KW_Counter

Hi,
I need to cut a lot of aluminum angle brackets.
This is light weight, about 1/16" thick and 3/4 x 3/4 in size.
I would like to use my power miter saw or table saw.
What blade should be used for this?
Thanks for the help,
KW_Counter

dicknadine

Good old fashion, Alum cutting blade. there toooo many different tooth combinations to describe here. just ask the salesman and trust his opinion, then you will have a stockpile of blades, from super fine to rough cut. just remember to wear your protective glass's. dick

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

You will be fine with a carbide tipped blade, just feed it down a good bit slower than you do for a pc of wood to keep it from bending the edges over.
I have cut 1" plate with a skill saw before. I'm not saying it was easy or that I liked it, only that I have done it.

On top of the glasses a pair of earplugs is mandatory! It will be loud.

cyclops2

2 things.
You need a triangle piece in the "V" for support and to avoid yanking at start and end of a cut.
Cut both the Aluminum AND the wood all the way thru on each cut.
Use a stop gauge made of a C Clamp and scrap metal.

Ideally the blade would have at LEAST 2 teeth in the metal being cut. Good chance you could remove burrs easily. You really want a sliding 90 degree support and a gloved hand to hold the small bracket solidly as you near the end of the cut.
I use the 6" table, Jig Saw on little stuff like this. Very fine blades are available which leave a tiny burr at end of the cut.

cyclops2

2 things.
You need a triangle piece of wood in the "V" for support and to avoid yanking at start and end of a cut.
Cut both the Aluminum AND the wood all the way thru on each cut.
Use a stop gauge made of a C Clamp and scrap metal.

Ideally the blade would have at LEAST 2 teeth in the metal being cut. Good chance you could remove burrs easily. You really want a sliding 90 degree support and a gloved hand to hold the small bracket solidly as you near the end of the cut.
I use the 6" table, Jig Saw on little stuff like this. Very fine blades are available which leave a tiny burr at end of the cut.

AVGJohn

Use moderate feed and speed, keep at least 2 teeth in the cut, and be sure to have enough rake in the blade to carry the chip.

The Internet Killer

If you are really talking about cutting "a lot " of these, then the way to go is to bundle cut them on a metal cutting bandsaw.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Another tip I meant to post is use a swipe of Crisco on the pc and it will keep the blade free.

lilhachet

My Feedback: (2)

If you have access to a band saw, thats what I would use, table saw is for wood and wood only.Your only asking for trouble.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Don't use a table saw! No way. He was talking about a chop saw.

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

actually he mentioned table saw in the first post...

agreed, do not use a table saw

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Yep, you're right EA, I missed that one.
He hasn't commented since his post so it looks like it's no big deal.[:-]

bluestratos

I use my mini table saw (3" blade) for cutting alum all the time. Of course I use the carbide blade and I feed very slowly but it works just fine. This weekend I was cutting 1/4" thick material to make some custom stand offs for my retracts to pants mount. It makes a better cut if you can clamp the metal to the guide but even free hand it works well. Again the trick is to feed very slowly. The saw also works for cutting thin brass but it is hard on blades.

Best regards,

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

Years ago I destroyed a 10" carbide blade trying to cut aluminum on a table saw. Probably my own ineptness contributed to the result, but I was told it would be OK, and it wasn't. If I wanted to use a table saw now, I would only do it with a metal cutting blade. But I cut aluminum all the time now with my bandsaw, inexpensive Delta job, original (wood cutting?) blade, cuts beautifully, same blade for at least five years. I always deburr my aluminum pieces with a handfile. If you do a fair amount of model building, a bandsaw need not be expensive, and finds a lot of uses.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

The main problem with tablesaw is blade direction.

Weasel Keeper

My Feedback: (16)

You can buy a purpose ground carbide tip blade for non-ferrous metal. It will not be cheap. 1/16 aluminum stock shouldn't present much of a challenge though. You could sacrifice a fine tooth wood cutting blade. Maybe get a cheap one at HF. The non-ferrous blades tend to have near 0 degree hook, fine kerf, and triple chip grind.

bullseye000

I cut about a 100 1" pieces to clamp to wing ribs to keep them at 90 while I'm building. I used a chop saw with a carbide tipped finish blade and I backed the aluminum angle on a piece of 2X4. Cut a little slower and resist the temptation to power through the cut. Very fine and finished cuts.

KW_Counter

Bullseye,
That is exactly what I am planning to do.

Thanks to all for your advise and experiences.

KW_Counter

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I'd get a composite cutoff blade made for metals. No teeth to snag the thin aluminum, will give you a smoother cut to boot. you can use it in either a chop saw or a table saw. They are even made in Dremel tool sizes if you have one of those.

As said above, a bandsaw with fine teeth would be better than using large-toothed carbide blades on a rotary saw, but apparently that's not an option. If you do use these blades, get one with as many teeth as you can afford, and feed the material very slowly to prevent snagging or kickback. We don't want to read a future post about losing a finger or worse.

AlphaWhisky

I put this same question to the specialist saw doctor who supplies the blades for my cheap Ryobi bandsaw. I use a standard hobby blade of 14 TPI on this saw and generally use it on plywood up to around 1/4" thick.

This guy suggested it would be ideal for use on alloy extrusion and sheet around this thickness. I was a little dubious to begin with, but he was right. Just don`t force the pace. A few drops of kerosine applied to the cutting area helps a little too. (I use this as a cutting agent when tapping holes in aluminium too.)

Alan W

KW_Counter

KHodges,
The band saw just became an option.
I just ordered the Craftsman 10" as my Christmas present.
Still learning about blades for them.
It seems they make hacksaw stile blades but it will have to be custom ordered.
I may try it with the blade with the most teeth.
Should I still try and brace it to a piece of wood for the cut?
Any other suggestions would be great.
Thanks,
KW_Counter

AlphaWhisky

If you`re getting a new bandsaw, I`d recommend you consider a blade with 14 T.P.I. (teeth per inch) for general hobby use.

Alan W

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Get a fairly wide blade (toothed side to back side) with at least 14 teeth per inch. The wider blade makes for straighter cuts. A hardened steel blade will cut thin aluminum well, just don't force the workpiece. The other big advantage to using the bandsaw over a rotary saw is the thinner kerf (thickness of the cut), so you have less waste.

cyclops2

ALWAYS__ALWAYS__ use a piece of sturdy 2" X 4" wood in the " crotch or depression" of angles that are thin or soft metals. Same for flat pieces.

How do you know when?

Whenever you are not absolutly sure if it is needed.

KW_Counter

One of the suggestions with the table/miter saw was to cut two sides at once - put the metal in v-shaped block.
With the band saw is this still the best option?
As opposed to just putting the metal on a 2x4 and running it through cutting the side then top.
Thanks,
KW_Counter