Circular Saw Blade For Aluminum ?

allloutmx · Apr 18, 2014

A good deal of you already know, but for those that dont im just getting started in the "home shop".... Im tight on cash, was thinking to try cutting the aluminum for my upcoming project on a shop saw. 3/4" thick by 1-1/2" wide 6061 t6... Seems like it would work with use of some choolant aye?
Anyone ever been in a pinch and done this? What blade would you suggest?

boaterri · Apr 18, 2014

I have had good luck using a table saw with a carbide tipped combination blade. Eye, face, and hearing protection is a must along with a heavy long sleeved shirt. The chips will fly everywhere and they hurt on impact with exposed skin. A little wax on the blade is all the coolant I used.

Good luck, be safe,

Rick

triplechip · Apr 18, 2014

If you are cutting this with a 12" Chop saw. I would go down to Lowes or Home Depot and pickup a 12" x 80 tooth triple chip grind blade used for cutting non-ferrous aluminum. probably about $50.00

Check around and see if they have any tallow or stick wax to apply to the blade every once in awhile. You could also cut this on a table saw. 10" x 60 tooth for aluminum. Use the stick wax same as on chop saw.

Bill

rbent · Apr 18, 2014

The wax works well on saw blades. I've found any quality carbide wood saw blade will work fine on aluminum. I've used the non ferrous grind saw blades, they do work better, but for the random cuts its not worth swapping out blades.

Comatose · Apr 18, 2014

10" miter saw with the right blade. It took me a couple years to find the right blade. This is the right blade. http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU89M01...9&sr=8-3&keywords=freud+industrial+nonferrous

Before I bought a nonferrous auto-saw we'd do about ten thousand cuts a year on a standard Dewalt 10" miter saw in the size you're talking. Liberal use of WD40 for lubricant (on the blade and on the stock) and you'll get a couple years per blade. While I was farting around with $50 hardware store blades I was lucky to get a couple months. And its only $80.

MadMan_1961 · Apr 18, 2014

Metalworking Fluids & Coolants | MSCDirect.com

(I hope that worked)

+1 on the wax...this is the stuff that I've used in the past...one stick should last you for many hundreds of cuts

Just touch the teeth a little before the cut...and maybe once about 2/3 of the way thru...play it by ear.

Mike

Fish On · Apr 18, 2014

As said above, the 10 or 12" chop saw will cut that like butter. .75 x 1.5 will be cake for a chop saw.

Comotose mentioned that the right blade will make all the difference - I've found the 'right' blade to be this one,

Lenox 21887 10" X 80T Aluminum Circular Saw Blade

....but will certainly try the one he listed at some point. I've had such good luck with Lenox blades of all types, that it's tough to stray.

On the flip side, if this is a one time project, any halfway decent woodworking 'trim' blade will work.

Wax will be your friend. I use the Lenox Lube Tube. Great stuff. Touch the teeth before every cut, and it will cut perfectly.

Metalworking Fluids & Coolants | MSCDirect.com

I'm not going to begin to count the number of miles of aluminum sheet and plate that I've cut with a worm drive Skil-Saw and a 7.25" Lenox aluminum cutting blade. And, miles is not an exaggeration.

Chip Chester · Apr 19, 2014

Heed the warnings about the chips, too. The first time I used a non-ferrous blade in my Skilsaw, the quantity and dispersal of chips was almost comical. A containment tent would not be out of line...

Chip

allloutmx · Apr 19, 2014

Chip Chester said:
Heed the warnings about the chips, too. The first time I used a non-ferrous blade in my Skilsaw, the quantity and dispersal of chips was almost comical. A containment tent would not be out of line...

Chip

Kinda what i was picturing as i read thru this last night....those chips are gnna go everywhere unless i do something.

moonlight machine · Apr 19, 2014

Triple chip blade for sure, I have cut 2.5" thick 6061 plate with a worm drive saw and triple chip blade. You will not believe the mess it will make, their can't be that many chips in the world! After a lot of use the blade may start to crack, so look at it once in a while.

bryan_machine · Apr 19, 2014

i have been using a steelmax circular saw to cut aluminum up to 1" thick - you might see if their aluminum cutting blades come sized for one of your saw arbors

WizardOfBoz · Apr 19, 2014

I've no experience but I've read that copious amounts of WD-40 can help in cutting Al this way. The wax approach sounds way better, tho.

opscimc · Apr 19, 2014

allloutmx said:
thinking to try cutting the aluminum for my upcoming project on a shop saw. 3/4" thick by 1-1/2" wide 6061 t6...

