Cutting 1" aluminum plate

[RRedding]

I'm new to this forum and I just took delivery on an IH 12Z mill and am getting ready to modify it with their CNC kit when it arrives. In the mean time, I'm building a table for it and collecting tools and materials.

I was given a large piece of 1" thick (6061 I think) aluminum, about 7 Foot x 3.5 Foot. I want to use it for making parts once my machine is up and running.
How can I cut it into manageable pieces? I have a saber saw but that might just burn out trying to cut this stuff. Once I get the pieces somewhat smaller I can use my band saw but right now, it won't support the weight/size.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

[Geof]

Saber saw is almost useless for that thick.

Do you have a table saw or hand saw, either will work although that size will be a bit heavy to handle on a table saw.

Get a 7-1/4" hand saw and buy what is called a triple chip blade; this will be marked for cutting non-ferrous metals.

Support your aluminum on strips of wood on the floor so there is a gap underneath for the blade to go through.

You will be able to freehand cut but sometimes it is easier to clamp on a guide; just a length of wood will do.

Mark your cutline and paint some ATF fluid along as a cutting fluid/lubricant; it works really well.

Get yourself nicely positioned so you can guide the saw with both hands. Full face shield on and hearing protection; hot chips are going to fly everywhere and it is going to be noisy.

Start into your cut. Do not push to fast, just a nice steady pressure and not much pressure with a new blade. You will find there is a rate at which you can push where the blade seems to float through the metal cutting very nicely, if you try going faster it fights back.

Sometimes the chips do not clear out nicely and jam in the saw teeth and you will hear the saw labouring. Stop pushing but keep holding the saw down against the plate as you release the switch and let the blade stop completely. Do not try to lift the saw yet, unplug it. Now lift the saw out of the cut and see if there are chips packed in the blade. You can normally push them out or tap them out with a bit of wood.

Slobber on more lubricant and restart your cut from the beginning. When you have plenty of experience you can maybe restart where you left off but doing this can lead to a powerful kick back if not done correctly.

I have not mentioned clamping the material down because your piece will be so heavy and you will probably be kneeling on it on the floor. When you have smaller pieces then you must clamp them down firmly and make sure your clamps are not going to be in the way.

[Cruiser]

RR, Its doable on a table saw with a carbide tipped blade, BUT ! It is not very safe. I did it with some thinner stuff once and was worried about kickback, but it cruised right through. Something that large I'd have 3 or 4 helpers with good smarts and strength. You might consider making 1 or 2 plates the size of the mill table for future fixturing while your at it. A good skill saw might do it too, but again ! Let your fear keep you safe if at all possible.

[EvanVH]

RRedding

Sounds like great material for a base plate and then some.



Evan

[RRedding]

Geof - What a thorough answer! Thanks. I'll give that a try.

EvanVH - You're not far off. I got this piece as part of a rolling table. I'm using the frame of that table for my milling machine table but I couldn't part with that much aluminum as a table top. Would have been quite a conversation piece though.

[DonFrambach]

I regularly cut much smaller pieces of aluminium with my table saw. I clamp them to a cross-cut sled.

I have found that it often works better if I take a few shallow cuts rather than one deep one. I wonder if that might work better with the circular saw too.

Good luck.

BTW, I wouldn't dare put a piece of aluminum your size on my table saw!

[Runner4404spd]

buy yourself a hand held bandsaw. they aren't that expensive and definitely cheaper than a trip to the ER.

[Cruiser]

Hand held bandsaw ? Brilliant ! and just cut it into 4" useless chunks ! !

[LaserImage]

I have found that it often works better if I take a few shallow cuts rather than one deep one.

That must be dependant on the blade and the thickness of the aluminum. I cut some 1/2" on my table saw with a brand new carbide blade and it actually did a better job, and stayed a lot cooler, when I cut through the entire thickness in one pass. It really heated up when I "babied" it through with several passes.

Gary

[DonFrambach]

I have found that shallow rapid cuts seem to produce much less local heating than slower deep cuts with I cut aluminum on my table saw. But I guess mileage may vary.

[McAhron]

Waterjet or plasma.

[fatboy55]

Waterjet or plasma.

Thats cool but sometimes expensive or hard to find. At least compared to a shear. I would rent the home depot truck and get some friends to get it to a shop with a big shear. They won't charge more than 10 or 15 bucks to cut it up into many pieces. Especially with your friends moving it around with no effort from the shop.

Shears are very common and pretty much everywhere. After its in pieces you use your new mill to dress the edges. If its a good cut you'll only have to mill off an eighth of an inch or so before you get to good metal. Your new mill can do that easily to the full thickness in a single pass, side milling.

This is also the safest method.


Fatboy55