Newbie Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?


Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

  1. #1
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    Greetings!

    I am an artist currently making chandeliers. I have this vision to weld together aluminum pieces to make large chandeliers. I have been dealing (or trying to deal) with Chinese manufacturers to have the pieces fabricated there and shipped to USA for me to assemble. There are about a thousand problems in these interactions, most deal with metal types, thicknesses, and metal qualities.

    It seems the best I can do is getting the items made in ZINC which is a terrible metal to weld mostly because I don't want to get cancer.

    New thought: buy a die press and make them all myself!

    Have a die made and I can hand-create each shape and have total control over my metals as well as a possibility to make endless shapes for very little continuing costs. Not only that, I don't have to deal with foreign language barriers, sub-standard product, shipping, customs, and all the waiting for my packages.

    Can you guys let me know if this is a viable idea?


    • I will be die-cutting aluminum from sheets up to 0.25 inches thick but no thicker than that
    • I will be using 6061 T4 or T6 grade aluminum
    • Each cut piece will not be larger than about 4 inches square


    I understand that many of these machines are kinda slow so it might take all day on the die cutting, but it would give me so much flexibility.

    The Questions

    1. Which machine is a good starter press for a metal die-cutting noob?
    2. Any businesses you would recommend to create the dies?
    3. Can I cut through aluminum that thick with a manual press?


    Thank you guys so much for your help! I like the idea of not outsourcing the pieces so I can say I made the whole thing.

    Similar Threads:


  2. #2
    Member awerby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    5728
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    It takes a huge punch-press to die-cut 1/4" aluminum; it's not something most people have (or want) in their home shops. Have you considered sending the parts out to be cut with an abrasive water-jet machine? Plenty of shops do that here in the USA; you wouldn't have to deal with China. That would eliminate the cost of making dies; all you'd need to provide the shop would be DXF files for your shapes, which you could change all you wanted. I think you'd come out ahead financially. Here's a company (there are lots more) that will do it for you: Custom Abrasive Water Jet Machining & Cutting Services - Loveland, Ohio I suppose if you wanted to, and could afford it, you could buy one of these machines yourself, but I'm not sure the bragging rights would be worth it...

    [FONT=Verdana]Andrew Werby[/FONT]
    [URL="http://www.computersculpture.com/"]Website[/URL]


  3. #3
    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    I agree with Andrew, pressing is not the answer. For low volume, constantly changing parts, the die costs would be crazy. Hundreds to thousands of $$$$$ per each die, and huge machines required.

    Water jet or plasma would be the best choice for what you want. I have cut 1/4 aluminum with my cheap Chinese hand plasma torch and have pleased with the cut quality. I suspect with a quality plasma torch that the cut quality would be better. A decent CNC plasma system can be had for < $10,000 new. I should set mine up some day.

    The other possibility is to use a CNC milling machine (not a router). Slower, but you have full control over the edge quality and well suited for low volume production.

    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA


  4. #4
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    That's what I figured. It would require too big of a machine to do it. I was guessing an initial order of about 300 pieces of each part and I'm trying to do it in a way that is quality yet still cost-effective. I'll check out the water cutting, but I really liked the CNC mill idea. Here is just one I found on ebay

    This is way more than I need, but I could do so much with it!!!

    Thanks for the ideas everybody! I'll keep doing my research.



  5. #5
    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dischg View Post
    That's what I figured. It would require too big of a machine to do it. I was guessing an initial order of about 300 pieces of each part and I'm trying to do it in a way that is quality yet still cost-effective. I'll check out the water cutting, but I really liked the CNC mill idea. Here is just one I found on ebay

    This is way more than I need, but I could do so much with it!!!

    Thanks for the ideas everybody! I'll keep doing my research.
    That machine is way too light for what you want to do, it's a small CNC router/engraver, not a milling machine.

    I was thinking more like this for a CNC mill. https://www.ebay.com/itm/SuperMax-CN...AAAOSw7XBY8Toq

    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA


  6. #6
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    Ahhhh bummer! I was looking at this cute little table top device thinking I could own the world without filling up my garage...

    But I get it. I'm rolling out hundreds of pieces. I should have something that can handle it. What if I was working on thinner aluminum? Something at 0.19" or 0.16"? .16 is pushing it, but it should be structurally sound once it's all welded together. Plus it will be so much lighter!

    Plus I only showed you a 4 axis unit that wouldn't be structurally rigid enough to do metals very well. If it was just a 3 axis unit, it could handle things better, no? This is still a new direction for me. I have a ton of work to do to figure this out.



  7. #7
    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    Those little tabletop machines are just not up to the task for any kind of production. You need a real machine.

    Here are some chandelier parts I built, about a week's worth of work. Probably more extensive machining than you would need to do on your parts. All sides needed some machining.



    And the machine I built them on



    And the setup on the table



    And the finished product. About 60 feet tall. I only built the aluminum parts, not the whole chandelier.



    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Die cutting up to 1/4&quot; aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?-img_0139-jpg   Die cutting up to 1/4&quot; aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?-img_0141-jpg   Die cutting up to 1/4&quot; aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?-img_0137-jpg   Die cutting up to 1/4&quot; aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?-chandelier-jpg  

    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA


  8. #8
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Die cutting up to 1/4" aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

    Now I'm both inspired and bummed...

    Inspired that your work IS SO INCREDIBLE! Bummed to see how extensive an operation I might need to DIY the whole project. Maybe I will go for the water cutting idea...

    I'm still down for the CNC mill, but I need to prototype first before I make the plunge.

    Thanks everyone for your advice. This is a real community here. I'm impressed!

    Rob, Seattle



Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


About CNCzone.com

    We are the largest and most active discussion forum for manufacturing industry. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

Follow us on


Our Brands

Die cutting up to 1/4&quot; aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?

Die cutting up to 1/4&quot; aluminum: worth it to set up my own device?