Cutting aluminum

Sorry guys I've been out all day.

For simple straight cuts just use a circular saw with any standard carbide tipped blade.....the more teeth the better the cut but just about any will work. Move slower than if you where cutting wood. Lubricate wd-40 works and so will any other lubes but wax works best, bees wax but again any will work. Clamp, clamp, clamp.......hold the saw tight.......if it catches it can be bad. Protection! Steel is much easier to get out of your eye.....alu is not magnetic. Wear protection!

Leave the teeth of the blade going the correct way........running it backwards can break the carbide tips off. You do not want to get hit by one of those!


For the thinner stuff just use a sharp razor blade....score it a few times and bend.

See nothing special...just stock circular blade.



Anything more than the big tools come out

Nibbler

Jjgrow420 said:

Nibbler

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Not on angle.

This is awesome!
I never thought this topic would create so much discussion!

I use a chop/miter saw with a metal blade on my angle / bar stock cuts. As another user mentioned, more teeth = a cleaner cut and also just go slow with the blade, this allows the saw more time to cut and results in a cleaner cut. Clamping the stock makes it safer always. Be careful cutting sheet stock as those edges can be razor sharp. Saw a kid in metal shop slice his arm really good on a piece of sheet metal.

Renfro said:

I use a chop/miter saw with a metal blade on my angle / bar stock cuts. As another user mentioned, more teeth = a cleaner cut and also just go slow with the blade, this allows the saw more time to cut and results in a cleaner cut. Clamping the stock makes it safer always. Be careful cutting sheet stock as those edges can be razor sharp. Saw a kid in metal shop slice his arm really good on a piece of sheet metal.

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I actually cut upto !/8" angle and flat stock on my compound miter saw with a smooth "finish" wood blade. Carbide tipped of course. Just slow as I feel good at. Noissues. Beatiful miters in trim and moulding after.

You can cut aluminum with any curricular saw blade. High rpm and very light pressure. Don’t cut in one swipe. Cut in a little and lift. Keep the saw spinning wide open. Then make another partial cut.
This minimizes the heat. Is you heat the blade and material the aluminum with stick to the teeth.

a finer tooth blade will be a bit smoother in the cut.

MICHI-CAN said:

I actually cut upto !/8" angle and flat stock on my compound miter saw with a smooth "finish" wood blade. Carbide tipped of course. Just slow as I feel good at. Noissues. Beatiful miters in trim and moulding after.

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Oh yeah I've run sheets through the table saw many times. Cold saw for chops, and plasma for complex.

As a union Drywall/lather, i’ve cut and installed a shit load of Fry(aluminum expansion/control joints)
We use a miter saw with a fine tooth blade. Go slow.