Aluminium Profile/Extrusion Easy To Cut !

[Lee Roberts]

I recently cut some aluminium profile/extrusion.

I used a Chop/Mitre Saw to cut it, the thing is you can use a Wood Blade to cut Aluminium, you will need to make sure the blade has TCT teeth on it however.

Below you can view pics of the first test cut I did, this was using a 24T TCT Wood Blade.

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/medium/1_DSC09009.JPG

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/medium/1_DSC09010.JPG

As you can see while the end of the profile was flat and fitted OK against a plate of aluminium it wasn’t the best finish in the world.

This was due to the small amount of teeth on the blade (24), the more teeth a blade has, the better the finish will be...

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/medium/1_MTL.jpg

So up next are the results using a 60T blade designed for cutting aluminium!

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/medium/1_DSC09029.JPG

That's better, ok so it’s not a “glass” flat finish but it’s more than good enough for most people I would have thought?

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/medium/1_DSC09032.JPG



The profile I cut was 80x80mm profile and I really can’t tell you how easy this stuff was to cut, my saw didn’t even cough. You will need to match your saw to the right blade; my saw takes a blade with a 30mm bore and a max diameter of 210mm; however the closest blade I could get to those specifications was a 216mm blade with a 30mm bore.

You can also get reduction rings/washers allowing you to use a blade with a smaller bore, you will need to look into this yourself.

Another option would be to use a grinding cutting disk, again you will need to match the blade sizes to your saw, I don’t really like to use a grinding disk because of the heat and so on....the choice is yours.

So now you can be confident that you can cut this stuff should you need to, remember to square up your new blade once it’s fitted to your saw and defiantly clamp up the aluminium profile before you start cutting it.

As a side note, the 60T Blade i used was from ebay @ £24.99 inc p&p (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140325960169), yes thats right inc p&p :clap:

Regards,
Lee

[irving2008]

Lee,

What chopsaw is that? I am looking at getting one (cutting 1" thick aluminium plate by hand yesterday nearly did my elbow in). There's a 1200W/210mm one at Screwfix for £40 or a slightly better 1800W one for £70. might pop down to B&Q later and see what they have got.

[Robin Hewitt]

I regularly rough out aluminium plate on a wood bandsaw with a skip tooth. Works okay up to 1/2" but 5/8 is dismally slow. Saves a lorra lorra milling.

I did have a table that fitted to the metal bandsaw and fed the metal in on a couple of linear rods, powered by a sash weight over a small pulley. Worked okay, haven't adapted it for the new bandsaw yet.

I do foresee a slight snag with that though, if I don't turn on the slurry the blade comes off after a while which is totally annoying. Not sure the slurry will find it's way back to the pump with the saw in the vertical position :nope:

[irving2008]

Just bought a chopsaw in the sale at B&Q, got the last one and it was 15% off the sale price too - £50 down from £85. Uses 210 x 30 blades.

Amazon have 210x30x60t or 64t in stock

Draper 210x30x60t, £9.97

Draper 210x30x64t, £8.39

Summit 210x30x64t, £11.99

[Lee Roberts]

Its a MacAllister Compound Mitre Saw 1800W:

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/medium/1_272093705.jpg

B'n'Q

[irving2008]

looks exactly like mine!

[Lee Roberts]

Good good, check out the test site ;-)

[CNCBlug]

Lee,

Thanks for this info. I am sure you did all this research just for me! ;)

[ptjw7uk]

Only real problem with the chop saws is that most are designed for wood and the blade is to fast for most metals.
The evolution rage 2 chop saw runs a lot slower and supposedly cuts steel.
I though of getting one but just dont need to cut that much steel so I will stick with my Elu for ally and wood.

Peter
Just had a thought(painful) a 3 pahse chop saw could run slower with and inverter, more money though!

[Lee Roberts]

Lee,

Thanks for this info. I am sure you did all this research just for me! ;)

80x80mm Profile at around £50 a meter, minimum order of 5 meters...hummm yea why not....CNCBlug needs the help :)

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/1_DSC09040.JPG

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photoplog/images/2/1_DSC09041.JPG

Bit of ali profile anyone ?

[CNCBlug]

Very tempting!

Though I think 80x80 is a bit overkill for me. I was thinking of using 60x60 heavy. It will also halve the price. Do you have any of those lying around by any chance?

[monza]

That size profile is mad expensive been looking at the 40's and 60's myself :)

[CNCBlug]

kjn LINK (http://www.aluminium-profile.co.uk/acatalog/Aluminium_Profile_with_10mm_Slot.html)

They also do ready made benches (http://www.aluminium-profile.co.uk/acatalog/Ready_Made_Bench.html), but i think they are all a bit flimsy. They might just fall over when your gantry stops suddenly.

[monza]

Think I am going to have some phonecalls to make tomorrow when everywhere opens back up :) I have found a few suppliers and will contact them tom or Tuesday :)

This one seems to do everything as well, what is the metric equivalent of the 8020 available in the states?

http://www.extrusions-aluminium.co.uk/Aluminium-Extrusions.html

[Lee Roberts]

Hey monza, i forgot all about AS they are about 15mins down the road from me too. I'v spoken on the phone with the guy that runs it he is ok to speak to, let us know how you get on.

Lee

[monza]

Just spoken to him about the extrusions. He has a £100 minimum order but his prices seem reasonable. Will probably order it from him when I get my design finalised. Only thing is he doesn't do collection so I have to trust the couriers will get it to me straight and in one piece.

[GeorgeD]

As a side note, the 60T Blade i used was from ebay @ £24.99 inc p&p (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140325960169), yes thats right inc p&pOld thread I know...but..you got robbed Lee,:eek: £9.85 for a 80TCT aluminium cutter blade in Toolstation.

Your profile is thin so it doesn't take much to slice through that. :whistling:

Been cutting 20mmx70mm bar with mine....like a knife through butter.:dance:

[Web Goblin]

You could also try http://www.automation-supplies.com/ for your extrusion. Thats who I used for mine. Ordered specific lengths so I would'nt need to recut them. Good quality cuts and all parts well packaged.

Ian

[GMCNC]

Hiya, Personally I use a Bandsaw now :heehee:

Cuts everything sooooo well! Especially metals.

My thanks to ebay for finding a bargain 2nd hand machine mart one :smile:

[MikeyC38]

Thanks Lee for this post - I'm about to start my build and looking for reasonable price blades!

[Lee Roberts]

No problem :beer: