Cutting aluminum on a chop saw

__Tango · Jan 25, 2010

Hi there.

I've been reading a bunch here and other places about cutting aluminum on a chop saw (e.g. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3234). One question is that I read somewhere that the aluminum chips/dust can get in a tool and destroy it.

I've got some aluminum angle i need to cut and if i get a decent blade (e.g. the http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008WQ38/?tag=atomicindus08-20 blade talked about in that other thread), will i damage my saw? I don't have that many cuts to make (maybe 30-50 cuts in 1/8th inch thick angle and bar at 1" width).

Whaddya say?

Thanks.

...tango...

Steve from Socal · Jan 25, 2010

That blade will work fine; use WD-40 or better yet Bee's wax as a lube, clamp the work VERY securely. Aluminum dust is not a heavy metal but you should wear a full face shield, long sleeves and, gloves. A dust mask wouldn't hurt. The dust getting into the saw would be minimal at best, I know people who cut aluminum in chop saws 8 hours a day. You need to develop a "feel" for down feed with an interrupted cut especially in metal, you can damage teeth with too much pressure.

Steve

E.rodz · Jan 25, 2010

don't even wast your time with a abrasive blade .if you have a miter saw and a carbide blade use it this will be the only way you will ever cut aluminum again.or a skill saw will work fine also.I use my table saw and my miter saw continusly for cutting alum. :thumbup:

Torque1st · Jan 25, 2010

Steve in SoCal said:
That blade will work fine; use WD-40 or better yet Bee's wax as a lube, clamp the work VERY securely. Aluminum dust is not a heavy metal but you should wear a full face shield, long sleeves and, gloves. A dust mask wouldn't hurt. The dust getting into the saw would be minimal at best, I know people who cut aluminum in chop saws 8 hours a day. You need to develop a "feel" for down feed with an interrupted cut especially in metal, you can damage teeth with too much pressure.

Steve

+1

The "dust" you get is just metal chips.

I have cut a lot of aluminum on my miter saw. I just remove the blade after use and save it for cutting aluminum.

__Tango · Jan 26, 2010

Awesome! Thanks a bunch folks. This is exactly the information i was looking for. :bounce:

FNFS2000 · Jan 26, 2010

ditto, abrasive blades are the thing of the past for chop saws, so noisy unhealthy and dirty of a cut. A "wood" saw will do fine, but even with a metal specific chop saw, a carbide blade is so much better.

AMP2 · Jan 26, 2010

Carbide tipped wood cutting blades work in a chop saw or a skill saw for aluminum. wear safety gear and long sleeves - aluminum chips are fast and hot. About 10 years back I visited a boat builder in Norfolk Va who built custom one off all aluminum boats. He had just finished the aluminum fabrication on a 90' sale boat and the wood guys were just coming on the job to do the paneling, decking, etc. This was a very nice and very expensive boat and it was built using a skil saw, mig and tig welders (mostly mig) and occasionally a very old worn out band saw kept outside. All the metal was aluminum - inside, outside - everything. Two guys with one skill saw and a welder. Construction time was 9 months.

Mickey O · Jan 26, 2010

Wouldn't use an abrasive blade on aluminum, use a carbide. You do get dust that is dust not chips when using an abrasive blade but you also get it cutting steel so I don't see how it would be an issue.

Cutting aluminum on a chop saw

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