Routing Aluminium ?

[Dog]

Can you use standard TCT router cutters to rout softer grade aluminium ?

 

[9fingers]

You would be better off using HSS milling cutters, low speeds and lubricating with paraffin or diesel fuel. Soft aluminium without lube can build up on the cutter and cause all sorts of problems.
Yes you can do it but with very fine cuts and extreme care.


Bob

 

[Dog]

Thanks Bob, much appreciated.

 

[scholar]

Does anyone have any suggestions for sawing aluminium on the bandsaw?

My bandsaw (Scheppach Basato 5-4) has a slow speed that is stated as being for non-ferrous metals.

I have a bi-metal blade with fine teeth. I used this to rip down some strips off some aluminium sections (in fact they were side sections from a Festool MFT that had been damaged in transit and replaced - by making a few cuts these complex sections yielded a few T-slot sections). Obviously these are the best and most expensive T-slot sections money can buy.....

The saw coped with it ok, but the problem I had was that it clogged the teeth of the blade after a while and I had to go all round the blade prising off with a bradawl the little bits of aluminium welded to the tooth gullets.

Any suggestions of better methods of cutting would be appreciated - I did consider lubrication, but thought this would make a right mess of the bandsaw.

Cheers

 

[RussianRouter]

Does anyone have any suggestions for sawing aluminium on the bandsaw?



Cheers

I bought an Aluminium TCT 80teeth blade for my SMS..£9.85 and goes through 20mm Ally like knife through a butter...only problem was the printing was on the opposite side of the blade. :roll:

 

[9fingers]

Does anyone have any suggestions for sawing aluminium on the bandsaw?

My bandsaw (Scheppach Basato 5-4) has a slow speed that is stated as being for non-ferrous metals.

I have a bi-metal blade with fine teeth. I used this to rip down some strips off some aluminium sections (in fact they were side sections from a Festool MFT that had been damaged in transit and replaced - by making a few cuts these complex sections yielded a few T-slot sections). Obviously these are the best and most expensive T-slot sections money can buy.....

The saw coped with it ok, but the problem I had was that it clogged the teeth of the blade after a while and I had to go all round the blade prising off with a bradawl the little bits of aluminium welded to the tooth gullets.

Any suggestions of better methods of cutting would be appreciated - I did consider lubrication, but thought this would make a right mess of the bandsaw.

Cheers

I suspect that you might have been feeding in too fast. Aluminium can build up almost weld onto HSS.

The grades of aluminium used for extrusion are quite soft and sticky.
I suggest a little paraffin or diesel applied with a brush, cutting speeds of 750 to 1000metres/minute and light feed rate.

Bob

 

[Eric The Viking]

You would be better off using HSS milling cutters, low speeds and lubricating with paraffin or diesel fuel. Soft aluminium without lube can build up on the cutter and cause all sorts of problems.
Yes you can do it but with very fine cuts and extreme care.

Bob

And it makes a mess!

I've done it, with exactly the problems Bob mentions, and in addition, fine aluminium chips that go everywhere and don't respond too well to a vacuum cleaner. Aly swarf and wood surfaces don't go well together either, so you might want to do it somewhere the chips won't be a nuisance if you don't collect all of them.

The finish was pretty good mind. I had to re-profile one side of a carpet joining strip so that it could be laminate one side and carpet t'other. It was sticky, but it did work. I think I lightly brushed Trefolex on the extrusion, bit it's (a) the wrong lubricant, and (b) smelly and messy to clean up.

 

[Digit]

Bees wax was the usual cure when I was doing it in industry. A hard block of wax was sawn as needed then the Alli was cut.

Roy.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I have cut aluminium with a Router, Band saw, Circular saw and a Chop saw I cut the slots and rounded over the edges in this with a router.

Go slowlt and tou won't have a problem.
I use slot mills, you can get 1/2" and 1/4" cheap from Ebay.com thay still use imperial so lots of choice and good prices.


Pete

 

[Dog]

Nice work Pete!

Here's a few questions for ya, is a Combined End Mill/Slot Drill the same as a Slot Mill ? If it is / isn't where can I buy a Slot Mill other than Ebay, I'm in the UK ?
The object I've got to rout is approx. 45mm long x 20mm wide x 10mm thick, do you recommend a 1/4" or 1/2" router and the same for the size of bit, 1/4" or 1/2" and what lub would be best to get a clean cut ?

Thanks for any help,

Cheers

Chaz

 

[Digit]

A slot drill will cut on its bottom face an end mill won't. I would not use lube as the router's speed will simple dump it everywhere.

Roy.