To prevent the saw from grabbing, I use a radial arm saw and find it works much better to start with the saw in front of the part and push it back this makes it work like a conventional cut in a milling machine, I almost always clamp the aluminum. I think most chop saws can work this way also. I think the ideal saw would be a chop saw with a good system for capturing the sawdust and aluminum chips. I usually attach a shop vac to the guard on the radial arm saw. The first time I cut aluminum, chips got into the switch, big flash, popped the breaker and scared the crap out of me. Also seen chips short the prongs if the plug is not fully into the outlet on the wall.
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Cutting Aluminum Square Tubing: Asking for suggestions
- Thread starter PGB1
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- Apr 14, 2014
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I've cut a fair amount of 2" x 4" aluminum tube lately with my 350mm (14") cold saw. It's about as big a material as the saw can handle. It's far quicker and more accurate than any of the other saws. Each cut takes about 10 seconds, and it can maintain accuracy of .002" all day long.
I cut the tubing for this deburring machine using the cold saw. The saw is shown cutting a piece of 2" round stock one picture and 2 1/2" square tube in the other.
I cut the tubing for this deburring machine using the cold saw. The saw is shown cutting a piece of 2" round stock one picture and 2 1/2" square tube in the other.
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Can anyone recommend a model of miter saw well suited to cutting aluminum? My experience with a radial arm saw suggests chip management and some ability to clamp the stock would be useful? Various kinds of miter saws are often for sale used. I suspect I want to avoid a sliding saw but not sure what models or features I should look for or avoid.
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2014
- Messages
- 3,542
I had forgotten all about the fact that my Seneca Falls machine has change gears. I've gotten so used to them over the years it was just part of the setup to select the proper gears.
It's a whole different animal than the Sheldon. The Sheldon uses a Worthington AllSpeed drive powered by a gearmotor to change speeds. Just a touch of a button and the spindle goes from forward to reverse. Another touch of the button increases or decreases the spindle speed. Being inherently lazy I love it.
It's a whole different animal than the Sheldon. The Sheldon uses a Worthington AllSpeed drive powered by a gearmotor to change speeds. Just a touch of a button and the spindle goes from forward to reverse. Another touch of the button increases or decreases the spindle speed. Being inherently lazy I love it.
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I have used both Dewalt and Milwaukee sliding miter saws to cut aluminum and they both work fine. You can lock the sliding part if necessary, but I cut a fair amount of bar / plate, so the sliding feature was handy for me. The work should be clamped securely, and in my experience the 'back' fence defies good clamping for a lot of sizes due to reinforcing ribs. I turned the "floor" of the Dewalt into a tooling plate with tapped holes, which worked great. I've since purchased an Evolution or I'd have looked into doing the same thing with the Milwaukee.
GsT
Thanks for that info. Do you operate the sliding miter saw by pushing the blade back into the cut or pulling it out? I have never used a sliding miter saw but the radial arm saw tends to grab and stall if you pull it thru the cut. How is the chip control on the Dewalt and milwaukee?
I push. Sorry, not sure I completely understand your question about chip control - they fly everywhere (just like the sawdust). A good portion ends up going through the "exhaust", but it's far from what I'd call "control" - but that's true of the same saws in wood, too.
GsT