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Jigsaw is another handy tool for cutting aluminum as long as it is a fine pitch blade as well.
billj
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I'm sure we all know, have discovered, or will discover a better/easier/faster way to perform a particular task related to the construction of the Momus Design machine. I figured it might be helpful to share that kind of information in its own thread, perhaps saving current and future builders a little time and effort.
My tip is more general, and isn't new information by any means, but many people don't realize: you can cut aluminum quite easily with regular woodworking tools. I don't mean milling it on the machine in small passes - I mean sawing right through it with a circular saw or miter saw. It's like cutting really hard wood. It is very messy and it's a little harder on the saw than wood is, but it's fast, makes beautifully clean square cuts, and beats the pants off slaving over a hacksaw.
You'll want to use a fairly fine carbide-tipped blade. I use a 60-tooth blade in my 10" compound miter saw. You'll also need a lubricant for the blade - wax is great for this. I've used candle wax in the past, but my first choice is a wax toilet gasket. They're generally either beeswax or a beeswax blend, quite sticky (stays on the blade well) and much more readily available than beeswax blocks in most areas. I just bought two new ones at Lowe's yesterday for about $1.50 each. Get the ones without any kind of flange - just the raw wax ring.
I plant the wax ring on a scrap of wood, smoosh it down a little so it sticks in place, and then just run the saw into it like I was making a regular cut. This gets a good amount of wax on all the teeth and is much safer than trying to hold the ring against a running blade.
Once the blade is lubed, set up your aluminum stock just like you would...er...wood.Just like a wood cut, be very aware of the blade position. If you space out and forget which is the waste side of the cut, you're going to end up with a metal piece that's about 1/8" shorter than you wanted it to be.
Ask me how I know.
You are going to fling metal chips EVERYWHERE. Be very conscious of this. Eye protection is REQUIRED, and I highly recommend a full face shield. A makeshift trash bag apron also keeps chips from sticking to your clothes.
If you're all set up and ready to cut, then make your cut. Smooth and steady pressure, not too fast. Unless it's a really thick piece, you probably can't run the saw fast enough to bog the motor down anyway, but slow and steady wins the race. Also - the slower you go, the more polished your cut end will be.
Once your piece is cut, take a minute to vacuum up the metal chips you just threw around. It's never happened to me, but there does exist the possibility of a chip finding its way into your saw's motor and causing...trouble. Cleaning up after every cut minimizes this risk.
Aaaand...that's about it. While this process won't help with some of the more complex angled and curved cuts needed for this build, it'll certainly reduce the time spent on cutting the various stock sizes to length. Take your time, keep it safe, and have fun!
-Rick
Jigsaw is another handy tool for cutting aluminum as long as it is a fine pitch blade as well.
billj
A few from me.
- I cut all of the aluminum parts on a bandsaw. It works quite well, but wear gloves or be careful. The part will get hot!
- I squared up the cut ends of parts on a 10" sanding disc mounted on my table saw. Make sure your miter gauge is dead square first, and add a sub-fence to it to give support to within 1/8" or so of the disc. Again, hot!
- Once you have cut and squared a part, designate one end and one face your reference points and make all your measures from there. This helps eliminate layout variance caused by that fact that none of your parts will be exactly the same length.
- If you decide to paint parts wait until the are totally complete and you have finished any pre-fitting needed. Otherwise you will be repainting. Don't ask...
- If you decide to have all of the studs thread in full-depth you need to remember to make them longer to account for it. Again, don't ask...
- A saddle square is a great tool to have on hand. It lets you mark lines all around a part and ensure they line up. Picture attached.
- Use a drill vise to hold parts being drilled! Aluminum is a very gummy metal. A 6" bar that has climbed the drill bit and is now whirling madly will scare the crap out of you and can remove fingers! The fun only gets better when the bit breaks and the part goes winging across the shop like a bullet.
Regards,
Randy
Last edited by groswald; 06-02-2011 at 09:57 AM.
I used a metal cutting abrasive saw blade from Lowes.
"DEWALT 7" x 1/8" Abrasive Metal-Cutting Saw Blade
Item #: 77603 | Model #
It took me (2) blades to cut all the metal for the CNC Machine, including the steel. The blades are about $10.00 a piece, if I remember correctly.
The pieces will get hot, I used welders gloves to hold them while I was cutting them. Also REMEMBER to WEAR EYE PROTECTION ALWAYS !
Last edited by John2111; 06-04-2011 at 10:34 PM. Reason: I forgot something
Hey John, is that the dining room table?
The machine is looking good!
LOL, I used the dining table to do some re-alignment on my CNC yesterday, its in the 100s here in AZ and the shop is not air conditioned. The wife walked in and said "I thought that was fixed already!"...pfft...women.Originally Posted by John2111
I used a metal cutting abrasive saw blade from Lowes.
"DEWALT 7" x 1/8" Abrasive Metal-Cutting Saw Blade
Item #: 77603 | Model #
It took me (2) blades to cut all the metal for the CNC Machine, including the steel. The blades are about $10.00 a piece, if I remember correctly.
The pieces will get hot, I used welders gloves to hold them while I was cutting them. Also REMEMBER to WEAR EYE PROTECTION ALWAYS !
I noticed what looks to be a second steel strip on the back of your gantry, are you using this to stiffen it?
Billj
Ground your metal rail above the electronics bay and your whole system will be grounded. You should have electrical continuity all the way to the other rail and even down to the motor mounts as I do. Why is this a tip? Because now I can run less wiring to the limit switches. Each limit switch needs to be grounded and I can pick up a common ground directly next to each switch. Just tuck the ground wire under a washer or bolt head and you're done.
Also you'll want your entire system, electronics and metal parts, on the same ground for additional safety.
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