how to depth cut composite aluminium panel

[PhilipA]

I have bought several composite offcuts to use as shelves for plastic drawers in my D2. I have made the whole setup with Qube lock and now I thought it would be nice to make a drawer above the fridge in free space.

I would like to fold the composite which is thin painted aluminium both sides with about 3MM of formica type material between. Very light and strong and usually used to make signs..
I guess that I should score the composite with a groove half way through so that I can right angle fold it to make drawer ends and sides and I am wondering the best way to do it at the minimum cost. I have cut the composite to size using a 184MM circular saw with 40 teeth, and it has made a good cut.
After whacking my thumb I found that thin aluminium angle and drop saws with 40 teeth don't mix and I don't want to ruin the composite by plucking off the aluminium.
Has anybody had experience with depth cutting composite so that it can be folded and how to do it? Do I just set the circular saw at a shallow depth or use a router or any other suggestions. Or should I just cut it and use aluminium angle to join sides and bottom.
Regards Philip A

[p38arover]

Table saw or radial arm saw, perhaps?

Do you know anyone with one or the other? (I have both but I'm too far away.)

[Bradtot]

You need a V groove bit and a CNC router.
If you were over here I could do it for you as these machines are what I install and fix and we have many clients that do this as their main line of work.
Sorry I cant be of more help:(
Brad

[PhilipA]

I might try a sample cut with my hand held circular saw using a fence.
The kerf looks about 2 mm so I might get enough out to bend it 90degrees. Doesn't have to be perfect as it is for me and I can fill gaps with white Sikaflex.LOL
I saw on Utube the good gear to do it but mucho dinero. Nobody seems to do a cheap router! I wonder how a dremel would go with the grout attachment.
Regards Philip A

[p38arover]

I have a router and a V-bit.... but you are too far away.

[slug_burner]

I might try a sample cut with my hand held circular saw using a fence.
The kerf looks about 2 mm so I might get enough out to bend it 90degrees. Doesn't have to be perfect as it is for me and I can fill gaps with white Sikaflex.LOL
I saw on Utube the good gear to do it but mucho dinero. Nobody seems to do a cheap router! I wonder how a dremel would go with the grout attachment.
Regards Philip A

Don't know what a grout attachment is but the dremel is just a rotating tool, the appropriate cutting bit should do it, just have to keep the feed rate low due to the low torque on the dremel.

You can use your circular saw and a fence. If you are concerned with pulling the aluminium veneer off then run the saw back over the material instead of having the teeth pull the veneer up the back of the saw will push it into the material. That is the recommended way of cutting laminex to avoid chipping the the coloured surface.

[p38arover]

run the saw back over the material instead of having the teeth pull the veneer up the back of the saw will push it into the material. That is the recommended way of cutting laminex to avoid chipping the the coloured surface.

Thanks for that tip.

[Hoges]

Depending on the diameter of your saw blade ...if it's a biggie you could buy a cheap(ish) 80 tooth blade for aluminium... and run it backwards as suggested previously. Btw ... how did you cut the Qube lock? Circular saw?
Looking frwrd to seeing "illustrations"!!
Cheers

[PhilipA]

how did you cut the Qube lock? Circular saw

I cut it with a Ryobi drop ( mitre) saw which I was given when I bought some other Ryobi battery stuff. It has the standard 40 tooth 214MM blade but cut the Qubelok cleanly with no hassles. I thought I would give it a go though the best is to use a 60 tooth blade. I oiled up the cut with WD40.
However when I tried to cut some thin 25MMx 25MM aluminium angle , it lifted and jammed so no go, and I had to use a hack saw.
Regards Philip A

[numpty]

I cut it with a Ryobi drop ( mitre) saw which I was given when I bought some other Ryobi battery stuff. It has the standard 40 tooth 214MM blade but cut the Qubelok cleanly with no hassles. I thought I would give it a go though the best is to use a 60 tooth blade. I oiled up the cut with WD40.
However when I tried to cut some thin 25MMx 25MM aluminium angle , it lifted and jammed so no go, and I had to use a hack saw.
Regards Philip A

The reason for that is not enough teeth in contact with the surface while cutting.

2 teeth or more is the go, if I recall. I mostly play with timber these days, but the same applies.

[Franz]

I cut it with a Ryobi drop ( mitre) saw which I was given when I bought some other Ryobi battery stuff. It has the standard 40 tooth 214MM blade but cut the Qubelok cleanly with no hassles. I thought I would give it a go though the best is to use a 60 tooth blade. I oiled up the cut with WD40.

However when I tried to cut some thin 25MMx 25MM aluminium angle , it lifted and jammed so no go, and I had to use a hack saw.
Regards Philip A
Phillip,

You need a triple chip blade designed for aluminium. I have a 10" saw which runs a standard 30 tooth wood blade - the aluminium cutting blade, by comparison, has 80 teeth. Every second tooth has bevels on it whilst the others have a square tooth.

It is possible to cut aluminium with a regular blade but it's dicey (as you have already found out). Use caution when cutting alu with regular wood blades - it only takes one incident in 100 to do damage.

Cheers,

Franz

[Sitec]

As said before, router with vee bit or circular saw. If you use a vee bit, a thin line of Sikaflex run up the fold then wiped off once folded works quite well. Remember though that your corner is only as strong as the .8 alli sheet on the outside of the fold. For cutting the stuff we use 125mm thin cutting disks on grinders. Works quite well.

[PhilipA]

I have bought a second hand Ozito plunge router on ebay , which appears to have a 90degree bit with it, and it has a fence. I know they are probably not all that good but should be OK as long as I can set depth accurately.
Its a big one




Plunge Router Kit 1600W Ozito PRG-632VK Router/cutout tool (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121118474132'ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)


So away I go. I should be able to use it to depth cut checkerplate etc also to help fold.
I will probably add it to my list of rarely used tools , but I do tend to use them occasionally.
Regards Philip A

[worane]

I bought an Ozito small router a few years ago. Whilst I don't use it often it has always worked just as well as my two big routers do.

[rijidij]

Sounds like you have some Alucabond or similar. The correct way to groove it for bending is with a flat at the bottom of the 'V'

See pic below or the whole spec sheet here........ Alucabond fabrication (http://www.alucobond.com.au/uploads/news/id17/Alucobond_Fabrication_0711.pdf)

Cheers, Murray (27 years as a cabinet maker in a previous life :D )

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/06/1156.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/rijidij/media/Misc/AlucabondGrooves_zps095da1f9.jpg.html)

[uninformed]

or you could have used your circular saw set to 45 degrees, just make two passes, 1 from one direction, the 2nd from the other. The correct depth is to cut everything but the face layer, ie through 1 sheet of alu and all the way through the body (formica) leaving the outer layer in tact for the fold.

[PhilipA]

I have picked up my router now and it has a 90 degree bit, so it looks like 2 passes 3MM apart.

Typically I bought the second hand one on ebay and ALDI has them for $49 next week. Although mine is 1600W with what looks like 1/2 inch shank and theirs is 1200W with 1/4 shank.
So now I have to measure up everthing, taking into account the rivets and 90 degree aluminium I will have to use on the corners. I thought i would fill the folds with 2 pack epoxy to add strength.

Regards Philip A