Lion trimmer on aluminum?

[Larry Conely]

Has anyone here used their Lion Miter Trimmer on aluminum?

I have a few aluminum frames I may recycle, but they need to be trimmed. Has anyuone had experience with the Lion and aluminum?

Thanks,

Larry

[Bob Wingard]

Wipe just a dab of Kerosene on the cutter just before each cut .. .. it will keep the aluminum from galling & building up on the faces of the blade .. .. don't know exactly why, but plain Kerosene works best. Also great tapping fluid if you have to drill & tap aluminum.

[Gary Keedwell]

Wipe just a dab of Kerosene on the cutter just before each cut .. .. it will keep the aluminum from galling & building up on the faces of the blade .. .. don't know exactly why, but plain Kerosene works best. Also great tapping fluid if you have to drill & tap aluminum.
Kerosene is alright once you get past the smell and fumes. I would get some cutting fluid that was a little more "people friendly" . Tap magic is one that comes to mind.
Gary K.

[Rick Levine]

Larry,

I just bought an original Lion Trimmer in Ebay but haven't received it yet and would be very interested to know how well it worked on aluminum frames. I use that type of frame for most of my photographs. At least I did before I built my woodworking shop. I'll probably use both wood and aluminum in the future though.

[Tom Henderson2]

WD-40 works pretty good too -- and smells better.

Gives credence to the folk legend that says that WD-40 is just perfumed kerosene.... but I've used it on milling machines and it works fine.

[Todd Jensen]

WD-40 is an honest to goodness science miracle whether its perfumed kerosene or not. Fix wet electrical conditions, lube a muddy cv joint, seat a tire(with a brave friend and a flame on an extension), and save all things metal from rust; it is truly a fossil fuel miracle. If cutting aluminum is on its to-do list, I wouldn't be half surprised.
However, it might be worth it to go buy a $200 dewalt metal chop saw. It will cut all things metal, especially with an upgraded $6 blade, and you won't be dorking up your lion trimmer. I just wouldn't want to use some of my carving tools as metal tools. It'd probably be fine, but why risk a $200 tool when you have perfect justification for another $200 tool.:D If you have a lion trimmer, you can definitely sell the metal chop saw to your wife. Good luck!:D :cool: (and p.s. the lion trimmer is now a very limited item, currently discontinued at many if not all of its retailers)...

[Rick Lizek]

You can do aluminum. I've trimmed aluminum with a handplane as well as on a power jointer. I've cut miles of aluminum on a table saw. The best way to do aluminum frames or any picture frames is a sled on a table saw. Cut once versus rough cut and finish trim with a miter trimmer.

[Jim DeLaney]

NO way would I try to cut aluminum with my Lion!

Do you know what new blades cost? Or for that matter, accurately resharpening nicked blades?

Just one attempt at a cut that's too robust for the Lion, and you're done.

Usa an eighty tooth carbide blade in your tablesaw instead. Oh, and don't use dust collection, and make sure you clean out any accumulated sawdust under the saw. Those hot aluminum chips could ba a fire hazard if they hit the sawdust, or go through DC ducting.

[Rick Lizek]

I do agree that the table saw is a better way to cut aluminum but most aluminum alloys aren't going to nick a miter trimmer blade. A knot in wood is more likely to nick it. By the way the aluminum is warm but not hot enought to cause a fire. I cut non-ferrous a lot and the best blade is a negative hook blade made for non-ferrous. It gives a mill type finish which is as good as ity gets.