routing aluminum

[muibubbles]

im sure many of you saw this video where this guy makes a intake manifold out of aluminum and using a router with a flush bit with his wooden jig..

i never thought anything of it but my classmate keeps claiming how unsafe it is... im just curious what your opinions are on this process/the way he did everything...

 

[Stuey]

Well, it looks like he only removed a little material at the time with the bit. If you use carbide bits and set the speed of the router appropriately for cutting alum, it might just be okay. Not recommended, but doable, and it looks like he knows what he's doing.

People have also milled/routed aluminum with router spindles in home-made CNC machines to reasonably good results.

 

[bluebolt]

Interesting, may have to try that sometime. He looks like he was reasonably safety conscious.

 

[A_Pmech]

Plenty safe.

 

[98TJ]

I like how he put Lexan over the template as a shield from the aluminum shavings/chips.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Thats brilliant!Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Stuey]

Well, the gloves are a big no-no.

 

[steel 35]

I hadn't seen it and thanks for sharing, only thing wrong is I may have to try it.......

 

[cnc-me]

Looks good to me. Don't think I would wear gloves though.
Maybe a little WD-40 or stick wax would help it cut faster and cleaner.
One of the most important things when routing or shaping small pieces is
to make your jig or fixture large, and heavy, so it has lots of mass.
You have a lot better chance of keeping all your fingers, and the job will
go much faster as well.
Also high speed steel bits work better for cutting aluminum than most
carbide tipped bits. Steel bits can be ground to sharper edge than carbide.
Steel bits from the hardware store do not qualify though, you have to get
something like an Onsrud from an industrial cutting tool supplier.
Years ago we had a Porter pin router that was semi-automated by me.
We run the thing 15 hours a day to cut out over 110,000 slots
in blocks of popular that were upholstered for rings and necklaces to go into.
Every one of those slots were cut with high-speed steel tooling.
It cuts way faster and easier, and also keeps its edge longer than carbide as
long as you are cutting natural wood, with any type of man made board all bets are
off , and carbide is the way to go.
I can't wait to hear the "carbide for everything" people come out of the woodwork, on this.

 

[hunter1151]

The most important thing is......DON'T CLIMB CUT !!!!!! and use plenty of lube

 

[machine_punk]

I work with sheet aluminum a lot...over on the EAA site (people who build their own airplanes), cutting aluminum with a router and carbide straight bit is a normal and accepted practice.

 

[srmofo]

hell Ive seen aluminum cut with a table saw. Not something I would want to try if I could avoid it, but with the right precautions, its manageable.

 

[Brad54]

People have been cutting aluminum with routers and carbide bits for decades.
I've been looking for a cheap router table for the shop just for this.

I really like his idea of making the MDF pattern and tracing it with the flush-cut bit. I also like his idea of using the plexiglass shield.

I've got a project rolling around i my head, and hadn't thought about this method for that, but it's PERFECT, and I'll be using it.

-Brad

 

[chris fresh]

just did some myself a few month's back,this has been discussed here.it is possible,it is doable,been done forever.but every time it's discussed,some nervous nelly starts in with the,OH THERES NO WAY I'DE TRY THAT speech.

 

[Crusty Nut]

It is plenty safe and that guy built a nice flange. But, holy cow, that clip was like watching paint dry!
Along similar lines, here is a link to a blower manifold I made for a flathead ford. I didn't use any fancy tools, it worked great, and I put more than 10,000 miles on it before I sold it.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124409

 

[bad_idea]

interesting idea. i never heard of doing such a thing. will tuck that in the memory banks for later use. as far as safety, i can't see any issues other than the gloves.

 

[Brad54]

Why is everyone saying he shouldn't be wearing gloves?
I'm guessing it's because the material could get caught in the spinning bit... If his fingers are close enough to get the gloves caught, I'd think they'd be close enough to get caught without gloves. Gloves would keep hot metal off his fingers, which I think could cause a more dangerous reaction that could cause him to jump or flinch and run his fingers in the machine.
Besides--he's got an excellent guard between his fingers and the shaft.
I'd definitely wear gloves for that process, but I'd wear tight-fitting Mechanics gloves.

-Brad

 

[aquafire]

Why is everyone saying he shouldn't be wearing gloves?
I'm guessing it's because the material could get caught in the spinning bit...

