Cutting Aluminum on Table saw or Band saw?

[Jesse Tutterrow]

I need to rip a 8" length of aluminum angle iron. I have been told that a carbide blade on the table saw will cut aluminum.

Is this true? I don't want to dull my newly sharpened 40 tooth saw blade.

--Jesse

[Ron Kaplan]

If you want to cut Aluminum on a table saw, you can, but I would not use a high quality blade to do that and then use it for my woodworking afterwards. Go buy a cheap carbide blade at Home Depot or Harbor Freight and use that for the Aluminum.

My 2 cents,

Ron

[David G Baker]

I cut aluminum frequently on my band saw. I use a fine tooth blade and have never had a problem. How ever you end up cutting it, if you use a power saw the cuttings are quite hot. DAMHIK

[David Gregory]

There's an individual on here that donated his time, tooling, and expertise to me on New Year's Day of this year to cut some aluminum for me on his tablesaw. His name is Greg Bender and here's the link to his contact info: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/member.php?u=39507 I highly recommend his skills and expertise. Speak to Greg before you do this and end up frustrated or severely injured.

[Britt Lifsey]

I have also cut thin aluminum on small band saw with fine tooth blade without issue.

[Tim Rinehart]

Interesting thread...as I've thought about aluminum a couple times in making a jig, and wondered specifically about using bandsaw.

I'll definitely be interested to hear any specifics you find out.

How long of a rip are you doing? I can see having the stones to cross-cut a piece...but ripping....yikes.

I would look carefully at making sure you have adequate featherboards, hold downs to prevent kickback on that one along with other recommendations....oh, and a LONG Pushstick!

[Rod Sheridan]

The company I buy my metal from have a large MiniMax slider for cutting aluminum pieces that the shear can't handle.

It looks funny to see a sheet of aluminum going through the slider......Rod.

[Foras Noir]

I totally agree. I keep a cheapoo oooo TS blade for Al. It always works.

One point to think about. It is usually easy to clean up a bandsaw. It is usually hard to clean up a TS. My insurance carrier placed a rider on my account that prohibited metal in the dust collection systems. Hence - I use a portable contractor TS with my cheapo blade.

I don't know why the rider is there. I do know that insurance companies are good at risk ballancing.

[Chris Parks]

I have just been through all this. For a TS you need a negative rake blade and you can use it for perspex or aluminium. I cut some timber with the same blade after the aly and it gave a super finish on the timber. I did find it better to cut the Aly on a BS though as it cut so well. We used methylated spirits as a lubricant, spraying it on and had zero issues and it was 1/2" plate. We were cutting patterns and small bits were coming off the plate and sometimes dropped through the throat plate and I presume went through the bearing guides of the BS with a loud bang so next time I will make a zero clearance plate to prevent this happening.

You do need to be mindful of the type of alloy it is as some do not like machining at all being more akin to chewing gum than anything else. Aly is often softer than some timbers we cut as woodworkers so I can't see any issues arising.

[David G Baker]

Chris P,
I was going to mention the different types of aluminum but thought that I was switching the topic to metal. I found out about the different types of aluminum by turning it in my metal lathe. Some turned great and some was as you wrote, like chewing gum. Never did find out how to tell the difference without testing it other than buying the material new from a supplier that sold specific grades.

[Chris Parks]

Have a look at metals on line dot com. Great prices and they explain what grades are readily machinable. 6061 is the common one for most general use. BTW I have no connection as I am in Australia.

[Michael Dunn]

Freud makes the D1080N for Non-ferrous metals. (I think that is the model #) I use it in my miter saw when mitering aluminum extrusions. I have also ripped down some aluminum angle on my TS. No problems with either. I always get a nice clean cut. To get the cut even cleaner I use electrical tape over the area where the kerf will be. You will not even have to rasp it smooth. Similar to preventing crosscut tearout on wood using masking tape.

Here is the one I bought. If you do not cut much aluminum, you may be able to get away with a more economical option.

http://www.amazon.com/D1080N-Diablo-10-Inch-Non-Ferrous-PermaShield/dp/B00008WQ38/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1273022637&sr=1-1

shotgunn