Cutting 1 inch thick aluminum stock possible with a scroll saw?

I would do that on my G0704 but not like you think. Lay it out drill one 1/2" hole in one coner. Then us a 1/2" end mill and plunge cut it moving over 25 to 50 thou at a time. You will be surpized how fas it will go.
 
road said:
I have used my scroll saw for alu stuff but nothing more than 1/4 " thick . a project that thick would take forever even if you can keep the blade from breaking. Not to mention it makes a mess of the scroll saw with the WD-40.

I did these on a scroll = pic below.

my suggestion would be to keep up with the drilling holes then use a scroll to cut the larger pieces then finally mill it out.
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got it. ok no more scroll saw

sawzall a better solution?
 
A sawsall might be a little hard to controll. And finding a blade nerrow enough a little tuff. A sabor saw would work with the right blade.




Give plunge cutting on the mill shot I use left hand on the quile qnd right hand on the table crank 3/8" or 1/2" endmill and WD 40 about 3 to 5 minuts for each cut out. I cutshapes and slots that way all the time.
 
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a drill bit is the most efficient cutting tool ----make a row of drilled holes around the perimeter and then I would use a saber saw mounted on a table with a coarse blade to cut between the holes-----then use the mill to finish the walls-----I do have a couple of large powermatic and delta scroll saws that may be able to cut 1" thick aluminum but I have not tried them yet---I'm sure the small scroll saws would fail---another possible option maybe no one thought of is a shaper--after drilling a large center hole to start with----it could really do the corners sharp and the cutting smooth-----how about it ---active shaper owners ---would a shaper do a good job?--:thinking:--Dave
 
Dave Smith said:
a drill bit is the most efficient cutting tool ----make a row of drilled holes around the perimeter and then I would use a saber saw mounted on a table with a coarse blade to cut between the holes-----then use the mill to finish the walls----
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i like that idea
 
lugnard said:
Just thinking about this...could you make a custom blade to fit the scroll saw from a hack-saw blade. Possible to grind one down thinner and make it fit in the holder. Might work but again I would find someone with a saw and play around before purchasing a new scroll saw. Could work if you are just making straight cuts.

Harry
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If your drilling the start and end holes maybe just a hack saw, or is it not a one off?

stuart
 
I would use my LMS Mini Mill w/ a 3-flute roughing cutter and eat through that like butter @ .100" per pass no problem.

Forget the Scroll Saw. Forget all that drilling, just make a plunge cut and go. If you have many to make and want them super accurate, find someone with a water jet.
 
You *could* do it but it would take forever. The biggest problem is chip evacuation. The stroke is too short. It would actually be faster to do it by hand. If I *had* to saw it out, I would use my small bow saw (12" blade) or make a longer one and use a small bandsaw blade to make a blade for it :

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Fabrickator said:
I would use my LMS Mini Mill w/ a 3-flute roughing cutter and eat through that like butter @ .100" per pass no problem.

Forget the Scroll Saw. Forget all that drilling, just make a plunge cut and go. If you have many to make and want them super accurate, find someone with a water jet.
Click to expand...

i only have 2 and 4 flute end mills that i bought from LMS as a kit.

ill look up a 3 flute roughing cutter. do you have a specific size of that roughing cutter or an exact link to the site i can purchase?


it doesnt have to be accurate. just close enough
 
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