Thread: Cutting discs for aluminium

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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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

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.

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

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

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.

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