cutting aluminum composite - dibond

[Dooka]

So...We use a lot of 3mm Aluminum Composite.
We try to cut on a panel saw.
What is the best of the best blades to use?
We have tried quite a bit of blades and the edges are always giving us a lot of trouble, even with de-burring tools.

Anyone know of a blade that will cut it like butter and possible clean edges? (or a great technique to cleaning the edges)

Thanks!

 

[Gino]

Several Fletcher machines will do this for you.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

You can also score it with a utility blade and snap it

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

for cleaning the edges I used to use a Rout-A-Burr tool, but the results were so-so. It still had a tendency to leave razor sharp edges.

Lately we've found that a smooth (around 40 teeth per inch) single cut file works perfect for deburring ACM panels.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

You can also score it with a utility blade and snap it

That's how we do it.

 

[gabagoo]

You can also score it with a utility blade and snap it

I have taken to doing it this way as well, as using the saw leaves a mess. Sometimes when scoring it the edge after bending can be a little lifted, so I saw that my screen printer had this clear acrylic roller, sort of like a 3" paint roller. I have no idea of what it's real use is, but I roll it along the edges and it flattens it back down, which is great as when you laminate vinyl to the aluminum, it can be obvious that it rises on the edges.

 

[bob]

If you cut it with a saw, panel, table, whatever, use a 60+ [more is better] tooth carbide blade. The biggest downside to cutting it with a saw is that it produces prodigious amounts of plastic sawdust that static-clings to anything and everything.

Scoring and snapping is a decent way to cut it, especially on smaller pieces. With this technique there is a non-zero probability of bending one side or the other, or both.

Not matter how you cut it you'll be left with at least one, if not two, raised and razor sharp edges. It's far better to merely reform these edges by running a brass or other softish non-ferrous metal bar over the raised edge at an ~45 degree angle. This technique leaves you with an edge indistinguishable from the factory edge. Slightly rounded down towards the core and baby butt smooth.

You also can dress the edges with a deburring tool, a file, or other abrasive. doing this removes material and creates Al dust while simply reforming it does not. Reforming is far more preferable than abrasive edge dressing.

 

[sardocs]

Rubbing the edges with any smooth steel bar works great to get rid of any jaggies and leaves a nice curled over finish. We use a large screwdriver with a round shank. It's fast and there's no filings to sweep up.

 

[Gino]

I have taken to doing it this way as well, as using the saw leaves a mess. Sometimes when scoring it the edge after bending can be a little lifted, so I saw that my screen printer had this clear acrylic roller, sort of like a 3" paint roller. I have no idea of what it's real use is, but I roll it along the edges and it flattens it back down, which is great as when you laminate vinyl to the aluminum, it can be obvious that it rises on the edges.

Basically, that's a brayer. It used mostly for moving inks and things around usually for offset, but we have two or three of them for various uses. I never thought of using it for your needs as I would think it would damage the roller, much as a sharp surface going through a laminator.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Basically, that's a brayer. It used mostly for moving inks and things around usually for offset, but we have two or three of them for various uses. I never thought of using it for your needs as I would think it would damage the roller, much as a sharp surface going through a laminator.

most brayers I have seen are soft rubber - the one gabba posted looks to be hard acrylic

 

[PushProductions]

We have a fletcher cutter. Cuts with a perfect edge every time and has no saw dust.

 

[shoresigns]

Wherever you buy your Olfa knives from, you can get a scoring tool. Works a bit better than just a knife for scoring and breaking ACP. We use a deburring tool which very quickly cleans up the sharp edges.

 

[Baz]

we've found that a smooth (around 40 teeth per inch) single cut file works perfect for deburring ACM panels.

This is what we use.

 

[Techman]

use a chop saw blade. That type of blade has a slight negative rake in the teeth. Instead of trying to grab that negative rake in the teeth just cuts.

 

[ddarlak]

high tooth count blade and a shop vac hooked to my panel saw

 

[Tony McD]

It will be our little secret.....I latched onto one of the wifes wooden rolling pins and roll it down the edge at an angle.
It does a pretty nice job.

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

We have a fletcher cutter. Cuts with a perfect edge every time and has no saw dust.

We just got our Fletcher after years of me pushing for one... i hate the plastic "dust" from the panel saw.
We finally got the fletcher and i use the hell out of it.

 

[bulldozer]

if we use a saw to cut down our panels, we use a carbide blade (which we dont, we use our router tables for that) and simply sand the edges with a 200-220 grit sandpaper on a block.

 

[Gene@mpls]

The correct blade would be a TCG blade - triple chip ground- fairly high tooth count. Gene

 

[d fleming]

on a panel saw you should have high tooth count, carbide, but most important is that it is a triple chip blade for a smooth edge.