Cutting discs for aluminium

[LandyAndy]

The next upcoming project for my camper trailer involves cutting up a fair amount of aluminium.
The thin blades I use to cut steel(5" grinder,1mm disc) seem to go ok cutting aluminium.Im aware its not a good practice,but being thin there is less chance one the cutting edge galling with aluminium.
Thinking to have a scrap of steel on hand to cut into and clean the disc.
Is there a specific disc I can buy??????
Thoughts please O wise ones.
Cheers
Andrew

[sheerluck]

I bought some 6mm aluminium plate a couple of months ago, to make up some mounts for my new intercooler. I was advised by the guys at the metal place to use a stone cutting disk on it, as the aluminium wouldn't melt onto it and grab like with a metal cutting disk.

I've used that tip to cut and grind the 6mm plate and some thinner stuff too, with no issues.

[Toxic_Avenger]

The issue is you are getting iron into the aluminum when it cuts. This causes issues when it comes time to weld it.
Any quality supplier of abrasives should have a specific disk for aluminum. Flex o vit, pferd, klingspor, 3m, etc
Their catalogs are online, or you can speak to your local suppliers.

[LandyAndy]

The issue is you are getting iron into the aluminum when it cuts. This causes issues when it comes time to weld it.
Any quality supplier of abrasives should have a specific disk for aluminum. Flex o vit, pferd, klingspor, 3m, etc
Their catalogs are online, or you can speak to your local suppliers.

Will look into it,didnt think there was an aluminium cut off wheel,hence the question.
No welding on this job,its all pop rivets and stainless nuts ant bolts;);););););)
Andrew

[landy]

I was put onto using a circular saw blade by the engineering boys at work. Cuts really well and very clean cuts. They said aluminium is softer than hard wood so the circular saw works well. I've been doing it this way for a couple of years now with no problems. I've only used the one blade. Still very sharp.

Cheers

Nino.

[Homestar]

If it's just small stuff like angle and box section, the 1mm metal disks are fine - as you mentioned, they clog up like thinker disks do. If your cutting large sections or plate, use a power saw with a tungsten carbide blade. Used to do aluminium joinery - windows, etc and tungsten carbide blades with a bit of blue animal fat grease to lubricate the blade is what we used.

If you have a drop saw with that sort of blade, it will give you awesome cuts. Wear hearing protection, it sounds like a wailing banshee when cutting like this.

[Homestar]

I was put onto using a circular saw blade by the engineering boys at work. Cuts really well and very clean cuts. They said aluminium is softer than hard wood so the circular saw works well. I've been doing it this way for a couple of years now with no problems. I've only used the one blade. Still very sharp.

Cheers

Nino.

Correct - that's all we used to use at the window shop...

[pop058]

Pferd make 1mm thin discs specifally for cutting alloy. Look identical to the steel cutting ones, so have a read of the label. I use them (125 mm) for cutting alloy rollerdoor tracks all the time.

[isuzurover]

As above, tungsten tipped circular or mitre saw blade. They scream, so wear ear muffs, but it is by far the best method.

[rangieman]

Metal blade in a jig saw;)

[Debacle]

I was put onto using a circular saw blade by the engineering boys at work. Cuts really well and very clean cuts. They said aluminium is softer than hard wood so the circular saw works well. I've been doing it this way for a couple of years now with no problems. I've only used the one blade. Still very sharp.

Cheers

Nino.

I've got one of these in an electric mitre saw, works brilliantly but clamp both ends of the work and be very careful.

[Corgie Carrier]

I was told by the guys that make ally tool boxes to use the thin steel discs and put candle wax on them while you are working to stop the ally sticking.
So I bought a 10" x 3" candle from the cheap junk shop for $3 and it worked real good.

Neale

[Corgie Carrier]

Oops double post

[LandyAndy]

Thanks guys.
Most of the cuts will be with a 5" grinder.I do have a pretty strong jigsaw that never gets used,will get some blades for that too.
Candlewax sounds great.
Andrew

[redrovertdi]

I was told by the guys that make ally tool boxes to use the thin steel discs and put candle wax on them while you are working to stop the ally sticking.
So I bought a 10" x 3" candle from the cheap junk shop for $3 and it worked real good.

Neale


Ive been doing this to, works very well

[isuzurover]

You should also wax sanding discs to stop them clogging.

[drivesafe]

I was put onto using a circular saw blade

About 20 years ago I was developing new power distribution panels for Winnebago and needed to cut a lot of angled aluminium sections, so when I sourced the aluminium lengths, I asked the supplier how would be the best way to cut the sections I needed.

He told me to use a drop saw and get the special aluminium circular saw blade.

So I go to my local hardware store and get the a drop saw and ask about getting the aluminium circular saw blade.

He asked what I was going to cut and told me the special aluminium circular saw blade ( from memory ) was about $100 but for what I was doing, the wood circular saw blade supplied with the drop saw was all I really needed.

20 years later and thousands upon thousands of cuts later, both timber and aluminium, I am still using the same circular saw blade.

I have cut up to 5mm thick aluminium heat sinks and as pointed out above, just do the cuts slowly.

One other trick I have learnt, is to regularly spray the teeth with some form of lanolin spray and this stops the circular saw blade getting stuck while cutting thick aluminium or ripping thin aluminium.

[PhilipA]

Just to add anothe rthat I have not tried yet.

The contra rotating cirular saws are supposed to be the ducks guts for aluminium.
I bought a Rockwell last week from Supercheap for $59.90. They have a wax dispenser with a little wheel to push it onto the blades.

The blades are quite fine in teeth number which is the important bit.

I intend to use the saw to cut composite material which is aluminium/plastic/aluminium.

Just to clarify,with a circular saw the recommendation is to use a high number /fine tooth blade to stop getting a jagged edge. I found the normal blade OK on the composite if I went slowly.

I used a Ryobi battery drop saw to cut some 25MM angle aluminium and aluminium 20mm square tube, but the coarse blade in the drop saw sometimes ripped into the thin angle.

Regards Philip A