How are slots made on 1/2" thick aluminium? Are they made from plasma cutters, carbide router bits or a simply a coping saw? A picture below shows a 1/2" thick aluminum plate bolted onto a motor. Slots were cut to allow for belt adjustment.
If you have access to a milling machine, that would be the quickest way. Otherwise, drill a hole at each end of the slot and "connect" the holes with a jigsaw. Lay out your lines, and it will be pretty easy.
Good luck
Looking at the oblong slots, I would say they were done with either an Ironworker with an oblong punch, or CNC'ed with a cutter.
None of the above. Typically these are cut with a high speed steel 2 flute helical end mill held in a vertical (Bridgeport) milling machine. In a pinch, Johns drill and jig saw method sounds pretty good.
A picture below shows a 1/2" thick
One would cut those slots with a mill, basically. Manual or CNC, depending on what you had and how many you were making. You could just also cut them with a drill and a jig saw, if you were willing to take the time and file to fit. you could cut them with a hand drill and a file, if you were power-tool deprived and had a lot of time on your hands.
You could cut them with a plasma cutter and file to fit. You could punch them, I suppose, but not in a typical home shop...
Brian
If you are asking how the original were made my guess would they were Water Jetted. If you want to make one well, hmmm. The idea of drilling holes at each end and cutting with a jig saw sounds pretty good especially sense a Water jet, Laser, or punch (that big) are not available.
Glenn Houst>How are slots made on 1/2" thick aluminium? Are they
I would say a milling machine is what was used in a machine shop a small milldrill unit with a cross slide table would work .Milling machine citters are made to cut on the side of the bit
The demension is not known. So perfection may not be required.
A skill saw may be all that is needed to put slots in 1/2" aluminum.
Very effective. Great fun! Chips everywhere. I've also used a pneumatic router with a milling cutter.
Use a Skill saw with a carbide blade. I have used this setup to cut up some 3/4" aluminum tooling plate, and it cuts the stuff as good as wood, however a little slower.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required