BS Aluminum

[Al Launier]

How many of you bandsaw aluminum with a HSS blade and what limits do you impose? I cut thin aluminum, up to 1/4", on my Grizzly 14" G0555 and have had good results, so far. I do have to go slowly and occasionally spray WD40 to the sides of the blade.

[Bruce Page]

Al, I rough cut the plate for the table I made using a run of the mill 3TPI HS band. 7075 T-6 aluminum, 1.5” thick. I had to go slow and did not use any lubricant. It was a very messy process!
1982 Rockwell 14” with 1/2hp motor.

[Matt Day]

Bruce - nice work! Was the original table missing or damaged?

[Bruce Page]

Bruce - nice work! Was the original table missing or damaged?
Thanks, I just wanted a bigger table and ran across the alum plate at a salvage yard.

[Lee Schierer]

One problem with cutting metal on a wood bandsaw is that the metal can get embedded in the tires. Spraying WD 40 could contaminate the tires giving them less grip.

[Bruce Page]

The chips can be a messy problem for sure. IIRC, I used a brass wire welding brush to clean the tires up. There was no damage that I could see.
I sold the bandsaw in 2004.

[andy bessette]

I cut aluminum using my carbide wood cutting blade with no lube.

[Kev Williams]

As a general rule, I never cut or engrave any aluminum without some sort of lubricant. I have an ancient Dayton 'metal cutting bandsaw' that I've cut a lot of aluminum with. While its HSS blade WILL cut aluminum without oil, it cuts MUCH better with it. Since I have homemade flood-cooling setups on all my tool engravers, I just fill a 2 oz. needle-point dispenser bottle with a Trim Sol mix and just squirt it on almost continually while cutting. I regularly cut .09" thick black anodized aluminum with my 4" carbide bladed safety saw, and I foam-brush a line of coolant along the cut line, it helps with the cut and less blade wear.

[Al Launier]

Al, I rough cut the plate for the table I made using a run of the mill 3TPI HS band. 7075 T-6 aluminum, 1.5” thick. I had to go slow and did not use any lubricant. It was a very messy process!
1982 Rockwell 14” with 1/2hp motor.

Bruce that is very impressive. Nice work!

[Bruce Page]

Thanks Al. I regret selling the saw when I bought my MM16. I ended up buying a little 10” Rikon for the small stuff.