Blade for Cutting Aluminum?

[ABPGraphics]

We're tired of sending our aluminum to the local machine shop to get cut down and having it come back with gnarled and jagged edges so my boss is sending me to the local hardware store to pick up a blade for a circular saw we have out in the shop.

I've looked at several other threads regarding cutting aluminum but all of them kind of get hi-jacked/sent off course by people saying "Get an Harbour Freight Stomp Sheer!" "Use an Oxy-Acetylene Torch!" etc etc...

What type of blade should I get? From other threads I've gathered that a triple chip grind with 60+teeth would be good. What are your guys' thoughts? What sort of price should I expect? I know Ace Hardware kind of jacks there prices up so I might go elsewhere.

 

[Fred Weiss]

There isn't a saw blade made that does a good job. The smoothest cut is has with a veneer blade which has hundreds of small teeth. The best improvement you will get will be to get a tube of blade lubricant and apply it to the teeth just prior to cutting.

And yes, if you ever got a stomp shear you'd never consider using a power saw for aluminum again. If you send out, send it to a sheet metal shop instead of a machine shop and your cutting will be done with a shear instead of a saw.

 

[Jillbeans]

That and I was told to put the blade on backwards.
But I hurt myself a lot.
I tend to just order the signs cut from the supplier for a nominal fee!
Love....Jill

 

[MikePro]

can always start making panels out of dibond... plastic with aluminum laminate.
cuts great with a saw.

if I cut aluminum panels with anything hand-held, I use a jigsaw with the proper bit... and set up a guide via clamps and a straight-edge.
... sure do love my metal shear tho', I think its 20' long.

 

[wes70]

As Jill, my supplier cuts it to size. I have in the past cut .063 and .080 with a 40 tooth carbide blade and only allowing the blade to protrude .125 or less below the aluminum's surface. For .040 or less... score with utility knife, bend and snap.

 

[RebeckaR]

Instead of a machine shop, try taking your blanks to an HVAC shop. They'll most likely have a shear so the cuts will be better.

In times of emergency I have used the a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade, but it leaves a pretty rough edge.

 

[artbot]

been cutting aluminum for about a decade. it is my most common substrate.

if you don't have a shear, then a router is the next thing to use. a circular blade is just too violent compared to a router. you can design a track that your router fits into as a guide. if you go with a circle saw, use a "dead substrate" method of cutting (move the blade not the sheet) such as a festool track saw (this is one of the greatest tools you'll ever buy).

 

[CES020]

If you do use it, make sure you pick up a face shield and ear protection. Remember, a circular saw spins with the blade coming up, so all the hot ejected metal chips will be flying right towards your face. Also, you haven't experienced loud until you cut it with a circular saw It's not a quiet operation.

I used to cut 1/2" thick aluminum plate with a circular saw from time to time (my boss made me do it). I've also used the blade on backwards thing for a number of materials. That makes it a friction saw, and usually leaves a burr on the edge large enough to slaughter a buffalo with.

A power shear might be a nice, safe, quite alternative, but they aren't cheap. I've used them many times, but never to cut a sign blank, so I don't recall if they'd be a good fit for that or not.

Good luck!

 

[artbot]

if you are patient you can pick up a nice shear for cheap off of ebay or craigslist. i purchased a beautiful 52" pneumatic shear for $550 off of ebay.

 

[Mainframe]

OK, Here we go again, I have this set up & it uses your hand held circular saw, it can easily cut any sign substrate you can think of, & it does it quickly & straight as an arrow, you just have to clean the bur off of the edge which takes about a minute or less.
Check it out, or not it is up to you, but if you buy this, cutting substrates will no longer be a problem or an issue.

http://www.eurekazone.com/content/ez-smart-guide-100-package

 

[artbot]

this is the one i got. i think whatever you get (there's about 5 tracksaws out there), it is "must have" equipment. better than a table saw, better than a panel saw. the cut on the line with no splinters (it has splinter free, reverse spinning blade)... the first hour you have this thing, you'll want to kick yourself for not over the years.

 

[PUFFERSIGN]

I have used this for severakl years now

Freud Diablo 40 Tooth Blade w/ an 5/8" Arbor

 

[Buntrock]

This is not so complicated if you are talking 0.04
Put you sheet flat on a table, clamp down a straight edge and score it multiple times with a Utility Knife. Make sure you keep one steady cutting grove.
Remove your clamped down straight edge, slide the aluminum to have your cut line even with the edge of the bench and push down on the bend, working it slowly. Then when the crease is in an L shape, bend the piece back up, then down again, bend it back and forth, repeat and repeat. it will come right off and just run a metal file on the edge.

 

[J Hill Designs]

I use a Skarpaz P1060T in my table saw - works fine up to 1/8" alum (haven't had to or wanted to cut thicker)

 

[G-Artist]

If you MUST use a saw, get a carbide tip blade made for metal. The rake is slightly different then ones for wood, etc.

Veneer blades can be used on very thin sheets in a pinch. They work best if there a scrap wood board under it where you will be cutting into the board a bit as well. Eliminates lots of the burrs.

If it is that thin then maybe an electric hand shear is the answer. A must for cutting circles or any sort of patterns.

 

[signgal]

We usually order the blanks cut but believe it or not, our production guy uses a straight edge and box cutter or even an exacto for one or two blanks in an emergency. He just runs back over the line again and again until he gets through... it's fairly quick and easy, clean cut and he just files the corners so they don't cut anyone.