# Cutting Aluminum with Carbide Blade?



## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi all.

I've been terribly busy lately, but if I may impose for a question: Has anyone ever cut lightweight aluminum with a carbide tipped table saw blade? I have anou 36" of 1" square aluminum tube, .062" wall, and I need to "rip" it lengthwise, making a "C" shape. There are probably special blades just for this, but for only 1 cut?

Hence I thought, carbide is a lot harder than aluminum, so if I go slow (& maybe use a blade I don't care too much about), perhaps I can get away with it.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Tom, that is the way to do it.


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## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks, Mike. It looks like the blades just for aluminum and other non-ferrous are just carbide tipped with perhaps a special grind and lots of teeth (96 in one instance) so I ought to be able to get away with it. I'll go slow!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

There are blades for Aluminium and in fact I have one but am usually too lazy to change blades so use what is in the RAS. THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT I WOULD ATTEMPT TO RIP 36" OF 1" SQUARE TUBE. IF, IN MY OPINION, YOU ATTEMPTED THIS, I THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE SEEKING THE SERVICES OF SOMEONE LIKE DIMITRI, WHO IS AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON.


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## TomE (Dec 17, 2010)

Cutting with carbide shouldn't hurt the blade at all other than the potential for meltings to adhere to the blade.(presuming no mishap causing bent blade or flying teeth)

I needed to rip a six foot piece of stock for a shower install, even with a special blade it was probably the one of the most "intense" procedures I've ever done.

Zero clearance insert is a must and perhaps cut one side just through, flip, lower the blade to just score the opposing cut and snap the tube at the score line, I wouldn't recommend trying to cut through the whole tube in one pass, way too much can go wrong with thin stuff.... flying spears of aluminum being the primary concern. 

If you have a bandsaw that can get a good rip, might go that way (I would have but didn't trust the old saw to get a clean cut)


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

The chips are hot too. Wear a face shield like those used for turning on a lathe. A leather apron would be a good idea too. Also check for adhered bits of metal on the saw blade before each cut and remove them. They can build up and cause cutting problems.

An occasional cut of aluminum can be done safely on woodworking tools and with woodworking saw blades. Protect yourself from the chips, use a slow feed speed and a 40-60 tooth 10" carbide blade and you should be OK.

My son and I have modified a Delta contractor's table saw to cut metal. It uses metal cutting blades to cut aluminum, brass, copper, and steel. Yes even steel, up to about 1" thick. The right metal cutting blade and blade speed is crucial for metal cutting, and more crucial as the hardness of the metal increases.

Charley


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## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

Hey, thanks everyone! Just goes to show you the value of community! CharleyL, good points, I anticipated some heat. I like TomE's approach, again, I'd have never thought of it myself, and tha seems to be a very good way to handle this. Glad I didn't have time to get to it yet!

I'll let you know how it works out.

Best,

Tom


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

So many make it a big deal to cut Alum. with the router it's NOT.
It's true it will gull the bit but it's not a big deal to clean it off..
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Grumpy Old Tom said:


> Hey, thanks everyone! Just goes to show you the value of community! CharleyL, good points, I anticipated some heat. I like TomE's approach, again, I'd have never thought of it myself, and tha seems to be a very good way to handle this. Glad I didn't have time to get to it yet!
> 
> I'll let you know how it works out.
> 
> ...


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## J0seph (Dec 2, 2011)

I have had great success cutting light aluminum with circular saws using carbide blades. I alway spray the blade with wd40 and lightly spray the material. The wd40 will keep the aluminum from gaulding the teeth on the carbide blade. 
Good luck


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Joe


I do the same but I use PAM, that's right the same stuff you use on cook ware I also use it on my snow blower  (8HP 2 stage) that wet stuff comes right out LOL ,without jamming up the blower..


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J0seph said:


> I have had great success cutting light aluminum with circular saws using carbide blades. I alway spray the blade with wd40 and lightly spray the material. The wd40 will keep the aluminum from gaulding the teeth on the carbide blade.
> Good luck


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I have a feeling that my answer might have been misinterpreted, I wasn't suggesting that Aluminium per sè could not or should not be cut with a power saw, I have been doing it for many years, thin sheets on the saw table and small pieces on the RAS. This shot from an old thread shows that the Aluminium is held securely. 
My worry was about a length of 1" square tube being ripped on a saw table. How do members suggest that it be safely fed through the saw?


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

CAUTION! Use Pam spray - rather than WD40 if there is even the slightest likelihood of sparks - WD40 is used for potato gun fuel - it is highly volatile! OPG3


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Harry

For me I cut it just like a board but I always stop short of the end of the pass, then I use the chop saw and cut off the end..


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harrysin said:


> I have a feeling that my answer might have been misinterpreted, I wasn't suggesting that Aluminium per sè could not or should not be cut with a power saw, I have been doing it for many years, thin sheets on the saw table and small pieces on the RAS. This shot from an old thread shows that the Aluminium is held securely.
> My worry was about a length of 1" square tube being ripped on a saw table. How do members suggest that it be safely fed through the saw?


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Splitting the square tube on a table saw should not be a problem. Set the blade just high enough to cut through one side. Use a push stick to keep your hand away from the blade. After you have finished your cut flip the tube and repeat the process.

In pipefitting work I often have to modify aluminum floor bus; this is a guard for the various wires and hoses running to robotic weld stations to protect them from hot sparks. When I need an exit for one of the hoses I use the small HF air saw to rough the opening. I have an air powered die grinder with a rough stone to remove any burrs from the aluminum I beam. Once my opening is cut I wrap the edges with a vinyl edge guard; the same stuff you see on motorcycle helmets.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Perhaps a member will post a couple of shots of a length of 1" square tube being ripped on the table saw, the last shot showing all 10 fingers!


