Cutting Aluminium tube with an angle grinder
robgraham
lengths - is an angle grinder with a metal disc suitable? I was
wondering whether there could be a problem with the Al cuttings
sticking to the disc.
Rob
The Natural Philosopher
Not my favourite way to cut al..
I'd hacksaw first, and clean up with the grinder. Or a file.
Strangely, machine working Al is often done with woodworking tools more
or less.ISTR we cut extrusions on what looked like a tungsten carbide
tipped wood saw bench..
> Rob
Nightjar
I would use a bandsaw or hacksaw. Whatever you use, you do need to
lubricate and IME the best lubricant for cutting aluminium is beeswax.
Colin Bignell
The Natural Philosopher
That's worth knowing.
Gazz
"robgraham" <robkg...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:b2de2a0a-2abb-40f1...@q36g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
it can be done, but it knackers the discs well before they wear out,
i usually cut alli extrusions with my woodworking compound mitre saw, it has
the standard tugsten carbide tipped blade in it, and slices through alli
easier than wood,
F Murtz
this.
Jules Richardson
> i usually cut alli extrusions with my woodworking compound mitre saw, it
> has the standard tugsten carbide tipped blade in it, and slices through
> alli easier than wood,
I've done the same before - just make sure that the workpiece is very
securely clamped, as it does like to kick more than wood.
The Medway Handyman
Angle grinder is pretty slow at cutting tube of any great size. Decent
jigsaw & appropriate blade or chop saw with TCT blade.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
Andy Dingley
> I've been asked to cut some 1" diameter Al tube into some short
> lengths - is an angle grinder with a metal disc suitable?
No, the disk will clog. This clogging is bad enough that the disk can
become unable to cut. If you _must_ do it, use an extra-thin cutting
disk for stainless, and expect really fast disk wear.
For a small number, use a hacksaw by hand. Probably a fine one - try
to stay within the 3 teeth / wall thickness guide, for easiest sawing.
Best is probably a bandsaw, which I guess you don't have.
A circular saw works well, ideally a chop saw with some decent
clamping. It's really important to use the right blade, with the right
rake angle (easy to get - Screwfix et al). Woodworking blades are
dangerous here - there's a serious risk of snatching, kickback etc.
If you have to jigsaw them, you need to clamp the tubes well into
bundles in a vice. One tube alone is too awkward and has too little
support for stability. A firm bundle of them is much easier.
John Rumm
Yup, not the best tool for the job. That sort of thing I usually cut on
my sliding compound mitre saw with a fine (ish - 12" 64 tooth) TCT blade
in. Clamp and support well though.
--
Cheers,
John.
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Adrian C
> lengths - is an angle grinder with a metal disc suitable?
Do some practice here ;-)
<http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2010/08/freeware_game_pick_parttime_an.html>
--
Adrian C
Nightjar
It clings to the blade well and keeps lubricating much longer than
anything else. We used to have a job where we needed to buy 4 metre
lengths of 1/4 inch aluminimum tube in 100kg or 250kg lots and cut it
down to approximately 5 inch lengths, so I've had a lot of practice.
Colin Bignell
fred
Stone cutting blade is recommended for aluminium or a tct blade in a
circular saw but watch out for hot chips coming off the saw blade,
they can really burn. Bit of lubricant on the blade as suggested
above.
Paul Mc Cann
Grimly Curmudgeon
drugs began to take hold. I remember F Murtz <hagg...@gmail.com>
saying something like:
>You can get tungsten blades for metal for your angle grinder similar to
>this.
>http://cgi.ebay.com/4-375-24-Tooth-Steel-Metal-Cutting-Saw-Blade-Pro-Grade_W0QQitemZ400204688010QQcategoryZ58257QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8195082488388515487
Christ on a bike. Even though that one's for a circ saw, I'd utterly
refuse to use one like that on an AG.
Appelation Controlee
The Medway Handyman
Nice accurate finish - but it would take ages surely?
robgraham
wrote:
> On 04/04/2011 15:37, Appelation Controlee wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 3 Apr 2011 02:38:03 -0700 (PDT), robgraham
>
> >> I've been asked to cut some 1" diameter Al tube into some short
> >> lengths - is an angle grinder with a metal disc suitable? I was
> >> wondering whether there could be a problem with the Al cuttings
> >> sticking to the disc.
>
> >> Rob
>
> > My solution of first resort would be a pipe cutter, e.g.:
>
> > http://allegoric.us/gsbysx
>
> Nice accurate finish - but it would take ages surely?
>
> --
> Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk
In the end a new hacksaw blade and some hour and a half''s time was
all that was required. Many thanks for all the inputs.
Rob
Appelation Controlee
Don't actually know - how much longer? I don't think we were told the
number of cuts required, or the gauge/diameter of the tube.
I've used a pipe cutter on steel tube (shortening the legs on a couple
of tall breakfast bar chairs), and on copper, but never on aluminium,
but I would be prepared to spend a bit more time for the benefit of
the clean finish..
Andrew Gabriel
Grimly Curmudgeon <grimly...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes:
> We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
> drugs began to take hold. I remember F Murtz <hagg...@gmail.com>
> saying something like:
>
>>You can get tungsten blades for metal for your angle grinder similar to
>>this.
I doubt it - an angle grinder is much too fast for that type of blade.
>>http://cgi.ebay.com/4-375-24-Tooth-Steel-Metal-Cutting-Saw-Blade-Pro-Grade_W0QQitemZ400204688010QQcategoryZ58257QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8195082488388515487
>
> Christ on a bike. Even though that one's for a circ saw, I'd utterly
> refuse to use one like that on an AG.
--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]