BMcD
Well-Known Member
Will it ruin my plywood blade to cut T slot with it?
If you have a few cuts, buy a hack saw. If you have a lot of cuts, buy a metal cutting band saw. Otherwise as stated a chop saw will work well, as will a cut off saw with fiber wheel. I use a vertical band saw with fine tooth blade, 20 tpi.
I've been cutting extrusion and bar stock up to 3-4" diameter with a cheap Chinese 14" chop saw with an abrasive wheel, but that's 3500 rpm, slow cutting and not very precise...have been looking for something better. I'd definitely recommend using a metal-cutting blade with higher tooth count v a plywood blade. You didn't say what kind of saw you're using but generally you want 2-3X lower RPM than for wood. I found a reference recently to the DeWalt DW872 saw which is 1300 rpm and for which you can get a toothed blades specifically intended for aluminum and steel. It has lots of good reviews. The Fein Slugger 14" metal cutting saw is also similar in price and specs, and there's a Makita one that looks an awful lot like the Fein and is slightly less expensive. There are a few saws you can look at from Evolution including a 2500 rpm 10" sliding miter saw, which is noticeably less expensive and more capable in terms of stock dimensions. For all of these you really need to get the right metal cutting blade.
Ditto.I’ve used a regular hacksaw in a miter box which worked well. Made 6 cuts without issue. Used WD-40 as cutting fluid and to keep the flakes contained.
If you use an electric saw, you want low RPMs.
Tony
Not to mention the "dremel" tool they take to your eye to "buff" out any rust (steel or iron shards). Dont ask me how I know this....Most foreign bodies embedded in the cornea are removed with an instrument called an 'eye spud'. There are different versions for magnetic and non-magnetic foreign bodies.
View attachment 450812
The cornea is anaesthetised, but when the local wears off you'll wish the aluminium extrusion had whacked you in the genitals at high velocity instead of shooting a small piece of metal into your eye.
Step by step, if you're fascinated with this stuff...
https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/foreign-body-removal-in-12-steps
Not to mention the "dremel" tool they take to your eye to "buff" out any rust (steel or iron shards). Dont ask me how I know this....
Diablo is one of their lines of blades. I have 3 or 4 different ones I use for woodworking. For cutting aluminum, you can use almost any carbide tipped blade but at slower speeds (about 1/2 is what I remember) Cutting steel takes a special blade.Home centers carry Non Ferris Metal Blades for 7-1/4" circular saws, 10 and 12 inch blades for table saws and miter saws. I kept one in my wood shop, I occasionally used it to cut aluminum and brass. I think mine was a Freud Diablo, contractor grade blade from Home Depot. Different stores carry different brands. All work well and are made to cut aluminum.
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