I can't see that anyone has mentioned it yet, so google Milwaukee metal cutting circular saw 6370-20 or -21. I have one of these myself and it is great for aluminum of the size you mentioned. Although you could buy a replacement blade of the type it uses and install it on your current shop saw, the Milwaukee unit is geared down so it turns the blade at a lower rpm that gives the teeth a surface speed more appropriate for the task.

For what it's worth, I always have used my Milwaukee saw to cut Al without using a lubricant.

redlee · Apr 19, 2014

opscimc said:
I can't see that anyone has mentioned it yet, so google Milwaukee metal cutting circular saw 6370-20 or -21. I have one of these myself and it is great for aluminum of the size you mentioned. Although you could buy a replacement blade of the type it uses and install it on your current shop saw, the Milwaukee unit is geared down so it turns the blade at a lower rpm that gives the teeth a surface speed more appropriate for the task.

For what it's worth, I always have used my Milwaukee saw to cut Al without using a lubricant.

Second this, these saws are designed for "Metal" cutting and work well.

PeteM · Apr 19, 2014

Only thing to add to the advice (triple chip grind, maybe a bit of lube) is that the chips can get hot, especially in thicker cuts. I've got the same Milwaukee saw noted by Opsimsinc (and a DeWalt Multi-Cutter before it) but occasionally use my table saw for cuts. If you have dust collection, I'd suggest vacuuming out any dust inside and shutting off the dust port and collector before you start. Avoid having a hot chip meet fine dust.

Even more important if you put a steel cutting blade on.

dgfoster · Apr 19, 2014

I have used both the wax type lube which seems to work OK and WD-40 and Alumi-Cut aluminum cutting fluids. One thing I have done using them that I think helps, especially on longer or heavier cuts (like the OP's) is to make a line of lube along the intended cut line. That is simply to use the wax stick like a crayon and make a swipe with it along the cut line or smear a thin film of cutting fluid along the cut line rather than just lubing the blade at the start of a cut. My theory (which seems to work---i.e no welded chips on the blade) is that lube applied to the blade at the begininig of the cut may be pretty quickly wiped off by swarf. I did run into that occassionally with the "lube the blade only" method. Proper application of the lube seemed more important than specific tooth confiugartion. But the teeth have to be very sharp.

One other point is that control of both pieces of material on each side of the blade is very important. Kickbacks of wood can be inconvenient and rarely can hurl dangerous pieces at the operator. Aluminum off-cuts and primary pieces can often be very dangerous. On a chop saw I like to clamp one side of the cut and use a sharp scribe or sharp rod to control the other side. If the off-cut edges toward the blade after a cut is made while the saw is winding down, all hell can break loose resulting in damage to the operator and/or blade. Beware of a thin off-cut of just tthe right size to be pushed into the clearance slot in the fence---that will jam firmly and suddenly. Ouch!

Denis

John Welden · Apr 19, 2014

I've table, chopped and circular sawed a shit load of aluminum. I wouldn't bother with lube.

Comatose · Apr 19, 2014

John how many pieces have you done in a row without lube? The first couple or five go fine, but after dozens or hundreds, you'll get a lot of aluminum mushed onto the cut edge working dry, from what I've found. The odd piece, sure, but if you're sitting there cutting for an hour, the lubricant really makes things go more smoothly.

dgfoster · Apr 19, 2014

Have to agree woith Comatose. I have had way too much aluminum welded to the tips of my carbide blades to skip lube. It WILL weld to the tips. So, using lube is so easy and guarantees no welding if the blade is reasonably sharp, that I can see no reason to not use it. Just my opinion and experience, of course.

I have never seen a hint of fire induced by aluminum chips and have cut plenty with a lot of wood chips in the bottom of the saw. Now welding steel---I have seen some smoke from the dripping molten steel. Only made that mistake once and caught it before disaster. Not too proud of that stupidity.

Denis

John Welden · Apr 19, 2014

thermite said:
Yes and .. as I consider aluminium to be just one more wood, but with odd and shiny characteristics, usually work it with woodworking tools ..

make DAMNED sure you clean up all the sawdust and wood chips before you start. Better yet, move the saw outside. I move mine to a covered carport.

Last thing you need is for a hot aluminium chip to have started a fire in sawdust back behind some stored wood where you don't see it 'til it has grown serious. They USUALLY cool whilst airborne to not be as dangerous as steel off a grinder or cut-off wheel can be.

But not always...

Bill

Oh please, start a fire from aluminum chips? :rolleyes5:

-------
If I was getting chip welding on the blade I'd use some sort of lube. But there's no need to make a big mess with wd40 or whatever. Just get a triple chip blade. It's been done in industry for a million years.

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