Thread: How to cut small quanities of aluminium sheet?

Originally Posted by kidsam

I don't have much in the way of power tools, my concern with using a hacksaw or other hand tool is that i might end up with jagged edges
i have no bandsaw or power sander of any sort
i probably have a hacksaw somwehre (which probably needs a new blade), and a smaller coping saw i used for a few things

are there possibly like, any services or groups i might be able to locate?
i thought if i could find a makerspace/hackerspace, they would probably have tools and knowhow needed, but i can't find anything within a reasonable distance

You need to state your location otherwise people won't know whether to reply ! Ie isF you were in Sydney and I replied from Robertson it probably wouldn't work! Happy to help you out if you are close though
will

He's on the central coast. Mentioned it in the OP.

Try contacting Ullrich Aluminium in Newcastle. They might be able to supply and cut.
http://www.ullrich.com.au/rolled/rolled.php

Yeah, i'm on the central coast, i have seen people on ebay selling 300x400mm pieces for around $10-$15 postage, which i'm willing to pay

i'll send ulrich an email, but i'm not too hopeful, i doubt a company like that will do a small job

I have some sheet Al in the shed will have to check thickness.
Could post it to you depending on the size of Oz post bags.
Cms are used by dressmakers try using metres and millimetres.
H.

Originally Posted by clear out

Cms are used by dressmakers try using metres and millimetres.

That's funny! I even wrote cm myself and still thought it was 29mm...

OK so it doesn't have to be 5mm thick (what was the 5mm measurement you mentioned then?) If you lived down here, I would send you to my brother in law and he would cut that piece for you on the guillotine in 5 minutes from a bit of scrap.

So what I suggest you do is get out the phone book, look up sheet metal fabricators and go and tell them what you want. When I was a sheet metal worker, we got odd little requests like that all the time.

Originally Posted by silentC

That's funny! I even wrote cm myself and still thought it was 29mm...

OK so it doesn't have to be 5mm thick (what was the 5mm measurement you mentioned then?) If you lived down here, I would send you to my brother in law and he would cut that piece for you on the guillotine in 5 minutes from a bit of scrap.

So what I suggest you do is get out the phone book, look up sheet metal fabricators and go and tell them what you want. When I was a sheet metal worker, we got odd little requests like that all the time.

Well, original post says under 5mm thickness, so, 1-5mm thickness would work, the thicker, the better
the thickness isn't strict, as long as it's thick enough to stay in shape & hold some threads
i'll see what i can find, but i don't think there's much in my area, being away from sydney & newcastle

edit: thinking about it, i think it would be safer if it was atleast 2mm thick

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/find/a...tral-coast-nsw

Ah, i was using google maps, i've sent messages to a couple of the nearest shops, the rest are over an hours drive away (and i'd rather pay postage on something than drive for two hours)
might give them a call when i get home later, will see if they respond to my emails

Well, 2 quotes back, one was "around $40", the other quoted $60, not sure if these are reasonable, but seems a bit high considering the price of aluminium sheet on ebay (but i guess there's manhours or whatever too)

The labour will probably be more than the material for something like that

I reckon your best bet is to see if you can get them to sell you a scrap about the right size and cut it yourself. If it's 2mm, you can cut it with tin snips.

Originally Posted by silentC

The labour will probably be more than the material for something like that

I reckon your best bet is to see if you can get them to sell you a scrap about the right size and cut it yourself. If it's 2mm, you can cut it with tin snips.

Yep, just got another response for a 300x300x2 sheet for $22, quite a bit cheaper, i will give the mens sheds a call this afternoon or something and see if they can cut it for me, tin snips would leave bad/jagged edges wouldnt they?

Depends how careful you are. A guillotined edge will be better but you can cut it almost as good with snips.

Easy enough to fix up the edge with a file or some sandpaper.

You can also just use a de burring tool to. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1414051356.054059.jpg
You just pull it a long the edge a few times both sides if you like.
There quite cheap
The quote you received at $22 is very reasonable .