Aluminum Cutting Guide 2023 – Mechutopia

Introduction

Would you like to cut aluminum sheets or thicker parts? I frequently find myself in situations where cutting aluminum necessitates a more manual approach. To achieve a safe cutting operation, you need to have proficient skills to handle the part and saw during the cutting process. Otherwise, results can be unsafe and intimidating.

We all use Aluminum alongside the CNC part manufacturing to make complex shiny aerodynamic parts or a vacuum mold. Its light weight allows us to use aluminum sheets everywhere. Sometimes you need to have just a piece of block Aluminum or a 3mm Aluminum sheet to get the job done. I guarantee you are not alone on this.

Both thin aluminum sheets and thick 6000 and 7000 series aluminum materials are widely used in various industries, including automobile manufacturing, molding, and componentry. In this article, I’m going to explain and teach you how to cut aluminum with ease and safely.

Things to consider before starting cutting.

The choice of the cutting method depends on your material`s type. Because thick and thin materials can be cut with different cutting methods. Also, the proper method for a thick material can be dangerous and expensive compared to cutting a thin sheet of aluminum.

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How To Cut Aluminum? | Aluminum Cut...

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How To Cut Aluminum? | Aluminum Cutting

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Most Common Saws To Cut Aluminum.

Since aluminum is easily machinable, it can be cut with almost any cutting tool. Especially industrial metal cutting shears and circular saws are very suitable for these works.

In my experience, circular saws have proven to be more useful. Because industrial shears tend to bend thin sheets during cutting. Also, circular saws can grab and destroy thin sheets easily.

So this process needs ultra care, I remember that also I destroyed a lot of materials because of these reasons.

Saw TypeUsageAdvantagesDisadvantagesCircullar SawGood for cutting long strait lines.Can cut very fast.Hard to maneuver on spline shape cuts.Band SawMostly used for thick and rectengular shapes for part blanks.High precision cutting.Can cut small parts, not Aluminum sheets.Jig SawCutting long and  complex-spline shapesEasy to maneuver on spline shape cuts.Less blade life and cutting speed.

How to cut any thickness aluminum in a safe & efficient way in 6 steps?

Before going through the aluminum cutting methods for thick and thin aluminum I thought a common way can be helpful for you to understand the whole process. So you can transform these skills in further sections.

Important Safety Notice!

   In this post, you will find some instructions on how to cut aluminum. So before go ahead please take this safety steps first.This steps must be taken for all mechanical handcraftsman jobs.Be sure for all jobs you take this steps before you start.

 1-Wear Safety Glasses before starting any job.

 2-Wear safety boots.

 3-Make sure before using any hand power tools you clamped job properly.

 4-Always take a proper position to use power tools. Your arms must move freely,strongly to target.

Step-1:

Firstly, you must make sure that you are safe before starting any work. Eye protection is especially important, refined aluminum chips can stick to your eyeballs easily.

Step-2:

You can start by getting full-coverage goggles, earplugs to help block out noise, and a suit that fits the cut. Some people would rather wear masks that cover the whole face and protect it than glasses.

Step-3:

Sketching the desired shape on the piece of aluminum before cutting can significantly improve the accuracy and quality of the cut. Use any kind of ruler to make the marking process easier.

Step-4:

To cut thin aluminum sheets, opt for a wood saw with a carbide tip. Ideally, select a blade designed for making fine cuts. Small saw teeth will be less likely to grab material dangerously. If you’re uncertain about the appropriate cutting oil to lubricate the blade, consult an expert. Once you determine the suitable oil, apply it generously to the saw’s blades.

Step-5:

Attach the piece of aluminum you want to cut to the saw and make sure your fingers are not too close to the blades. In this way, you will keep your fingers from getting hurt.

Step-6:

Move the blade through the aluminum or the aluminum through the blade very slowly. Make sure that the speed of the wood cutting is faster than the speed of the blade. Also, try to stay away from the area where the saw hits the wood behind it. A jigsaw is the best tool to use if you want to make circular cuts in aluminum.

Cutting aluminum with a jigsaw.

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How do you cut a thin piece of aluminum?

