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

[David Kirtley]

i thought sawing by hand would take longer?

It would take a while by hand but the reciprocating action of the scroll saw is so short, you would have to keep pulling out to clear chips. There is just no place for them to go. Even a high end scroll saw like an Excaliber only has a stroke length of 3/4". That means about 1/4" of teeth would never leave the material you are cutting. It would be especially bad with aluminum.

Cutting a piece like that by hand would be an exercise in patience. Cutting a piece that thick with a scroll saw would require divine intervention.

 

[Dave Smith]

That's gonna be one tough cut for a scroll saw. I would not buy one for that job unless I had actually seen that it can do it first. Way small blades, very few teeth to do the cutting, and the blades twist and bow with any real pressure.

Would love to be proven wrong, though!

-frank

well Frank and others of us-----I went to my other shop where my powermatic scroll saw is and grabbed a 1" thick bar of aluminum and raised the height to 1" and just using the wood blade that was in the saw---It --to my surprise cut the bar with no trouble to the blade and could cut the 1 1/2" bar in less than a minute using no fluids--just dry---a good straight cut also---------------------I was totally surprised, as probably the rest of everyone is------now we know, and I will include pics to show it happened-----Dave-----I guess we all learn what certain tools are capable of if we give them an honest try---I would use my band saws for cutting thick aluminum--but I know now that my scroll saw can cut inside of an area that my band saw cannot without cutting the blade and welding it.--now I will try my mounted saber saw and see how that cuts 1" thick aluminum----but not until my weather gets above freezing----please comment on this if you are just as surprised as me---Dave

 

[David Kirtley]

Thanks for actually testing it! One more trick to be able to draw on. I wouldn't have expected it to work at all. I always found the blades to load up too much even for thicker wood. Quite possibly it could be my technique that sucks.

 

[JimDawson]

well Frank and others of us-----I went to my other shop where my powermatic scroll saw is and grabbed a 1" thick bar of aluminum and raised the height to 1" and just using the wood blade that was in the saw---It --to my surprise cut the bar with no trouble to the blade and could cut the 1 1/2" bar in less than a minute using no fluids--just dry---a good straight cut also---------------------I was totally surprised, as probably the rest of everyone is------now we know, and I will include pics to show it happened-----Dave-----I guess we all learn what certain tools are capable of if we give them an honest try---I would use my band saws for cutting thick aluminum--but I know now that my scroll saw can cut inside of an area that my band saw cannot without cutting the blade and welding it.--now I will try my mounted saber saw and see how that cuts 1" thick aluminum----but not until my weather gets above freezing----please comment on this if you are just as surprised as me---Dave

Dave, now you went and done it. I'm going to have to go buy a new tool. I don't have a scroll saw, looks like I need one.) Besides, one can never have too many tools:whistle:

 

[John Hasler]

Dave, now you went and done it. I'm going to have to go buy a new tool. I don't have a scroll saw, looks like I need one.) Besides, one can never have too many tools:whistle:

I have one that I bought cheap at a yard sale but have never used. Now I'll have to get it out of the barn and try it. That means figuring out where in the shop to put it...

 

[Dave Smith]

remember that my scroll saw is large and a small scroll saw would be totally different results

 

[ericc]

I suspect that a combination of chain drill and scroll saw pecking would work. I may try this out soon, since a neighbor of mine got sick and dropped his high end scroll saw off in my front yard. I told him that I did not want it, but he said that he was too tired to put it back on his truck. I tried it out once on a piece of wood, and something must have been wrong, since it would not cut, but the above picture gives me hope.

If I had to do this job, and it was under duress, I would use a huge drill followed by an assortment of chisels over an acorn table. If it had to be nice, and it wasn't in a rush, I have friends with CNC waterjet and plasma. That is the right tool for the job.

 

[John Hasler]

remember that my scroll saw is large and a small scroll saw would be totally different results

I certainly wouldn't expect my scroll saw to handle 1" aluminum, but then I don't have any anyhow.

 

[defcon]

I suspect that a combination of chain drill and scroll saw pecking would work. I may try this out soon, since a neighbor of mine got sick and dropped his high end scroll saw off in my front yard. I told him that I did not want it, but he said that he was too tired to put it back on his truck. I tried it out once on a piece of wood, and something must have been wrong, since it would not cut, but the above picture gives me hope.

If I had to do this job, and it was under duress, I would use a huge drill followed by an assortment of chisels over an acorn table. If it had to be nice, and it wasn't in a rush, I have friends with CNC waterjet and plasma. That is the right tool for the job.

I wish I had friends with CNC waterjet and plasma.

I'm not using a scroll saw anymore. I just bought the 3 flute 5/8 roughing end mill and clean it up after drilling holes around the permimeter.

Can't wait to try this tomorrow. I'll take some updated pics of the stock

Thanks everyone for talking me out of it.

 

[francist]

Wow, I am surprised indeed! And good on you Dave for putting it the test -- thanks for that :thumbsup:

I guess we all know now what scroll saw to keep an eye out for now, too. Sweet, thanks Dave.

-frank