Recognize this extrusion?

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borges1

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Any one recognize and know where to obtain the aluminum extrusion shown here? I think it may have been custom made for Aigner, but it is used in a lot of their tools, so perhaps it is a stock shape somewhere? Definitely an extrusion cut to various lengths, not a machined shape. If it's unobtanium in the USA, open to suggestions on how to effectively make a similar shape in long lengths (24-30") with a bench top mill. 1000001294.jpg1000001293.jpg1000001295.jpg
 
borges1 said:
open to suggestions on how to effectively make a similar shape in long lengths (24-30") with a bench top mill.
Click to expand...

Got a table saw?
A nice new carbide blade, some 1.5 x 2" Al bar, a good fence, safety glasses AND face shield and ear protection, proper order of operations, you're good to go!

Brian
 
that's easy in a vertical mill, but wayyyy more easy in a horizontal mill which is what that is made for. Could actually cut the groove and short leg in one operation by stacking the cutters. But most will probably do 2 ops.
 
Second, the table saw.

Make a fixture that clamps to the table that this slides through.

It needs to support 3 sides. It can clamp to the rip fence.

Make a push stick the same size or use the broom handle.

Start with small cuts and increase depth until finished.

Cut the deep notch first, then flip sideways and take off a leg.

An adjustable dado will work.

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I'm not sure a dado on a tablesaw is a good idea. First, the blade spins at high speed, so the aluminum will get really hot. Without coolant, there is a big chance of chip welding, or binding from heat. I tried my WW bandsaw on AL 1" with 3 tpi.. and it was absolutely hot, and had issues.

Tablesaws are dangerous, this just doesn't seem like a good use.
 
A table saw can do the job but as Jeff pointed out, its not the safest route. I'd use blades designed for cutting aluminum with a wax-sick type lubricant.
 
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Definitely an extrusion. but probably not available to the average Joe unless you are a metals dealer or OEM
 
No horizontal Mill. Professional woodworker, so i have all the wood tools and experience. I have cut Al on table saws and chop saws plenty, but it never occurred to me in this case, which is funny because i made a wooden prototype today on..... the table saw. Even if i decide its not the best idea for this application it seems time to get an AL blade and some of the stick lube. I have not tried those, but assume they are better than just using a standard wood blade. doing the groove with a dado stack seems like a bad idea but i could clean the bottom of the groove with a standard router bit to.
 
Yeah, I wouldn't use a wood cutting dado stack for aluminum. You could of course make multiple passes but that could be a PITA if you need to make many of these? If so, you might be able to make an aluminum cutting dado by stacking several blades together with shim-washers in between to get to the exact width.
 
Cut most away with a single carbide blade.

If the inside looks off, the adjustable or wobble blade type can be used to finish.

A carbide wobble blade may work well for all cuts as it creates a wider slot than the blade, so no binding

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