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

I recently cut a 3" piece of extruded aluminum with a 96 tooth 12" blade on the miter saw and it went smooth, I was impressed with how smooth it all went but with the score "the saw 2 and Jerry 0" on the TS I could, in my case, see kick-back written all over that thing and this time----well it just scares me. I would take it to James, a friend from church that has a metal shop, and let him cut it!!!! I am sure it could be done many many times with no problem but if there were, the ramifications are too far reaching and too long lasting, nope not for me. I could wish you good luck but I don't believe in luck especially when it comes to the TS.

From my signature "We are all one decision away from stupid". Been there done that, don't want another "T" shirt!!!!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

3" Jerry I too would probably rip but 1", no way


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## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

Harry, believe me when I say I'm taking your cautionary attitude very seriously. I think the others have a good point when they say to do just one side at a time, with the blade barely protruding from the table, as Mike said.

Also, I have enough stock that I don't have to go all the way to the end, as bobj3 said. If I stop short of the ends< i can just lop off last couple of inches with a a hacksaw. That should provide enough stability and prevent sharp aluminum projectiles from flying back at me!

As well, I plan to keep the waste to the outboard.

Hey, thanks again, everybody!

Tom


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Do please let us know the results Tom, if you could get someone to take a couple of photographs during the procedure it would be nice and, just in case, please have a first aid kit handy, seriously.


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## Kristin D (Nov 20, 2007)

Tom, 

I would also give serious consideration to the posibilty of fire from such an operation, ya know any sawdust inside the saw base. I incinerated my belt sander bag a couple years ago just cleaning up the burr and rounding the edge of a piece of metal, my fault I didn't think to remove the bag and blow all the saw dust off the sander first, after a few moments I was standing in a cloud of smoke as the bag glowed fed by the fan. May well be worth it to just buy the correct 'C' chanel you need for the job or farm out the cuting to a metal working shop.

Kristin

PS- this was arson but the results would be the same of all the sawdust in your shop went up. I recently had some plumbing work and the plumber noted the previous owner had vented the clothsdryer into the crawlspace, he made darn sure there was not any hanging lint anywhere before he lit his torch, was telling me how he knew of flash fires caused by that, sawdust is the same way.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

" May well be worth it to just buy the correct 'C' channel"

Now that IS a sensible idea. A pity that we don't live close, I would have happily cut 3' from this length.


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## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

Well, Kristin & Harry, yeah, to have got the correct section in the first place would've been nice, but I couldn't find it. But Kristin, you underscored exactly what I was thinking, and had failed to mention - that based on everybody's concerns about heat, hot chips, etc, it was my intention to clean out the sawdust in the base and forego the collector.

I STILL haven't got to this yet, and perhaps it's just as well! But I will let everyone know how it came out.


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## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

*Success!*

Aaaaannnnnnnd, thanks to y'all, it went just fine.

I cleaned my saw base out and made sure there were no pockets of sawdust in my base to catch fire.
I disconnected my sawdust collector.
I set the blade low so as to cut through only one side of the (square) tube at a time.
I used a zero clearance insert.
I DID NOT use my favorite blade!
I cut with the waste on the outside of the blade.
I DID NOT cut the full length, so that the waste remained attached.
*I used my pushsticks and kept my hands well out of harm's way!*
*I protected my eyes and face.*
I listened to the cut, started slow and kept the feed reasonable.

After I did all this, my father-in-law said I should have *run the blade backwards* as well. I don't recall anyone mentioning that and I'm kinda busy to look upthread right now...

The verdict: buy the section you need if you can. I had aluminum chips everywhere, and the way aluminum "smears" when it cuts and files was a bit of a pain to clean up. But it worked, and it worked safely.

Thanks to everyone. I hope all of you had a safe and blessed Christmas and best wishes for a wonderful year ahead.

Tom


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## TomE (Dec 17, 2010)

Cool.....

Safe and cheerful season to you too.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Glad to hear that you're safe, Tom but I wished I'd read this thread earlier; you can order from McMaster-Carr online or by phone and it will deliver to your door. I've got a couple of pieces of 1/4"x1.5"x3' aluminum that should arrive at my house here in Anchorage tomorrow.

I'm with Harry on this one. Ask yourself: "would you let your wife / child / someone you care immensely about make the cut?".

Just because no one got hurt this time provides no guarantee of safety if it is repeated.

Just my $0.02.. YMMV.

Jim


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## Grumpy Old Tom (Feb 25, 2011)

Jim, I must admit I never even thought of the legendary McMaster-Carr. They are our "go-to" supply house at work and I've ordered stuff from them for my tractor. They tend to be on the high side, but by jiminee they usually have what you want.

Still, if I thought for even a minute my method wasn't safe, I would never have hit the switch.

Happy New Year!

Tom


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

I used to cut a lot of aluminum extrusion to make sign frames. I used a RAS with an 80 tooth blade. When cutting miters near the end of a piece the off-cut wants to fall over onto the blade and peeeooow. To prevent this I looped together several thick elastic bands (end to end). One end attached to a screw in the right edge of the table, near the fence slot. On the other end I cable tied a spring clip with rubber tips. Every time when I wanted to cut a piece with a short off-cut, I would clip the elastic to the off-cut. This works amazingly well. Once you cut through, the piece just slides away from the blade, out of the way and no peeeooow at all.

I also did some rips to take a lip off of extrusion, to make an angle out of an "F" for instance. What I did was fill the void with a wood strip so that the off-cut couldn't flop around. I think that is what I would have done in your case, if you had wanted to cut right through the whole length. If you cut a piece of wood and filled the tubing, then cut through one side at a time and don't cut all the way through the wood filler it would be a far less frightening job.


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