Cutting Aluminum Extrusion?

[Russ Filtz]

I need to cut the AL runners for my new shower door to fit. I assume I can cut it on my TS with a carbide blade? Any special warning? I'll be using a big shooting board, so it should be stable.

[Steven Wilson]

Clean your saw first, turn off the dust collection, clamp the runner down and you might want to use a wax stick lubricant. After you're done you'll want to clean your saw again. I like to use a jigsaw, sawsall, or CMS for this instead of the tablesaw.

[Russ Filtz]

I've got a good Bosch jigsaw. I was worried about a clean cut though

[Mark Bachler]

I've use a good triple chip blade (80+ tooth) on both table saws & chop saws. Use a backing board & don't forget the saftey glasses.

[JayStPeter]

I've used a TS, Miter Saw and bandsaw. My favorite method is the bandsaw. Doesn't do good things for the blade, but works great.
On the others, use a negative hook blade if you got one and take it slow. On the miter saw, clamping it in place is a good idea.

Jay

[Dennis Peacock]

Russ,

I've used almost every saw I have in the shop for cutting aluminum at one time or another. I haven't even paid attention to what saw blades I used. If it was in the right place at the right time and I made the choice to use THAT saw to cut the aluminum with.....I cut it with that. If it carbide....it'll cut aluminum just great....it IS loud though...so hearing protection is required if using the TS or CMS..... :)

[Russ Filtz]

Thanks all, now I just need to get Menards to take back my special order shower door. Ordered brushed nickel and came as "bronzed pewter" :rolleyes:

[Dan Mages]

Another option is to cut it with a dremel with an abrasive disk. You can also use a hacksaw. If you are worried about the sharp edges, give it a once over with a file or a grining bit on the Dremel.

Dan

[JayStPeter]

Russ,

I've used almost every saw I have in the shop for cutting aluminum at one time or another. I haven't even paid attention to what saw blades I used. If it was in the right place at the right time and I made the choice to use THAT saw to cut the aluminum with.....I cut it with that. If it carbide....it'll cut aluminum just great....it IS loud though...so hearing protection is required if using the TS or CMS..... :)

That was my mode of operation until I fired up my miter saw with the stock blade on it after I'd done a construction project. I was cutting some small light guage Al angle. Didn't use a clamp either :eek: . It cut it .. well OK, tore it in half ... and then threw it. Now I just try to find something a little less aggressive. I have a couple of lower cost 60t crosscut blades that have become my metal and plastic blades, simply because I wouldn't have another use for them anymore. And, after melting a bunch of UHMW on my WWII, I've become a little sensitive about what I run through that.

Jay

[Terry Quiram]

I used to have the Delta slider on my Unisaw and a Forrest blade cut through the aluminum miter gage as pretty as you please leaving a very clean cut. :eek:

Terry

[Chris Padilla]

Just pretend the Al is wood and go for it. Has worked for me thus far and no detriment to my blades as far as I can tell.

[Todd Burch]

I've cut aluminum on both the TS and CMS. Be very careful about cutting off small pieces. The CMS will throw them - somewhere, and the TS could also throw it back at you, or bounce it off the throat plate and back at you.

If cutting off a small piece, on the CMS, you can make a quick and dirty "L" shaped fence to cradle the work in. Same for the TS.

I own a NON-FERROUS blade for my CMS that I use for this purpose, although carbide works fine, some configurations better than others. I think the ATB triple chip works best.

[Dean Baumgartner]

I've had fairly good luck using those open mesh kind of fiberglass abrasive discs for both aluminum and for steel. I mount it on the SCMS but need to use a riser board as the ones I've found are only 8" on a 10" saw. The trick is to feed slowly and let the speed do the work. First time I cut a bunch of 1/2" condiut into landscape stakes I pushed to fast and went through the discs like crazy. Once I learned to slow down the feed rate they last forever.

Dean