Thread: metal and wood

I've cut 3mm ally quite easliy on the table saw.
I don't both sandwiching it.
Feed the metal slowly and uniformly.

It is also important to wear a facemask and high neck shirt as the swarf is hot.

I cut up to 4mm brass quite frequently on my band saw and the blade stays sharp, Tungsten tip circular saw blades are fine also I have now and then accidently sliced through my support roller (mild steel) and the saw doesn't know it's there.

I've used my cheap & nasty Ryobi CSMS to cut aluminium and a router with a cheap carbide bit to machine slots in aluminium sheet.
I use kero or a candle to lube the metal for the router first otherwise the ally sticks to the cutter.
At work I've seen the guys cut up 50mm aircraft grade aluminium plate with a Makita 9" circular saw and a non ferrous blade and kero for the lube.
They cut a big slab down to smaller sizes for easier handling.

I also sliced through a 2" brass round bar with the SCMS with a non ferrous cutting blade I bought from Saws and Bits.
The swarf is messy with ally and brass.

Kev.



Kev.

i keep an old meat blade for my bandsaw for cutting ally sheet have cut up to 4 mm thick with it . the blade or band is a 1/2 inch and about 6 tpi i think

It's not unusual for me to cut thin sheets on my TS... but I've a negative rake blade (ally cutting) that I use just for this.

Ditto with the BS... I've a 1/2" x 12tpi (?? I think. Maybe 10tpi?) set aside. I don't think a 4tpi would give a good cut, somehow.

From my experience in working with aluminium over many years in the shop fitting industry I have treated this metal virtually as a piece of timber, You can saw it, particular if you use a fine tooth negative rake blade , I have planed it with a Stanley no 4 smoothing plane, a scrub plane and chiseled it with wood chisels. The main thing is to use a suitable lubricant either tallow, candle grease, CRC spray, kerosene or even mineral turps but most of all wear protective gear for eyes and to keep out the bits of swarf that get down your shirt collar. You can purchase cut off disks specific for aluminium for use on angle grinders .
Do not be frighten of the material but treat it with caution.
Mac

Originally Posted by fletty

Unusually for me, I've been doing a lot of metal work today (will post pics of the project later) and I rank hacksawing, filing and deburring only just above my my pet hate of finishing!
In various woodwork magazines most notably Woodsmith, they frequently cut non ferrous metals with their woodworking tools.

I learned ally working from my BIL. He makes ally boats up to about 40' long by himself using primarily ww tools. SCMS, router etc. I now do this all the time - no sandwiching needed

To make this magnet holder I cut the 25 mm ally square rod using a TS with a negative raked toothed blade. I use a forstner bit on a drill press with meths lube to drill the 25 mm ally block. Meths is excellent lube with ally especially for drilling and tapping, it leaves no mess and is therefore less dangerous than kero.


Here is a chainsaw bar dresser made of scrap ally.

The tight curve in ally handle were done with a forstner bit and a jig saw with a wood cutting blade using wax as a lube.
Then the rest was done with a die grinder bit held in a DP to hog the bulk of the ally off, and a sander and a small diameter drum sander and finally a dremel. The rest was cut out with a table saw.

Gee Fletty the Metal bandsaw is sitting here have an Ali blade for it also fine tooth blades which would suit the brass

Thanks guys for both the confidence and science. If I have to do this again I'll get a negative rake circular blade, wax and dedicated bandsaw blade ... I've already got boxes of cheap router bits! .... or drive over to Ray's!

Fletty

30mm brass on small bandsaw with no problems

Watch out for the brass swarf (shavings) - it is really sharp, is a right B@27@4D if it gets stuck in your finger/s, can't be drawn out with a magnet - and it usually causes an infection.

Hi Bobl,
Most impessed with your using a forstner bit on al.
What speed/feed etc.You must hold it in a vice or clamp it to the table I guess.
I have an old printers compi saw and its great for brass and al.
Find the big 36 in Wadkin bandsaw eats al with a 6 pt skiptooth blade.
We have some cutting wax in a cardboard tube for the circ saw.
Must try the forstner.
H

Originally Posted by clear out

Hi Bobl,
Most impessed with your using a forstner bit on al.
What speed/feed etc.You must hold it in a vice or clamp it to the table I guess.

Yep I have cross feed vice on a 1 HP DP, 160 rpm, squirt meths onto bit and apply a fair bit of pressure so the bit will bite. If you let it ride on the ally it work hardens and it won't bite. You get wonderful big curlies. Doesn't seem to hurt the bit any and have cut dozens of holes with my 19 and 25 mm bits.

Originally Posted by BobL

I learned ally working from my BIL. He makes ally boats up to about 40' long by himself using primarily ww tools. SCMS, router etc. I now do this all the time - no sandwiching needed

To make this magnet holder I cut the 25 mm ally square rod using a TS with a negative raked toothed blade. I use a forstner bit on a drill press with meths lube to drill the 25 mm ally block. Meths is excellent lube with ally especially for drilling and tapping, it leaves no mess and is therefore less dangerous than kero.


Here is a chainsaw bar dresser made of scrap ally.

The tight curve in ally handle were done with a forstner bit and a jig saw with a wood cutting blade using wax as a lube.
Then the rest was done with a die grinder bit held in a DP to hog the bulk of the ally off, and a sander and a small diameter drum sander and finally a dremel. The rest was cut out with a table saw.

Some years ago when fixing Aluminium Ducted Skirting on building sites we would used 1 3/8" spade bits to drill holes in face plates to take power points, granted it was only 1.6mm thick material but there was no problem.
Mac