Aluminum step van autopsy

[skipskip]

I need to make the aluminum body of a step van into reasonable sized pieces ( 4 x 8 feet)

they sides are riveted to steel uprights.

I see a few choices, which is best?

shear the rivet heads with an air hammer.

drill out the rivets with a cutter designed for removing spot welds.

drill the rivets with a regular drill.

any other ideas?

and to cut the sheets? recip saw?

circular saw with a plywood blade?


I assume a torch will not be useful here.


thanks

Skip

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

So you're looking to scrap a van without a title? You can go either way,i would use a air chisel to remove the rivets and if you have access to metal circular saw i'd use it if not a sawzall will do.

 

[skipskip]

well, actually I do have the title, however the scraper gives $125 a ton and aluminum is worth substantially more than that.

Metal circular saw? like an abrasive blade in a cut off saw?

 

[tonydanzah]

well, actually I do have the title, however the scraper gives $125 a ton and aluminum is worth substantially more than that.

Metal circular saw? like an abrasive blade in a cut off saw?

nope, a framing blade for wood with carbide teeth will cut through like butter.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

You're right Aluminum is about $800-$1000 a ton depending on who you know. Even with steel you shoud be able to get $160 a ton, right now.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Yeah, you could cut the aluminum with the circular saw and a metal cutting blade, but a carbide tip wood blade will go right through it and not cost you nearly as much. Be careful, of course. The kickback is worse than with wood. (Wear eye protection, a jacket and thick gloves.)

Have a reciprocating saw on hand, as well as a prybar or air chisel. It won't be pretty, but it'll come apart.

 

[cheap bastard]

If I had that much aluminum sheet, it would go into my stock pile of material. Hoods, belly pans, fireproofing wood structure elements are easily done with the light stuff.
For your project though, a power shear may be the answer. Its fast and if you don't have one, all that scrap should more than offset the cost.

 

[tonydanzah]

If I had that much aluminum sheet, it would go into my stock pile of material. Hoods, belly pans, fireproofing wood structure elements are easily done with the light stuff.
For your project though, a power shear may be the answer. Its fast and if you don't have one, all that scrap should more than offset the cost.

a circ saw with a carbid wood blade will be faster and much cheaper. I found a pile of 1/8 street signs when i moved in to my house. I have been cutting them up for a while with that combo.

 

[bchee]

oh cool I didn't know those blades cut through aluminum

 

[MP&C]

If the rivets holding the panels on are Cherry Max, they can be difficult shear off and/or drill with the hardened pull stud still in place. We normally use a tempered punch to drive out the pull stud and drill off the head of the rivet.

 

[wbrian63]

Carbide will definitely cut aluminum. The problem is a typical circular saw blade is going to have WAY too few many teeth to do this smoothly in aluminum as thin as what you're looking at.

Use a reciprocating saw (sawzall) with a standard 18tpi (teeth per inch) bi-metal blade installed. You can get these blades in 6" all the way up to 12" (I think). If the framework is also aluminum, the extra depth of cut these blades provide will be handy.

As others have said - eye protection (full enclosure goggles, not just safety glasses), long sleeve shirt or jacket are mandatory.

I'd also bring along a set of pry bars and maybe something to use as a wedge - thin cold chisel. You may find situations where the blade gets bound up in a cut as the structural tensions change while you're cutting through the aluminum.

Also - you may find the aluminum is also glued to the structure along with riveting. That's NOT going to be fun, as the adhesive is very tenacious. About the only thing I've had luck with in that area is a Mapp gas torch or an Oxy/Acetlyene torch with a rosebud tip. Work with a strong fan at your back to clear the smoke and fumes. Probably wouldn't hurt to wear a respirator capable of filtering organic vapors in situations like this - just to be sure.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'd think about 1) how much money I'd have to spend on tools and supplies to cut the thing up, 2) how many hours it will take to do the work, and 3) cleaning up the mess left in the driveway afterwards. Also, possibly 4) visits to the emergency room for cuts, burns, metal in the eye, etc.

Unless you don't count your expenses and figure your time is free, I suspect you'll be money ahead to just scrap the thing as is.

 

[rodnok1]

Put an ad in craigslist and see what you can get for scrap on the body.

 

[Novadiecast]

What kind of step van is it? I need some parts!!!!

 

[rsanter]

what you are looking to do is very labor intensive
my recomendation is dont fight to get every last piece of aluminum.
take what is easy and then turn in the rest for the lower value and be done with it.
I would use a sawsall as it will go through everything in one pass

bob

 

[Novadiecast]

What kind of step van is it? I need some parts!!!!

 

[reinhardt]

saws all w/ 18 tpi blades. dont waste ur time trying to remove rivets, just cut through all of it.

i would post up on craigslist. i am currently looking for some aluminum from a step van like u have, and would pay a decent price for it. unfortunately u r a long drive away.

 

[skipskip]

Well..... the answer is.. 18 tooth blade in a sawzall.

Actually the correct answer is, don't bother with this it is a HUGE amount of work for a relatively small return.


sorry guys, all the aluminum is now on it's way to Korea or wherever scrap goes this week.


Skip

 

[Novadiecast]

Reinhart, try this http://www.stepvanparts.com/onlinesvcat.htm

 

[reinhardt]

Reinhart, try this http://www.stepvanparts.com/onlinesvcat.htm

i was looking to cut the 1/8 aluminum off the side of a step van to use for my work bench (close in sides and back, possibly shelves) and a couple other misc projects. figured it would be cheaper to buy off a scrap car rather than buying 1/8 aluminum plate from a supplier. thanks tho.

 

[Bigrhamr]

The fastest way would be a plasma cutter if you have access to one. Just run it alongside each steel stud about as fast as you can move your hand and forget about the little bit of aluminum that's still fastened to the stud. I scrapped a 40' semi trailer that way, with me cutting and a guy going behind me peeling the sheets off and throwing them on a trailer we had it down to the floor in about 3 hours.