Shopsmith Forums

Any metal workers out there?

I need to cut some sheet aluminum which is 0.066 inches thick (slightly thicker than 1/16th). It is too wide to be done on the band saw. Cuts need to be straight.

I'd like to do this on the table saw using an older Shopsmith carbide combination blade which I no longer use. Any thoughts on whether this is possible? Any speed suggestions?

I've cut aluminum with a chop saw on several occasions, with no problems. Lately, I've seen non-ferrous metal cutting capability claimed by a number of saw manufacturers. A specialized triple-chip grind blade might give you a nicer edge, but I've done it with ordinary carbide woodworking blades.

As for speed, my chop saw doesn't have adjustable speed, and the normal speed worked fine. I do cut slowly, however.

For cutting 0.066" sheet aluminum, I'd probably use a sacrificial backer board to keep it from bending. Scrap plywood or MDF, etc.

Cleaning up all those aluminum chips is a PITA.

Yep, worked like a charm! The tip about the sacrificial plywood was a good one. Also sprayed blade with WD40 which was recommended on the interwebs.

Also, use the upper and lower blade guard. I connected a hose to the lower guard but left the other end on the floor. Got most of the chips in an area where they can be swept up.

Recommend full face shield and an apron.

Neat to hear about this....

I also saw on another venue lately, some guys putting chamfers on aluminum blocks, using small woodworking block planes !

Chris

Did you turn the blade to run backwards ?

I have a steel door to shorten and it was recommended to run a plywood blade backwards ?

Hobbyman2 wrote:Did you turn the blade to run backwards ?

I have a steel door to shorten and it was recommended to run a plywood blade backwards ?

I read about running the blade backwards but that was for steel blades. This was carbide tipped and the advice I read was to run it normally. For what it is worth, it worked very well. A few more cuts to make but I am very pleased.

I know you can cut non-ferrous metals this way BUT steel doors???

dusty wrote:I know you can cut non-ferrous metals this way BUT steel doors???

=======

It is my understanding you just cut deep enough to cut the steel

dusty wrote:I know you can cut non-ferrous metals this way BUT steel doors???

Do we not cut steel with carbide cutters? There are circular saw blades made to cut ferrous metals. That is not to say I would probably use a wood cutting saw blade to cut ferrous metal unless it was one I was not going to use on wood again. The carbide may be different on a metal cutting blade and they frequently have a triple chip grind which is probably not too common with wood workers although they are available on wood working blades.

Here is a link to such a blade...

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... mUQAvD_BwE

And no Dusty this is not spam. You asked the question.

I would consider an abrasive cutoff wheel for steel. Yes it is messy!!!!

'Non ferrous' is fraught with misapplication. Tungsten is 'nonferrous'. Carbide is 'nonferrous'.

Usually nonferrous means brass or aluminum or other fairly soft metals.

Glad it worked Mr Gale.