Machining aluminum props

[kibosh]

Hello,

My dad has a metal lathe, and I was thinking of giving it a shot to machine some simple aluminum pieces. I was going to order some rods of various lengths, but will need them cut down to shorter lengths for my purposes. Can I get blades for a table saw that would cut aluminum? Reciprocating saw blades? Is there a better way? Will any suppliers pre-cut the stock to my desired length?

Any other advice?

Thanks!

 

[Hogosha]

Kibosh,
Might I suggest starting off with something like Delrin or Nylon 66 to get your feet wet? You could easily transition to aluminum.

Defectfully

patrick

 

[exoray]

Can I get blades for a table saw that would cut aluminum?

Carbide blades will cut it if you take your time and don't get stupid aggressive with the cut...

Reciprocating saw blades?

Sure, any bi-metal blade will do the job...

Is there a better way?

Yeah, horizontal band saw... Or a parting tool on the lathe...

Will any suppliers pre-cut the stock to my desired length?

Some will some won't, and those that will will likely offer two options a rough cut or a precision cut...

Any other advice?

Do you have any experience with machining metal? If not get some or have someone experienced show you at BARE MINIMUM the basics as it can turn ugly in a second... Machinable plastics as suggested above is a good place to start as they are a lot more forgiving to newbie mistakes than metal...

 

[kibosh]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. My dad tinkers with stuff on it a bit and I was going to have him show me the basics, but I will definitely look into the plastic stuff.

When I do get to the metal point, are there different grades/hardness of aluminum I should know about?

 

[exoray]

When I do get to the metal point, are there different grades/hardness of aluminum I should know about?

Yep, there are entire websites devoted to that... 6061-T6 is a good all purpose machine grade, but there is a lot more involved in it then saying that is the right alloy and temper for your project...

 

[Michael Bergeron]

For cutting metal I'd recommend using a chop saw (compound mitre saw) over a table saw as you have more control over the piece and the blade. You can get blades that are specifically made for cutting metal.

 

[Wes R]

For cutting metal I'd recommend using a chop saw (compound mitre saw) over a table saw as you have more control over the piece and the blade. You can get blades that are specifically made for cutting metal.

Less chance of getting a line drive to the jewels too thanks to no kickback lol. Plus you can make a jig with a clamp to hold the material in place. Chopsaw is the way to go for metal (wish i could talk my dad into one) and cutting metal on a tablesaw isn't really good for its motor.

 

[GeeksGoneBad]

I cut a lot of aluminum and I always use the chop saw, just take it slow and easy and clamp your piece rather than try to hold it - and if you have a sliding chop saw that's even better - you can set it up to make multiple passes

I'd never try aluminum on a table saw myself, but i have seen some crazy people do it - it's not for me but if I were going to I'd set it up for shallow / multiple cuts as well

above all else - be careful

 

[vader1974]

I have a band/cutoff saw that I use for making pieces more managable. I would never use my table saw for cutting thick aluminum stock, a chop saw should work with the right blade.

Delrin is great to get started with, but was a little pricey the last time I bought any. Depending on where you live, you might check out local salvage and recycling yards for material. The MetalExpress that I go to has a cutoff area where pieces are priced by weight. The salvage yard that I go to does the same. I have bought from onlinemetals.com when I need something specific that I could not find locally (1.5in AL rod with a 3/4in bore).

As for type of AL. I use 7075, 6061, and 2011 with the appropriate heat treating.

Go slow, work with sharp tooling, and be careful.

Good Luck
Brian

 

[exoray]

Delrin is great to get started with, but was a little pricey the last time I bought any.

Yeah it's costly, but if you watch eBay you can get grab bag lots of small drop offs that machine shops are dumping for much less than retail...