Scrollsawing aluminium

[echnidna]

Will a metal cutting scroll saw blade handle 3mm aluminium??

[fxst]

Bob I have cut 3mm ali with both my old makita vari speed & my hegner using metal cutting blades and a slow speed....from memory the slowest I have and it cut well :)
Pete

[echnidna]

Thanks Pete I was thinking of making a round base for a router so I can template from the outside of the base. So I will get some metal cutting blades.

[gatiep]

Bob,

Fine wood cutting blades will cut quicker than the fine metal cutting ones as the clog up....too fine. You can work the normalo aluminium extrusions and plate with everyday woodworking tools, if possible just keep the speed down. If the speed is too high the aluminium sticks onto the blades. A circular saw and also a drop saw with a crosscut blade cuts the 3 to 5 mm stuff OK. Router bits do fine especially on low speed. Coolant like Kerosene helps a lot with that.

[echnidna]

Thanks Joe

[erlyrisa]

I bought a pack of these at the Working With wood show last year, they were amazing! They cut with an acceptable finish and were long lasting. The only other advice I can give is to use Kero as a coolant, just put some in a spray bottle and douse the blade and aluminium every so often, this work fine for me cutting upto 16mm with normal 6inch coarse teeth bodkins for wood before I got the Carbon.