Chop saw blade for aluminum

fatfillup · Apr 23, 2020

Looking for recommendations for a 14" chop saw blade that will cut aluminum. For a buddy who's uses will include cutting aluminum angle, box tubing and flat stock.

Chop saw is a Ryobi that is 3900 rpm. I have found blades that will do 1600 rpm but not 3900.

Hopefully, someone here has gone down this road and will have a solution

Thanks, Phil

gungatim · Apr 23, 2020

Bogie1632 · Apr 23, 2020

gungatim said:
I cut aluminum with a regular 10" carbide woodworking blade. chop saws just grind and load up. just about any mitre saw will do. wear eye protection...

x2 on this. Also gives a much cleaner cut edge than anything you'll get with a chop saw blade and you'll be much happier with the results

V/R
Bogie

fatfillup · Apr 23, 2020

Thanks

I did see where the carbide blades were recommended, didn't know they were wood blades though

Showkey · Apr 23, 2020

Carbide does work.......makes a BIG mess and a lot of noise. There are better choices.

Jig saw with metal blade.
Better yet:

seagull369 · Apr 23, 2020

Though never done it myself, I've heard people say installing the carbide tipped blade on backwards makes it cuts better through aluminum. Whichever way you put it on, personally, I would choose a blade that has the most teeth per inch that's available.

Those dual blade counter rotating angle grinders that Sears and Billy Mays used to sell applied some sort of lube stick against the carbide teeth when cutting aluminum I presume to keep them from getting gummed up. Not sure what they were made of, but using something like that could also help.

The Cobbler · Apr 23, 2020

putting the blade on backwards is fine for thin aluminum. flashings etc.
but for extruded aluminum, and wood carbide baled will do a nice job. be careful not to start the saw with the blade into the work, or ram it. take it slow & easy .
aluminum wax lubricant also helps .

tarbellb · Apr 25, 2020

A standard carbide woodworking blade will work, more teeth are better.

The things to really be concerned with are:

clamping your work

lube, either WD40 or wax stick to keep from loading

Mike Folks · Apr 25, 2020

Eye and ear protection needed,very noisy when cutting, shavings all over.

bob15 · Apr 25, 2020

I've had good luck using Sait wheels. These designed for aluminum wheels cut better than the wheels made for steel.

https://www.unitedabrasives.com/mmi-family/a46n-4/

Max rpm is 4400

Jeff95TA · Apr 25, 2020

I use a Freud LU89M012 in a miter saw.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004T7AB/?tag=atomicindus08-20
It was $78 when I bought it.

As others mentioned, it makes a lot of chips. Nice clean cut.

oilslick · Apr 25, 2020

Remember twin cutters? I bet that actually worked ok,think it had wax lubes.

PugetDude · Apr 25, 2020

I was cutting a bunch of 2x2x .188 aluminum angle for a SOJ-inspired storage bench build, using an old Ryobi miter saw and a 40 tooth carbide blade, legs down, V-up. No clamps, just using my left hand to hold the material down. It's an operation I've done hundreds of times. On about the 40th cut the blade grabbed and flipped the angle up and back, crushing my left index finger in between the angle and the saw fence. The impact snapped the saw fence, the angle jammed and twisted up; almost pushed my hand into the blade. (which luckily had jammed into the angle and stopped).
I was lucky I didn't lose the end of my finger- it ballooned up, healed slowly and now feels like it's full of scar tissue, but at least it's still there. Picture was taken a couple of days after the incident.

Point is, be careful, go slow and CLAMP the material being cut.
Good luck with your project.

fatfillup · May 22, 2020

OP here. Customer brought in some aluminum angle, 2 inch by 4 inch, 1/4 inch thick or thereabouts for a test cut.

Had an older Makita miter saw with a carbide tooth blade. Didn't count the teeth but likely 80 or better on a 10 inch blade.

Cut the aluminum like butter, customer bought the saw and was happy as a lark.

Thanks for all the input!!

Noworries · May 22, 2020

Thats why i put this together... fyi..lenox blades ****

seber · May 22, 2020

Do not turn the carbide blade backward for aluminum. The teeth are held with brass, not welded. The odds of removing a tooth under pressure may be low but the results could be deadly. We are talking about rifle bullet speeds here.

u2slow · May 22, 2020

Buy a proper non-ferrous metal blade in 7-1/4" or 10" for a woodworking saw.

Not only do they have a lot of teeth, but the cutter angle is optimized for safety, and clean cuts.

Chop saw blade for aluminum

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