[Newbie] Make A Slot Without A Slitter

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stomp10

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On an upcoming project I need to make a 1.5" long slot in a 1.5" thick hunk of 6061 aluminum.
The bad news is I don't have the tooling yet for slotting.
The slot will be 3/16 wide x 1.5" long and 1.5" deep.

Ideas I have come up with are to use a sawzall with some kind of a Rube Goldberg guide jig thing to help keep the blade on track, then file to the final width. The width dimension isn't critical. It is a pinch type clamping device. bolts will go through the slot to squeeze it onto the post that the part will be attached to.
(No band saw, jig saw, die filer or anything like that. closest I can come is the sawzall.) My experience is that with sawzalls, they like to cut anywhere except where you want them too. Blades like to wander a bit when they cut too....

The other option I have is to make a keyway type slotter tool and do it on the lathe by ramming it with the carriage. I have seen youtube videos showing how this is done but, I'm not sure how well this will work on an inch and a half depth and length. I have infinite patience, so time factor doesn't concern me, as long as it produces the desired result. It seems that this method will produce the nicest cut, but again, I'm not too sure how well this will work given the dimensions of the slot.

Of the two options I have thought of, I like the second one the best but, I thought I would post it here and get opinions from the more experienced people here at Hobby Machinist before I destroy my hunk of 6061.

Thanks in advance for all of your help!
 
Depending on how big the piece is to start with, you could use your table saw and take small depths of cuts until there. Lot of pucker in that, but..... You could do the lathe thing with a HSS cut off blade. Don't envy you with that one!
 
How are your elbows? How about a good ole hacksaw?
-it is stiffer than a sawzall as the blade is fixed at both ends
-it is easier to point in the right direction / steer than the sawzall because you control both ends
-it is easier to stop if you see/feel it starting to wander

I'd probably rig up some kinda guide with angle iron like savarin did in post #19 here:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/80mm-long-focal-length-refractor.26212/#post-251690

You might put together a guide that wraps around the front edge of your work piece as well as the top.
Then ride the hacksaw blade right against the angle guide and start cutting.

Also, you do list a "wood" bandsaw in your signature line. With the right blade I'd consider that before the table saw....less "pucker"....but I have done Al on the table saw before too, as above just take small cuts and sneak up on it.

-brino
 
I'd use the band saw, no question. I cut a 2 1/2 round bar yesterday on mine. same speed I cut wood, just feed very slowly. And, if if starts to thump, back off a while, maybe even stop and remove the lump of aluminum stuck in a gullet. Maybe rub the blade with bees wax first, too.
 
could you drill a 3/16" hole at the bottom of the cut and then use a high tension blade hacksaw on either side of the slot to meet the drilled hole? If you don't want a round bottom then drill the hole above the 1.5" depth and file to depth.

David
 
Harbor freight also sells a metal culling circular saw blade . probably could be used on a table saw. You might use it in a skill saw with a guide.
 
Wow, Thanks for all of your replies!
You all have given me plenty to think about.
I think that I will probably go with a mix of Brino and Davids' suggestions and go with a hack saw with a jig guide similar to what was done in Savarin's earlier post.
My elbows should hold out alright, not so sure about the shoulders though. ;)
It all depends on the day at my age.

But you guys all rock! Thanks so much for all of your consideration and replies.
All of this is to get the milling working on the Edelstaal... I plan on using this for light milling operations until I pull the trigger on something more robust...
I guess I have been bitten by the bug now, for sure.
As I understand it, there is no cure except to buy more stuff?
I love that!
 
If you have a table saw, a non-ferrous cutting blade like the Freud D1080N will cut 6061 like butter. I use one to cut my aluminum to rough size before milling. It will cut the full 1.5" depth with no problem, just go slow, use a push stick and don't stand in front of the workpiece. I would make a crude wood carriage that straddles the fence and stand the piece on end to cut the slot.
 
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