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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Cutting Aluminum

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Twincreek

10-16-2007 04:14:25

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I want to build a new body for my son"s quarter midget race car. The aluminum used for the bodies is painted .040 aluminum. What is the best way to cut the aluminum so that you have nice clean straight distortion free edges and also without messing up the finish? I do not have access to a big shear. Thanks for your help!

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yello fello

10-17-2007 19:03:41

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

plasma cutter works nice on thin aluminum

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MarkB_MI

10-16-2007 16:58:59

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

A woodworking router works great for making straight cuts in aluminum. Clamp a piece of angle iron to the sheet as a straightedge. I trimmed some .032 2024T3 with a router and the edge came out perfectly straight and smooth.

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big fred

10-16-2007 12:56:39

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

I've found my Harbor Freight nibbler works good in sheet steel up to about .050. Helps to have somebody standing around with a shopvac while you're cutting though, as those little crescent shaped nibblin's will go everywhere. I don't see why it wouldn't work with aluminum. You can clamp a straightedge to the piece and follow it with the nibbler or cut freehand along a curved line, or cut a template out of thin plywood and cut against that.

Or a carbide laminate trimming bit in a router should work fine.

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T_Bone

10-16-2007 12:29:05

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

Hi TC,

That's about 20ga and any hand shears will work very well. Big bull dog shears, 4" jaws and approx 16" handles works well for straight and curved cuts.

A Uni-shear cuts like sissors, no metal waste nor distorion, easy to control and can cut 16ga with adjustment. Comes in electric or air driven.

Double cuts, cut a 1/4" of waste material, again electric or air.

Nibblers cut small nibblets and waste about 3/8" material on each nibblet/notch. Thease are for heavier gauges, 10ga, not a smooth cut and requires a additional metal after prep. They have there uses but not as handy as a 1/16" fiberglass blade cut at 10000rpm. Less material watse and more of a precise finish cut with burrs. AL deburrs quickly with a draw knife.

Reversed carbide blades also have there place on heavier plate. Very loud and messy but a good finish cut on straight cuts.

Saws-all, jig saw and band saws are all hard to get a precise finish cut no matter how careful you are.

T_Bone

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Ron in Nebr

10-16-2007 10:14:03

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

Forget using any kind of abrasive saw that'll create heat/rough edges as it cuts. Use what the pros use to build aluminum racecar bodies- get a KETT brand 18ga electric shear. Do a google or yahoo search for them and you'll find alot for sale.

I've used one for years to build latemodel racecar bodies out of the same stuff you're using. Perfect smooth burr-free edges and no damage to the paint. You can even cut circles, etc. with them. The ONLY drawback is a minimal amount of wasted material, about 1/8 inch or so, that'll spiral up out of the cut being made.

By the way, I picked up my Kett shears used on Ebay for quite a bit less than new and they've worked perfectly. Even used them to cut steel sheeting, although one time I tried cutting some that was too thick(old bulk fuel tank) and broke a blade....got a replacement off the net for ten bucks and I'm back in business.

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Ron in Nebr

10-16-2007 10:22:38

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Ron in Nebr, 10-16-2007 10:14:03

Oh, by the way, there's cheaper foreign-made knockoffs of the KETT shears available through Harbor Freight, etc. Never tried them so I dont know how good they are but if you don't have a whole lot of cuts to make maybe they'd be a more practical choice.

Then again, if your son will be racing very long, you'll be building a lot of bodies, so investing in a good set of shears right off the bat would be a good thing.

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Twincreek

10-16-2007 10:21:10

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Ron in Nebr, 10-16-2007 10:14:03

Thanks Ron - The aluminum I will be using is the same as a late model body so I think this is what I am looking for. Again, thanks.

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Tim B from MA

10-16-2007 09:27:57

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

I know that aluminum cuts beautifully with carbide tipped saws intended for wood. I'd recommend finding the finest-toothed, carbide tipped, circular saw plywood blade you can find.

I would guess that regular steel blades intended for wood would also cut aluminum without a problem, so if you can't find a very fine-tooth carbide blade, a steel plywood blade would probably work fine.

WEAR SAFTEY GLASSES!

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Stumpalump

10-16-2007 09:22:48

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

I use a small jig saw with a fine metal cutting blade. Run thick tape alonge the cut line so you wont scratch the surface. I need to try the scrbe,bend and break trick sometime.

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IH2444

10-16-2007 08:46:08

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

.029 ? a set of electric sheet metal shears should work nicely.

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J.C.in AZ.

10-16-2007 08:35:27

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

For straight line cuts on 29Ga. aluminum sheet,I have often just used a straight edge clamped to the sheet, scribe it numerous times with a Stanley knife and carefully bend and it will snap off.Suggestion clamp the straight edge on both sides of the Panel. I have never done this on panels over 48" and I use edge Clamps plus I have two Vise Grip Clamps with 12" throats to support the center of the panel. Streaight edges are two Johnson 48" Steel rulers 2" wide. Works good for me.

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J.C.in AZ.

10-16-2007 08:36:53

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to J.C.in AZ., 10-16-2007 08:35:27

Sorry: I should have used ".029 Ga.

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Twincreek

10-16-2007 08:40:50

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to J.C.in AZ., 10-16-2007 08:36:53

I do like that idea. I was thinking about that but didn't know anyone who tried it. I don't have any cuts longer than 48". Thanks.

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fixerupper

10-16-2007 06:33:31

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

Marv mentioned the circular saw. My neighbor has one made by Milwaukee that is designed to cut metal. It looks like a regular 'Skill'saw but it is heavily shielded. The blade is very expensive. I was using it to cut 3/16 sheet steel and it was as easy as cutting plywood. The edge was smooth enough to run my hand on. If you use one of these saws to cut the aluminum with the paint side down you should have very good results. Jim

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cj3b_jeep

10-16-2007 06:00:05

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

I think you'll have a hard time keeping the finish on there if it's already painted. No matter what you do, if you have heat from a die grinder or a metal cutting blade, it'll ruin the paint.

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BigMarv1085

10-16-2007 05:17:39

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Re: Cutting Aluminum in reply to Twincreek, 10-16-2007 04:14:25

A die grinder using a straight edge. They also have the metal cutting that are used in a circular saw.

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