How to Work with Aluminum; DIY or BUY

[Johnsnd]

I am working on my fist CNC Build specifically building/buying the linear slides. After stumbling upon this image, I was inspired to recreate something similar. My CNC machine is 5’x3’ 80/20 extrusions. I am interested in making a “bracket” (for lack of a better term) that will go around the metal extrusion. Trying to keep this thread valuable to all who stumble upon it, how does one go about working with sheets of aluminum? For example: bending, cutting, welding, joining etc. Also would someone be better off just buying custom aluminum parts or buying the equipment to do the job with aluminum sheets. Any information someone could provide would be greatly appreciated.
~Nick

[Johnsnd]

No one has any input on the matter? Well I am pretty sure that the best tool to cut aluminum is a band saw. I think the only tool to bend aluminum at that 90 degree angle is one of those machines that uses hydraulic force to bend it over a form … you know one of those metal benders you see on “How it’s Made”. Maybe there is a group out there that offers these services to fellow DIY’er at a decent rate. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[mcphill]

That 90 degree piece looks like extruded angle to me, not bent or machined.

[ger21]

I don't think anyone building routers with aluminum is doing any bending or welding. I haven't seen any. Everything is pretty much bolted together.

[stevespo]

Nick, you can work aluminum with many common woodworking tools.

A bandsaw will certainly cut, but it will be rough. You can clean up the ends with a belt/disk sander. A tablesaw or chopsaw with a shot of WD-40 or cutting fluid does a nice job. A non-ferrous metal blade works best, but a standard combination blade will also do well. I rip 1/2" thick 6061 all the time (contractors saw, nothing fancy), and once you get over the initial apprehension, it's really very easy. Use good safety practices. Push sticks, eye protection, dust collection. A lot of swarf gets tossed your way.

Drilling with hand drill or drill press, hand tapping, no problems. You can even machine it with a router, but the high speed spindle tends to re-weld the chips unless you use a lubricant or move quickly and take very light passes.

And there are hundreds of extrusions out there. That piece looks like 2x2" and 1/4" thick. Pretty easy to find at a metal supply house, or online.

Steve

[blue_luke]

Originally Posted by ger21 I don't think anyone building routers with aluminum is doing any bending or welding. I haven't seen any. Everything is pretty much bolted together.

I am building my machine right now and I use only pieces of extruded aluminium and plates.

My table is 26X27X8 inches and so far i bought 9 feet of U channel 3" X1" 1/4" thick..... 1/2 " plate 8"X72" and some odds and ends...

The frame is made of 20/80 that I recuperated when the plant I worked closed down in 2005...

If I can give you one piece of advice, do get a a blade for your bench saw that is made for non-ferrous metals.
I have a Freud.... don't remember the model but it has something like 90 teeth or so and it cuts 1/2 thick stock like butter. About 100$ here in Québec...
DO WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AND EAR PLUGS!!!! it makes quite a racket and will throw chips all over the place. PROTECT YOURSELF!!!
The danger is not from the machine, it feels like cutting medium hard wood and there is nothing special about it, but the chips will get you!
I found that wearing a turtle neck sweater and a cap is a must.

Check carefully the squareness of your bench saw, especially the miter guide and the rip fence... Adjust everything for 0-0 and the squareness of the blade to the table. Use an indicator if you feel inclined but get your machine level, straight and square!!! You will get a lot of mileage from your work if you do just that!

Get a decent caliper, I use a 6" digital and a 6" dial type. The digital has the advantage of converting directly from inches to metric, a must in my case, the dial one is more precise.
Get machinist squares, I use a 4" and a 8", do not use your combination square from the hardware store!

A scribber is mandatory and an automatic punch is very usefull...

I don't know much about taps and dies so I went to a machinist tools supplier and told him I wanted some taps. He asked me what material I was using and if had a machine or hand tap... Did'nt even know that we can tap by machine!!

He liked the fact that I did not ask for the price but for the quality and adequacy of the tools.
So he handed me some taps (Dormer) a stuff for tapping called ROCOL (smells awfull!!)and then proceded to show me how to tap with a battery variable speed drill, and it works so good that I never used the tap handle I bought! And I have not broken a tap yet!! (3mm the smallest )

The bottom line is get the appropriate tools, learn how to use them and your machine is going to come out just fine!!
The whole thing is just like any other wood project you might have.
Luc