newbie ?: what kind of machine to cut small aluminum pieces

Try a nonferrous carbide-tipped blade on a table saw or worm drive.

GWE

As a metal craftsman, im always cutting thinner metal ,mostly by hand. So how do I cut strait? every time?

1. The first thing is a sturdy work bench thatis at least 8ft long by

4ft wide. and doesnt move about

1. To this I have fixed at the 4ft point my third hand. thats a leg vice thats at the right height, thats with the jaws at the height of your elbow, for sawing and holding things. A decent weight say a 50lb one.
2. My hack saws are 2 types, several proper millers falls with bi metal blades and a smaller ditto that takes the "junior" hack saw blades.
3. Next all work is properly marked. ie the cutting angle, I use a square , scribe where to cut and mark properly with a black fine felt tip pen so I can see the line well. Have a proper light shining on the cutting line (Old tired eyes)

5.have the right no of teeth per inch for the thickness of metal your cutting. Your hack saw blade supplier will tell you whats what. Dont buy the cheap imported blades. Waste of time and money..

1. clamp the work in your third hand
2. keep your arms close to your body. 8. Dont ever push down on the saw, move it back and forth only , lightly and steadyly.
3. watch the line as your cutting
4. use a little candle wax or bees wax as a lube on the saw teeth. Sometimes going slower gets there faster. Thats just sawing, To cutting sheet, Get a small bench guillotine, bolt it to a wood block and clamp this in your leg vice so the cutting pull down handle faces you. Cut your sheet with that. I stood in at my sons school as their CDT teacher when their normal one was off ill. I had some 10 children who wanted to make all sorts of differnt things over a 10 week period. all out of wood . Now they all had a bench each and saws and wood. You cannot imagine how difficult it was to get these youngsters to cut a piece of wood to a line!! out of the 10 only 1 had a natural aptitude. We got there in the end.! Now it depends on what thickness your going to cut. you need the right tools for the job. Ive just made a large special cabinet for an electronics Co. I had for example the 6ft lengths of 1/8in by 3in wide ali cut on a pro brake guillotine as well as the sheet.

I pay my localsheet metal co $80 an hour for the use of any of their machines and one man. I help hold etc. Any bending is also done on their brake press. I bring in the metal with a cuttng list. Its all down to technique. To summarise measure, carefully mark accurately and clearly support well and safely cut carefully and slowly. Hope this helps. Ted Frater Dorset UK

What a great answer. And don't drag the teeth on the back stroke!

Mike Mandaville

Austin, Texas

Woodworking bandsaws should cut aluminum if properly adjusted. When I have to cut some in a client' companys shop I set the blade guides close and sand them square if worn. A sharp blade helps but isn't always available, usually the only one they have is dull from cutting fiberglass circuit boards. Sometimes it's easier to cut straight if I twist the work slightly so it rides on the back of the blade on one side.

Jim Wilkins

Don't forget safety goggles and hearing protection!

Harbor Freight has a portable bandsaw about $80 (look for sales). At least your arm won't tire.

Or you can get a Harbor Freight 4x6 bandsaw. That's $199 as of today's price. 93762-1VGA

Or as others told you, a table saw.

Hi Mike, Hmmm... I agree with your thought on that aspect of sawing, I found that on soft ie ali, copper etc alittle drag on the back stroke helps clear the teeth of metal particles,especially on thin metal with a

24tpi toothed blade. On iron/steel I find the metal comesout of the saw by itself so drag on the back stroke doesnt help . Any other views on this moot point? interesting debating point. Ted

Purchase a regular wood cutting mitre saw/chop saw and install a non ferrous metal cutting blade. A small amount of paraffin wax on the sides of the blade will reduce gumming. It is a fair investment but you can use the saw for non metal jobs too. Randy

Chop Saw Shear Notcher Iron Worker Band Saw Skill Saw Saber Saw SawsAll Table Saw Radial Arm Saw Plasma Cutter

Let me double check the list ... yep, I've used them all at one time or another.

I like Ted's post, Good job Ted. The ability to cut a straight line with a hand saw is an important skill. One that has served me well for many years. Whether you are using a a Hacksaw, Jigsaw, Bandsaw or Mill the ability to make an offhand cut that follows a line is important. Keep practicing.

starbolin

Certainly. We don't need no stinking power tools! ;-)

Thanks for the tips guys. When hacksawing flat bar or plate, do you lie the piece flat on the table and cut across the hole thing, or do you stand it on its side and cut down towards the floor?

Yes.

:-)

Depends on the piece.

GWE

You should have at least three teeth on the work when cutting. Massive tooth contact promotes clogging and inefficient cutting. Cutting vertically down through a flat bar increases the chance of going off your line. A diagonal cut with the flat bar flat on the table is the solution. Randy

For really small stuff, I use a razor saw and a mini-miter box, runs about $7 at the local hardware store. Hobby shop has the exact same thing but runs a few bucks more. This will handle extrusions up to about 3/4" on a side.

For larger stuff, there's the ever-popular 4x6 horizontal bandsaw, sometimes available from HF for 20-40-50% off depending on the phase of the moon and what coupons you have on hand. I've got about $120 invested in mine. It can be used freehand for cutting plate, but it's no Do-All. Most take tuning before they cut straight, there's sites devoted to them.

Thin stock can be clamped between sheets of plywood and a router with a straight wood bit used if you need fancy curves. For multiples, you can even use wood patterns and the proper bit or router fitting for riding against the pattern. Other woodworking machinery can be used to cut extrusions and such, just use a fine-toothed blade in stuff like circular saws.

Stan

You dont hacksaw bar or plate or whatever by laying it flat on the table. why? unless youve clamped it to the table so you can saw with both hands, your holding the work with one hand and sawing with the other. No wonder your not getting good results. Please replicate the work methods outlined in this thread . as at the moment your making a rod for your own back. Even wood workers use a simple holding wood horse. thats a plank of wood sat 1in thick by 6in wide and 6in long with a bit of 2 by 1 nailed to one edge, and a similar piece nailed on the otherside on the other end. You place this with one piece of the 2 by 1 against the bench edge and push the wood your cutting on top of the 6 by 1 and up against the other pieceof 2 by 1. this is a sort of holding device so you can hold the wood your cutting with one hand and you saw withthother. The same can be used on metal tho its much harder to use. by nature of what your cutting. Metal cutting is easy IF youve set up your bench, the vice and sundry tools.