Tin shears can be used to cut aluminum that is 1 millimeter thick and needs to be cut into flat pieces. If the aluminum is between 2 and 3 millimeters thick, you can cut it straight with a . If you want to cut curved pieces, the jigsaw will make too much burr. With a file, it is possible to fix this problem. The steps for making these cuts are: draw, cut, and file. These three things will help you make your cut exactly how you want it.

Cutting a thin piece of aluminum

Aluminum sheets

Aluminum sheets are very useful for decorations and making chassis of cars with progressive molds.

These days most new products heavily rely on aluminum sheets. It is a very attractive material.

Aluminum sheet

How do you cut an aluminum sheet?

You might think that to cut an aluminum sheet to size, you need. Luckily, cutting aluminum sheets is easy to do with a jigsaw or a regular woodcut saw. You will need to buy the right blade for the saw, though. Most of the time, circular blade saws, like lowering saws or table saws, are better than straight blade saws for cutting aluminum.

1-Use the ruler to figure out how long you want to cut the aluminum.

2-Use the marker to make marks on the aluminum. You will cut along this line, so make sure it is straight and goes in the direction you want to cut.

3-Attach your saw to the edge of the sheet metal and let it rest there. If you are using a hacksaw, you will need to put the sheets on a pair of saws so that the saw blade can cut through the metal without anything under it.

4-Make sure the blade is not touching the metal sheet, and then turn on the saw.

5-Slowly move the saw into the metal sheet until it starts to cut. Keep going forward, but don’t put too much pressure on the saw blade. If you put too much pressure on the aluminum, it will get stuck or burn, and your saw and sheet will be damaged.

6-Wear gloves and a face mask when you do this to protect your hands and face from the hot aluminum chips that will come out of the cut.

Cutting aluminum sheet with proper clamps

How to cut a thick sheet of aluminum?

For cutting boards thicker than 3 millimeters, you can also use a spiral instead of a carbide-tipped wood saw. If you need a curved cut with fine craftsmanship in such thicknesses but don’t think you’re ready, you can get help from professionals. So, your aluminum part will be cut the way you want, and you will be safe from any accidents that could happen.

Cutting thick aluminum

Pro tips for cutting thin aluminum sheets.

Tip-1: Use high tooth count saws (with smaller teeth). This will produce finer chips, and the blade saw will not grab and bend the sheet.

Tip-2: Use cutting oil to prevent heat buildup which will deform the sheet. Also, oil or coolant will evacuate chips from the blade, so chips will not melt and grab the sheet.

Tip-3: Always have a rigid base to lay aluminum sheet, and during the cutting always move your blade to the edge of this base(or flat workbench). This will prevent the sheet from getting bent and grabbed by the saw.

Tip-4: Do not forget, you can easily cut thin aluminum sheets with shears, in this case, you will avoid sheet holding and saw machine using process.

Pro tips for cutting thick aluminum sheets.

Tip-1: Use low-tooth count and positive rake-angled saws (with bigger teeth). Since thick aluminum engages most of the saw`s teeth there is not too much risk to grab of grabbing material. Bigger teeth will cut more material.

Tip-2: Take extra care for clapping, because thicker material requires the harder human push of the saw and this will produce a lot of stress on your clamps.

Tip-3: High pushing power can lead you to go our cutting sketch, so keep your eye on it.

Tip-4: Use cutting oil or coolant to evacuate chips and cool down part and blade.

Tip-5: Take frequent breaks to prevent the blade from overheating and avoid fatigue. This is especially important when cutting thicker materials, which can take longer to cut through.

Tip-6: Make sure the saw is securely clamped to the workpiece before cutting.

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Summary

This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to safely and efficiently cut aluminum. We explained the different saws that can be used to cut aluminum, including circular saws, band saws, and jigsaws.

Also, there are step-by-step instructions on how to use a wood saw, a jigsaw, or a hacksaw to cut aluminum. You will find a handful of pro tips for cutting thick and thin aluminum. Also others such as using high-tooth count saws and cutting oil to prevent heat buildup.

Overall, this guide is valuable guide for anyone who works with aluminum in a CNC workshop or any kind of mechanical workshop. This will help you to get your skills level up and going to make sure you are safe on your journey.

As you can check this article about brass, bronze & copper.