Gloves or any loose clothing/long hair shouldn't be worn around any spinning shaft (milling machine, lathe, etc). They can instantly get tangled and mangle you badly.

If your skin makes contact, it will hurt and possibly give you a nasty owwie but that's better than losing your hand/arm/life.

 

[bad_idea]

aquafire beat me to answering that one. gloves and rotating things are a big no-no. glove gets caught by spinning 'thing' and wrapped around it and mangles fingers inside glove. you stick your finger in the router bit and it hurts like a *******, bleeds a lot and then heals later.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I wish this post had been here a couple weeks earlier. Check out the artistic edge on my aluminum cut on this wing support.

I forget what the issue was with the jigsaw. But the good news for me that those cuts are on the throwaway test mule. When I do the new version of the wing, I now have a whole new way to clean up the edges. I've made miles of aluminum cuts with wood saws, but I never thought to use a router.

So thanks -- I just learned something new.

 

[chris fresh]

I wish this post had been here a couple weeks earlier. Check out the artistic edge on my aluminum cut on this wing support.

I forget what the issue was with the jigsaw. But the good news for me that those cuts are on the throwaway test mule. When I do the new version of the wing, I now have a whole new way to clean up the edges. I've made miles of aluminum cuts with wood saws, but I never thought to use a router.

So thanks -- I just learned something new.

for something like that jack,make yourself a plywood template for the router base to ride against,then just allow for whatever the distance is from the cut edge of the bit to the plywood.i used a double edge,1/2'' rabbit bit.with the speed controler turned down,the cut was better than some things i've seen cut on a bridgeport.and i only took about a 32nd on each pass.came out supa sweet with no damage to the bit,didn't use any cutting oil either.

 

[Possum]

This would be the fast track method to learning the difference between climb and conventional milling.

The most important thing is......DON'T CLIMB CUT !!!!!! and use plenty of lube

 

[Zeke]

People say to not wear gloves around machinery. I agree, but one has to think about torque vs. speed. You might want a glove to absorb some of the energy of a router bit. You talk about the glove doing serious injury on a lathe, drill press or other slower high torque machines and you are right. But a router will slice you so badly right off that you might as well have had the gloves on. Not floppy ones, of course.

I wear gloves using high speed air tools and small electric angle grinders.

Argue all you want, I'll choose my own battles.

As for routing AL, I'd recommend a 1/2" collet and bit. More stability. You could snap that what appears to be 1/4" shaft bit off fairly easily. Just what you need is a bit hopping around at 20,000 RPM.

I'd rather play with a rattlesnake.

 

[RivennHewn]

Looks to me like the only thing missing is a shop vac to catch all the shavings.

 

[msnow]

I use a router, table saw and festool track saw on a regular basis to cut aluminum, they all work well you just have to take your time and get the machines set up correctly.

 

[reedwesd]

If you want to see some amazing router work with aluminum check this guy out. I would give anything to have a 10th of his talent. It is a long thread and you may have to sign up to see the whole thing but well worth it.

http://www.fiberglassforums.com/automotive-interior/11159-beryllium-bmw-robolop.html

 

[hunter1151]

If you want to see some amazing router work with aluminum check this guy out. I would give anything to have a 10th of his talent. It is a long thread and you may have to sign up to see the whole thing but well worth it.

http://www.fiberglassforums.com/automotive-interior/11159-beryllium-bmw-robolop.html

Wow........unbelieveable, about wore me out just thinking about all of the stuff he made. Thanks for the link.

 

[A_Pmech]

http://www.fiberglassforums.com/automotive-interior/11159-beryllium-bmw-robolop.html

That was a good read, thanks!

 

[v7guy]

i've been following robolops build for a long time, that guy is the one who first got me try routing aluminum.

 

[willymakeit]

Ive routed a lot of alum. I ve always used a dut mask or filter on the intake to motor side of the router to keep alum. out of the router. No long sleeves for me. I had a 3'' X 1/2 straight bit to catch a sleeve one time . It pulled the router all the way up to my throat before the motor bound up. I managed to stomp on the cord to unplug it. With dirty underwear and litle scrape marks up my arm I left the job that day. A lesson learned the hard way is a lesson well learned.