Thread: Checker Plate - How hard can it be?

good luck with getting a straight cut with a jigsaw. not having bought a sheet of alloy latley ide say that 400 bucks was a good price.

if you still want to make some your self, have a chop at the guard 1/4's first and then see how keen you are to do the rest. the wing tops will be abit hard depending on how you make them.

cheers phil

1.6mm - that's decorative but not useful!

Cutting Alli sheet with a jig saw can end in tears. If you use a fine blade it will clog as the aluminium melts a low temp. If you use a course blade it will tend to grab and buckle in the edges. I use a super thin cutting wheel on a grinder (1mmthick) take your time and you have to clean up the edges a lot.

Never bought checker plate – 2mm standard sheet was ~$130 2 months ago.

Originally Posted by p38arover

1.6mm - that's decorative but not useful!

I'd second that. 3mm is what you need and also if you want it to stay looking good then it should be anodised once cut out. Powder coating would do, but isn't as durable or as practical if you want a clear matt finish.

I got an almost complete sheet of 5mm chequer plate from a mate who works in a scrap metal yard. FREE!!!!! Have a couple of things in mind for it. I need to acquire or borrow a plasma cutter. The jigsaw is hopeless in 5mm plate.

Now what was the name of the AULRO member who does al. work? He drives a 130 and he makes this stuff up. Works on the Norht side of Sydney.

He had problems with a Zeus gear conversion and had signs on his car referring to the problems. Was it Ken Wright?

Answer

Ken Wrght Aluminium Engineering 9939 6319 great bloke

Cutting aluminium

I got told once that if you reverse the blade in a circular saw it will cut alluminium.
Whilst remaking my seatbase in a series III I used to have I got sick of using the angle grinder and gave it a go.
When the blade was reversed it clogged up with bits of alli so I put the blade back in correctly.

Cuts like butter. I have sinced used an old small GMC circ saw ($30)to successfully and quickly cut 1.6mm, 2mm and even a couple of times 5mm checkerplate alli.

Wear goggles and earplugs.
For a straight cut on the wingtops -clamp a piece of timber to alli to use as a guide.