Best way to cut aluminum? - RC-Monster Forums

the5 · **Best way to cut aluminum? -** 10.28.2011, 08:39 PM

What is the Best way to cut aluminum? I have no machines that can do it but may be interested if you can find it cheap or cheap at Harbor Freight.

BrianG · 10.28.2011, 10:11 PM

Depends. Are you talking sheet metal, or machining blocks? If sheets, you can use dremel, hacksaw, or jigsaw (use duct tape to protect the surface from scratching if using a jigsaw).

the5 · 10.28.2011, 10:17 PM

I was looking to do sheets. I want to cut out a custom chassis so what would be the best for that? I heard a scroll saw maybe?

Swindez85 · 10.29.2011, 12:38 AM

I would say a jig saw with a really fine tooth metal cutting blade for the average joe person wanting to cut alum. Take your time and use the finest tooth metal blade you can get which is a 24tpi if im not mistaken so that the cut is nice and clean and not ragged. Granted its nothing a file and sandpaper cant fix but using a blade that cuts slower means it will be harder to mess up.

JERRY2KONE · 08:28 AM

Yea cutting aluminum for most of us is best done with a jigsaw and then filed to the shape you desire, and finally sanding it with fine sandpaper to get it to a nice finished look. Then finally polishing it to whatever sheen you are looking for. The best way to cut a sheet into a chassis would be with a milling machine. It can be very cool if you just have a friend who has a mill that can do your work for you just by exchanging a few beers for the job.

I have never made a chassis myself, but if I were going to attempt making one I would do a nice drawing of the layout, and then trasnfer the drawing to your aluminum sheet. Next I would drill pilot holes wherever needed to make cutting as easy as possible. Finally cutting out your design with either a jigsaw, or if you can find a good blade that would cut aluminum in a scrollsaw that would be the cat's meow because of the great versitility that a scrollsaw provides. Good luck with your project and please come back and share your results with us.

PBO · 10.29.2011, 05:58 AM

Circular saw to get the rough shape ('boundary' cuts) then use a jigsaw or hacksaw to cut in finer detail

You need the correct circular saw blade of course & cutting agent!

brian015 · 10.29.2011, 09:31 AM

I wouldn't buy a power tool for a single chassis. I've found that with a little patience, hand saws produce a very good result. A hack saw can make a very straight cut if you follow a straight line with the saw at a long angle - the blade itself keeps you cutting straight. A finer-blade saw can make nice round cuts:

http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/show...8&postcount=54

I've had to do very little filing/sanding when I'm done.

pinkpanda3310 · 10.30.2011, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian015

I wouldn't buy a power tool for a single chassis.

I don't think he was suggesting 'buy a power tool' just if he had one available. Even a 4" grinder with 1mm blade could could do the same thing (plate might get hot though) but doing rough cuts can speed things up sometimes.