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Cutting Aluminum SMS 04-03-2008
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Posted by SMS on April 4, 2008, 1:14 pm
dpb wrote:

> What Al alloy?

Aluminum 6061-T6 Extruded Rectangle 0.1875" x 1.25"

> Sounds to me more like trying to cut too fast.

I'm not sure. The chop saws for metal using 14" cutting wheels all run
at a much faster effective speed than I'm running. The smaller chop saw
I saw ran at a much higher rpm to compensate for the smaller blade.

> What kind of a cut are you trying to make?

Just a straight cut.

I think one mistake I may be making is to not move the aluminum further
back so I can come down directly in the center of the piece. The blade
hits first on the outer edge of the piece then the blade comes down
through the piece into the slot below.


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Posted by dpb on April 4, 2008, 3:43 pm
SMS wrote:
> dpb wrote:
>
>> What Al alloy?
>
> Aluminum 6061-T6 Extruded Rectangle 0.1875" x 1.25"

That's a fairly hard alloy; iirc about Brinnel 75-80? If so, that's
almost 3/4's of a moderately soft ductile cast iron which would be about
100. It's gonna' need some time to cut it cleanly (see comment
following...)

>> Sounds to me more like trying to cut too fast.
>
> I'm not sure. The chop saws for metal using 14" cutting wheels all run
> at a much faster effective speed than I'm running. The smaller chop saw
> I saw ran at a much higher rpm to compensate for the smaller blade.

I mean trying to push the saw thru the material faster than the blade
can handle, not the blade speed...

>> What kind of a cut are you trying to make?
>
> Just a straight cut.
>
> I think one mistake I may be making is to not move the aluminum further
> back so I can come down directly in the center of the piece. The blade
> hits first on the outer edge of the piece then the blade comes down
> through the piece into the slot below.

Don't wanna' do that -- if a tooth catches w/o a hard stop behind it,
you're really asking for trouble. If not against the solid fence, at
least be sure to use something solid behind that can't collapse.

--



Posted by on April 4, 2008, 2:40 pm
> I bought a 10" metal cutting wheel for a miter saw to cut aluminum, but
> it really doesn't work too well. It cuts it, but it's not a straight
> cut, presumably because the cutting wheel is flexible, and the motor
> isn't fast enough.
>
> I ordered this blade "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006407O" but I
> may return it unopened if it's not going to work well.
>
> Is a 14" chop saw necessary for cutting aluminum (3/16" flat bar)?
>
> Are most of the chop saws 14" because this effectively lowers the speed
> of wheel across the metal?
>
> I saw a 6" chop saw that runs at 9000 rpm, which is close to the speed
> of a 14" chop saw running at 3900 rpm.

ounds good

Posted by DanG on April 4, 2008, 6:52 pm
A regular carbide tipped wood working blade works just fine on
aluminum. A wax stick or some WD 40 will help to keep the
aluminum from galling the teeth - I strongly prefer the wax
stick - a wax bowl ring would probably work just fine. There will
probably be some burr on the cut, but nothing like using a fiber
blade. Cuts will be as straight and square as your chop saw is
capable of delivering as long as you have a good grip or clamp on
the stock that you are cutting.

I purchased a non ferrous and I actually get a better cleaner cut
from a wood working ATB blade. I have a good triple chip blade
that I am tempted to try, but it is an expensive blade and have
not done so.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)
dgriff237@7cox.net



>I bought a 10" metal cutting wheel for a miter saw to cut
>aluminum, but it really doesn't work too well. It cuts it, but
>it's not a straight cut, presumably because the cutting wheel is
>flexible, and the motor isn't fast enough.
>
> I ordered this blade
> "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006407O" but I may return
> it unopened if it's not going to work well.
>
> Is a 14" chop saw necessary for cutting aluminum (3/16" flat
> bar)?
>
> Are most of the chop saws 14" because this effectively lowers
> the speed of wheel across the metal?
>
> I saw a 6" chop saw that runs at 9000 rpm, which is close to the
> speed of a 14" chop saw running at 3900 rpm.



Posted by Rudy on April 6, 2008, 3:09 am

>
> I ordered this blade "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006407O" but I
> may return it unopened if it's not going to work well.



That blade should work well. I use a 60 tooth



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