Cutting aluminum

Hey everyone!
What is the best way to cut aluminum?
I have a thin sheet that is .025 thickness and some 90° angle pieces that are 1/8" thick...
I would prefer to use a circular saw, but I don't have the slightest clue on what type of blade...
What do you all use to cut thin sheets and angled aluminum?

Grinder with cut off wheel.

You can reverse the blade on the circular saw

For thin sheets/angle/flat 1/16”-1/8 these work if you don’t have a band/grinder. Like $10-15 -aluminum shears

With the thin sheet I would use a razor and score it with a straight edge then have a flat edge bend it down on that scored line a bit, flip bend the other way flip, repeat a few times then you get a nice straight break.
For the angled thicker stuff i would use an angle grinder with a carbide tipped blade.
If you use a saw I suggest using a carbide tipped blade with some lubricant

Id use a chop saw with a small tooth blade reversed....a wide tooth reversed would work. Just not as well. Wear a face mask and safety glasses. Put the angles on a piece of 2x2, 2x3 or 2x4. This will give a cut with minimal bending. Like put the L so the corner of the wood is in contact with the whole surface of the angle if that makes sense

Rock.A.Roo said:

Hey everyone!
What is the best way to cut aluminum?
I have a thin sheet that is .025 thickness and some 90° angle pieces that are 1/8" thick...
I would prefer to use a circular saw, but I don't have the slightest clue on what type of blade...
What do you all use to cut thin sheets and angled aluminum?

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They make “metal” wheels with carbide teeth, but I don’t recommend them. Reviews say they dull fast and tend to shed teeth at speed.

On a different topic, the best way I’ve read about is an x-y table fitted with a water jet. Pricy though.

putting some soap on whatever blade you decide to cut the aluminum with will prevent it from gumming up the blade. Just run the bar of soap on the blade every couple cuts. I would just use a sawzall with a metal blade

A hack saw with a fine cut metal blade and these. Better than aviation snips.

Thanks everyone!
I think I can get it done from all of that!

Rock.A.Roo said:

Thanks everyone!
I think I can get it done from all of that!

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I forgot to mention. SAFETY GLASSES and LEATHER GLOVES. SAFETY FIRST. Go with manual tools if not honestly experienced with power tools and metal working. Serious hazards involved. Be safe.

Yeah....don't use a fiber cutting disc. The aluminum will gum the wheel up. For hack saws, get a medium tooth. Not fine. Or the teeth will clog. Use a bar of soap on the blade first. It helps prevent clogging.

Sawsall with a wood blade will blow through it. I used a hack saw out of a garage full of metal working tools. Portable band saw will also work.

Beehive said:

Yeah....don't use a fiber cutting disc. The aluminum will gum the wheel up. For hack saws, get a medium tooth. Not fine. Or the teeth will clog. Use a bar of soap on the blade first. It helps prevent clogging.

Sawsall with a wood blade will blow through it. I used a hack saw out of a garage full of metal working tools. Portable band saw will also work.

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The gumming up is not that. It is just the fineness of the tooth slowing your progress. A quick spray of the blade with wd40 is all you need. And less ragged edges are the result of a slower cut. I like a quick debur with 220 grit paper. Not a file.

MICHI-CAN said:

The gumming up is not that. It is just the fineness of the tooth slowing your progress. A quick spray of the blade with wd40 is all you need. And less ragged edges are the result of a slower cut. I like a quick debur with 220 grit paper. Not a file.

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You went farther then me. I cut the strips with a hacksaw. Drilled A pilot hole and then used a 1/4" impact to drive in some metal screws.

Called it even.

I've taken my light rack apart three times. Moving cob pods, adding more pods, changing heat sinks.

1"X1" L channel. The sticker fell off so I don't remember the thickness. But the end is painted red. Got it from Lowe's.

Beehive said:

You went farther then me. I cut the strips with a hacksaw. Drilled A pilot hole and then used a 1/4" impact to drive in some metal screws.

Called it even.

I've taken my light rack apart three times. Moving cob pods, adding more pods, changing heat sinks.

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A few years fabbing machine guards on the fly and on the spot from alumininum angle and bar stock. Joke, but i can't type or say it.

Nobody ever says how heavy a light rack can get. With 10 pods. I bet my rack is pushing 50 pounds.

It's heavy. I've been watching the rope hangers. Two of them. Rachet jobbers. They're holding it up. No stress looking nothing but I wouldn't add any more weight unless I went to metal cable hangers.

Jeffislovinlife said:

@DarkWeb

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Yes, I recall him working with big tools. LOL.