 applied to the cut area with a 1" brush before cutting.

Clamp the material on a solid bench, set the depth, and you should be able to run the router down the entire length without stopping. Pay attention also to the correct guide placement/cutter rotation so that the guide stays against the edge of the material.

This method is used by builders of experimental aircraft to cut aluminum wing ribs and other parts and is well documented on the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) website in the homebuilder's hints videos.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/...tid=1902498834

Good Luck,
Fatboy

[kling8]

I would not use a table saw, I agree with fatboy that would be a dangerous and bad idea. I'm a machinist myself I would through it on a CNC and let the machine do the work, especialy with the number of parts your talking about..
kling8