Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate? ***WHO'D A THUNK!!!***

[Boomyal]

Wasn't there a post, awhile back, about cutting aluminum with a carbide skillsaw blade? I need to make a 22" cut for a wheel chair ramp. It'd sure be nice if I could grind through it with the old skillsaw.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

I've used a standard carbide wood cutting blade to cut aluminum up to a 1/4" quite a few times. In fact I used my tablesaw to cut 4 pieces of 2" diameter solid aluminum cylinder at about 45 degrees. I'm kinda cheap, so I didn't resource any special blade that might be better than my moderately fine wood cutting blade. Eye and ear protection are a must. Aluminum plate will complain loudly and the chips will fly fiercely. I was particularly afraid that a carbide tooth would dislodge and skewer me, but it lost no teeth and I still use the same blade to make clean cuts in wood. It requires more force to push a blade through aluminum than through wood and you must use a slow steady feed. If you're going to use a circular saw instead of a table saw, I recommend that you clamp the plate solidly and grasp your saw firmly. It's imperative that the plate is not allowed to "chatter" against the blade. - Grandad

 

[sschefer]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Use a standard carbide finish blade and spray it with WD-40 our use Bee's Wax. I've cut up to 1/4 with my Skill Mag 77. After that I use a my Festool Jig Saw and a medium non-ferrous metal blade with plenty of WD 40. Once you get above 3/8 you really need a Plasma Cutter. You can do it with a Skill saw making multiple passes but it tends to want to jump out on you so hang on.

As a side note, I've seen guys cut with a router and 1/4" spiral upcut end mill. If you have a jig made up that works pretty good but I thoght my cuts with my skill saw were just as clean.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Wasn't there a post, awhile back, about cutting aluminum with a carbide skillsaw blade? I need to make a 22" cut for a wheel chair ramp. It'd sure be nice if I could grind through it with the old skillsaw.

It shows up at the bottom of the page in "Similar threads"

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=360914

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Personally, if I were in your shoes, I would have someone cut it for you.

I would use my plasma cutter.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Never did it but have been told, reverse a fine tooth/plywood blade and cut as usual.

 

[achris]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Wasn't there a post, awhile back, about cutting aluminum with a carbide skillsaw blade? I need to make a 22" cut for a wheel chair ramp. It'd sure be nice if I could grind through it with the old skillsaw.

2 words..... [size=+2]PLASMA CUTTER!!! [/size]

If you insist on cutting with a blade, use COARSE teeth and a lubricant, like WD40, CRC or kerosene. Keep the speed up and the feed speed (pressure) light but consistent.

(If you use a fine tooth blade the aluminium will clog the teeth quickly.)

Chris.....

 

[LongLine]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

I've cut 1/4" on both table saw & skill saw with wood blades. Not letting it chatter is important. Also if using a skill saw wear a shield as the grit will get thrown upward.

Tom B.
(LongLine)

 

[sschefer]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

2 words..... [SIZE=+2]PLASMA CUTTER!!! [/SIZE]

If you insist on cutting with a blade, use COARSE teeth and a lubricant, like WD40, CRC or kerosene. Keep the speed up and the feed speed (pressure) light but consistent.

(If you use a fine tooth blade the aluminium will clog the teeth quickly.)

Chris.....

Chris, I've cut a lot of aluminum and never had a problem with a circular saw blade clogging. A rip blade will tend to want to jump out on you where a cross cut blade doesn't. You still have to have a good strong arm and go slow. The jig saw or a sawzall blade will clog up really quick but either bee's wax or WD-40 will take care of that. The part I hate about cutting aluminum on with anything but a shear is cleaning up. The plasma cutter blows aluminum slag all over the place and the saws throw chips. The Jig Saw is not bad on the chips and WD-40 is the easiest to clean up but it is slow going and you either need a guide or a very steady hand. With all the build up of metal waste in the WD-40 the cut line dissapears often.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

? How do you clog a blade if it is reversed?

 

[bigdee]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Sure you can. I have cut aluminum, mild steel plate and angle iron with a circular saw. Just use a blade for metal and not a wood cutting blade. It will cut cleaner than the plasma will!

 

[achris]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Sure you can. I have cut aluminum, mild steel plate and angle iron with a circular saw. Just use a blade for metal and not a wood cutting blade. It will cut cleaner than the plasma will!

[size=+1]WHAT!?!?!?[/size] You have obviously never used a plasma cutter properly then.... If used properly the cut edge doesn't even need to be filed, it's that clean!

Chris........

 

[achris]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

? How do you clog a blade if it is reversed?

How do you CUT with a blade that's in reversed? The teeth on a blade are set at the optimum angle for the best cut in the material it is designed to cut. Using a blade to cut a material it was not designed for (or setting it up the wrong way) is asking for problems, as well as being a huge safety hazard. If you want to cut aluminium, buy a blade designed to cut aluminium, and put it in the saw the right way!

BTW, If I see anybody under my supervision using ANY tools the wrong way, first time's a warning, second time's the sack! Anybody else also gets shown the right way to do it. I see them doing it again, their supervisor gets informed and a safety hazard alert is raised... In my industry it's done the right way, or not at all.... If you're looking for an example of what might happen when corners are cut, I have just two words for you.... Deepwater Horizon....

Chris.......

 

[bigdee]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

[size=+1]WHAT!?!?!?[/size] You have obviously never used a plasma cutter properly then.... If used properly the cut edge doesn't even need to be filed, it's that clean!

Chris........

I was talking about the DIY using handheld. You are correct though, we used computer controlled robots but even some of our best fabricators could do an excellent job by hand.

 

[achris]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

I was talking about the DIY using handheld. You are correct though, we used computer controlled robots but even some of our best fabricators could do an excellent job by hand.

No argument from me on either point there.... but I will refer back to my previous post.... Right tool for the job, used correctly....

Cheers,

Chris.....

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

You can cut thick aluminum on a tablesaw or using a circular saw using a standard 24 tooth carbide tipped blade. Key is to make multiple shallow cut passes 3/32" is just about right. Goggles are a must. Full face shield is Best. I NEVER recommend using a blade in reverse.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Never did it but have been told, reverse a fine tooth/plywood blade and cut as usual.

That will work fine on very thin materials like aluminum siding but will not work on the heavier materials being discussed here.

I have worked with alot of aluminum (router, table saw, bandsaw, drills, tapping etc) and found that varsol works just as well as WD-40 as a lubricant but is much cheaper. We used to buy varsol by the 5 gallon pail just for working with aluminum in the shop.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Sure you can. I have cut aluminum, mild steel plate and angle iron with a circular saw. Just use a blade for metal and not a wood cutting blade. It will cut cleaner than the plasma will!

If you are referring to an abrasive type blade, then there is no way it would work on aluminum. The aluminum will plug up the pores of the blade and render it useless in very short order.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

If you are referring to an abrasive type blade, then there is no way it would work on aluminum. The aluminum will plug up the pores of the blade and render it useless in very short order.

It is a carbide blade designed to cut thick aluminum and mild steel. Yeah I had my doubts too until the tool sales rep cut through a piece of 3/4" x 4" mild steel bar stock in 5 seconds!!!!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

Re: Cutting 3/16" aluminum tread plate?

I contact a friend of mine with a water jet cutter and have him cut my materials. if he is too busy, I have another friend that has a building full of lasers. However if that is not available, a simple metal cutting blade in my jig saw. using a wood blade in a table saw or circular saw is just asking to be an invitation to the darwin awards.