Working with aluminum?

[hotrdd]

So I've been trying to finish this bike and like they say the last 10% takes 90% of the time... I'm trying to get the forward controls fixed as the way I had it before just wasn't working. Anyway since they are aluminum I'm trying to stay with aluminum for the modifications and not mix medals. I don't have a lot of experience using aluminum but wondering if you guys can help me out a bit. When I first started to cut the aluminum with my band saw it was like a hot knife on butter but then it became seriously slow and the aluminum was getting extremely hot. Once I let the piece cool down and looked at the bandsaw blade I had to clean some aluminum chunks out of the blade as well. I am using a medium metal blade. The piece seems to cut fine when cool but not at all when warm, is this normal? How should I be cutting this stuff? I can't wait ½ every time before I cut further. I'd be here until spring.

 

[Robbo]

how about if you add a cooling liquid to the blade while cutting as lubricant and cooler... makes all the difference in metal machining.. Id also check how sharp your bandsaw blade is.. keeping a tub of water nearby to dip the piece in to cool it occasionally could help too.. good luck I hope the rest of the build flies by for you..

.. Chris aka Robbo ..

 

[justin]

Aluminum is pretty gummy depending on the grade, WD-40 is a great, cheap cutting fluid for aluminum on the band saw. If grinding you should use silicon carbide discs and stones so it doesn't build up. Grinding wheels and discs can explode if there's too much build up.

 

[mrriggs]

Use the coarsest blade you can find and lots of oil. When cutting the gating off of castings I use a wood blade in a Sawzall and douse the part and blade with Rapid Tap. For detailed stuff I use a coarse blade hacksaw and Rapid Tap. I had to mail order the coarse hacksaw blades since the hardware store only carries fine ones.

 

[hotrdd]

Will give it a shot, also had a fellow recommend an old candle on the blade as the wax would help cool things, lubricate and clear the chips. I may give it a try as well.

 

[I am Carbon]

I work in an aluminum fab shop and I use bees wax that I get from the welding supply bees wax is great on your sander belts too on aluminum I use wd 40 on chopsaw blade but wax will work there too bees wax smells good too just keep that band saw blade waxed and you'll have no trouble

 

[jammerj]

Ditto on the wax.

 

[thelowlife]

Ive used a wax base lube as well. Aluminium is funny.. from what I've understood cutting aluminium with milling machines, bandsaws etc. is that aluminium is all about slower speeds and tonnes of coolant. While milling some parts for another project the machinist mentioned using compressed air and liquid lubes as an alternative after the build up jammed up the bit and snapped it.

 

[I am Carbon]

yes when milling plenty of liquid cooling and lube

 

[jmink427]

yep..... bees wax

 

[hotrdd]

I feel stupid for not asking this question a long time ago. After gettingin the shop tonight and using some WD-40 on the blade it cut very, very clean and fast. I'm considering re-doing the first piece all over again to make it look 1/2 as nice as tonight's piece.

 

[Mcnabb]

I work in a aluminum plant and believe it or not you can cut it with a skillsaw lol we do it every day

 

[Highside]

I work in a aluminum plant and believe it or not you can cut it with a skillsaw lol we do it every day

I used to cut Al round stock on a radial wood mitre saw. works like a charm with either a carbide blade or lube of some kind.

 

[I am Carbon]

I used to cut Al round stock on a radial wood mitre saw. works like a charm with either a carbide blade or lube of some kind.

you should use lube on carbide blade too. no lube= loss of life to blades. lubed blades will last much longer also when using chopsaw aka mitresaw or skillsaw stop the the saw before removing the stock. example with a chopsaw, saw down while holding the saw down after cutting the material turn off let blade stop then raise the saw up. un like wood the blade CAN AND WILL at times catch on the spinning blade and kick the material back out or break off a tooth on the blade.

 

[hotrdd]

Since I need to start using more lube for all my metal cutting it leads me to believe that I need to stop trying to use my wood tools for some of these jobs and get some dedicated metal tools. Are there any other guys here that live in both the metal and wood world? Do you buy new metal tools or just look for cheap tools that you can replace more often?

 

[cros36]

buying more tools that you replace more often is very counter productive. when you out buying your 2nd cheap tool, your most likely already spending more.

what i want to know is can i use a 10 metal saw blade in my craftsmen 10 wood mitre saw. it says in the manual not too, but we all know that means nothing.

 

[I am Carbon]

buying more tools that you replace more often is very counter productive. when you out buying your 2nd cheap tool, your most likely already spending more.

what i want to know is can i use a 10 metal saw blade in my craftsmen 10 wood mitre saw. it says in the manual not too, but we all know that means nothing.

sure no problem i use 10" chopsaw to cut aluminum at home and cordless scroll, and circlar saw make sure to lube those blades good wd-40 is what I use on chopsaw I turn on the saw and spray on blad while turning "ALWAYS USE SAFTY GOGGLES OR GLASSES" you only have one set of eyes friends. Its a good idea to use ear protection when using a chopsaw on aluminum its louder than wood

 

[hotrdd]

Guess my concern is having a set of tools covered in WD-40 and metal chips that I now can't use for wood. How do you keep the lube from spraying everywhere?

 

[I am Carbon]

Guess my concern is having a set of tools covered in WD-40 and metal chips that I now can't use for wood. How do you keep the lube from spraying everywhere?

you dont. lube does go evrywhere i clean off tools with air compressor I blow off all the chips and not much you can do with aluminum dust every thing turns a sweet haha gray cheap paint brush or a foxtail brush will help in cleaning tools. I switch back and forth from wood to aluminum with no problem messing up the wood. I do change blades

 

[Highside]

you should use lube on carbide blade too. no lube= loss of life to blades.

Not necessary on Al. Al gets machined dry all the time. The only danger is going too fast and having chips bond to the cutting surface.