Best way to cut aluminum

[james1]

I have some aluminum on which I need to make some miter joints. What I am cutting is about 8" wide and has several bends and channels (think guttering, but more flat). If I use my 10" chop saw, what type of blade should I buy/use? I know for vinyl siding they recommend mounting the blade backwards. Any trick like that needed here? Should I just stick to my tin snips? Since I am doing the project myself, how much of the savings should I spend on Oil?

Thanks!

 

[DJ]

I have to cut some aluminum at work and we use a blade meant for nonferrous metal, but what I cut is about 1/8" thick, and for one project you probably don't want to buy a blade. To cut metal roofing sheets I have used a noncarbide blade turned backwards, the noise is almost unbearable but it works, since it works on that stuff I think it should work on aluminum. You are going to have a hard time making a 8" cut with a 10" saw though.

 

[XS650]

I've cut quite a bit of aluminum using a cheap $10 Harbor Freight Carbide blade in my miter (chop) saw. The blade still makes decent cuts in wood, so it didn't ruin it.

Wear ear protection, it's bleeping NOISY

Secure the aluminum with clamps too, and wear good gloves. The aluminum can move real fast if the saw graps it and aluminum makes bigger cuts in your hand than wood does

 

[FL-400S]

Tin snips work fine for me. Why use dangerous power tools when tinsnips are just fine and not that much slower?

 

[Amkeer]

You need to use a non-ferrous metal cutting blade. It will be carbide and fairly expensive around $50 to do the job right. Trick is to use dawn detergent where the cut line is to prevent loading up the carbide. Since it seems like the job is light gauge metal use tin snips. Heavier metal 1/4 or thicker a carbide blade. Tin snips and a grinder sounds like the ticket.

 

[tom slick]

plywood blade for a circular saw works like a champ! otherwise a sawzall or air body saw works well. if it is thin enough just use tin snips.

 

[labman]

The backwards blade works just as well on thin aluminum as vinyl siding. I redid my house about 20 years ago, all but a few doors, vinyl or aluminum. 20 years later, I am very happy with the job. I hate painting. Used a combination of tin snips, Skill saw, and radial arm saw with a plywood blade turned backwards. Also used that trick on steel roofing. One of the abrasive blades might give a neater cut if it counts in this case. You can pick them up cheap places like Big Lots.

Don't understand the last question. Doesn't everybody here spend every available dime on oil and filters?

 

[james1]

Thanks for all the great advice! I have a carbide tip blade, but it only has 40 teeth and seems too aggressive even backwards. I think I'll look around for a carbide tip blade with more teeth if I can find the right price. Otherwise I will use the snips and learn to live with an imperfect cut.

One advantage to the chop saw is the noise may give me an opportunity to get rid of the family cat.

 

[tmorris1]

quote:

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Originally posted by james1:
One advantage to the chop saw is the noise may give me an opportunity to get rid of the family cat.

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Test out your new saw blade on it. Just kidding..