Cutting aluminum on a table saw.

[Todd Brewer]

Thanks to Sawmill Creek, I learned I could cut aluminum on my table saw. :)

Based on my very limited experience:

Wear protective eye wear. A metal shaving in the eye is not a good thing.

Skip the lubricants. I sprayed a little WD40 on the aluminum plate as recommended by some. The turbulence from the blade blew it away from the blade and I ended up with WD40 all over my table. Virtually none at the point where the blade was cutting. So what is the point?

Use an old blade. I have no idea how much if any harm came to the blade but it's probably a good idea to use an old or don't care blade.

Clamp it well. I didn't have any probalems but took fellow Creekers advise and made sure it was well secured.

Aluminum was 1/4" thick.

Thanks! Sawmill Creek is invaluable!

[Jim Andrew]

I have sawn aluminum parts to length with my miter saw. Same advice, use an old blade.

[Richard Coers]

I use a band of thick paste wax as the lubricant. Hate cutting dry and the wax melted as the blade cut through and works great. Sounds like a train wreck doesn't it! I'm not brave enough to cut with a miter saw though. I've tried cutting acrylic on the miter saw and it has caught and blown up each time.

[Danny Thompson]

This would have been good to know about 12 hours ago. I burned out my Dremmel, switched to the angle grinder, and then spent another half hour filing and sanding. Next time.

[Derek Stockley]

Yeah totally handy to know, but one additional point: Double up on the hearing protection!

[Jerome Stanek]

A good triple chip blade makes a big difference. I like to use wax on the blade I have cut a lot of aluminum on table saws, miter saws, compound miter saws and radial arm saws.

[ian maybury]

If you're worried about spoiling your Sunday best it's possible to buy a reasonable non ferrous metal cutting blade for small money too - there's lots about in the tool shops....

Cut lightly, and watch out for damage to the flex hose attached to the dust chute - a heavy cut can build up enough hot chips to do harm it seems...

ian

[Steve Peterson]

Non-ferrous metal cutting blades only cost around $40 the last time I looked. It may have a different grind than normal woodworking blades, but it essentially is just a carbide tooth saw blade. Any old carbide blade would probably work in a pinch.

They do throw hot metal chips all over the place. A full face shield in addition to safety glasses is helpful.

Steve