Cutting Thick Aluminum

[Pandora 504]

Any thoughts on the best method for cutting thick (1-2 inch) aluminum ingots . Seems like the teeth on whatever saw I use clog up long before they wear out. Does not need to be pretty,just need to get the peices small enough to go in my melting pot.
Thanks, Butch

 

[Puddles]

Far as the clogging of the blades, an old machinist once told me to use kerosene on any tool when cutting aluminum.
You could always use a carbon arc torch to cut aluminum that size.

 

[Dieslerider]

Beeswax works on my cutoff saw(horizontal band saw). If cutting a lot use coarser blade- 6-10 teeth per inch.

 

[iowatom]

Skilsaw. Carbide tip blade. Have someone spray a lite cutting oil on teeth while cutting. Lube is not for cooling. Lube is for chip to curl and fall out of tooth.

 

[Welding man]

Carbide tooth blade on a skilsaw. Use a coarse tooth framing blade and use Dawn dish detergent and water in a spray bottle for coolant. Have someone spray it directly on the blade while you are cutting.

 

[oldironman]

We cut 25 inch ingots, yes, 25 inch, with a chain saw. You want to be sure to ware a face shield though. This was done for some time until we started to cast shorter ingots.

 

[Gun guru]

wd-40 works well as a cutting fluid for aluminum. So does Kerosene. You need to flush the blade while cutting.

 

[Spook]

I'd go to a skip tooth blade and some kero for a cutting fluid. 4 to 10 tooth for the blade. If you don't want to buy a new blade, do the cutting fluid thing - your enemy is heat.

 

[Pandora 504]

Thanks to all of you for time,now I have some ideas to work with.Trying to recycle some of my casting projects that turned out a little off spec.
Thanks,Butch

 

[Puddles]

ICS makes a chainsaw, and chain that will cut concrete. If you can justify the price, $300.00 just for the chain! Ouch!

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=ICS%2071704

 

[BobReeves]

Was told by a saw blade mfg to use Pam (from the kitchen) for a lube when cutting aluminum. Keeps the chips from sticking to the teeth.

I use a cheap band saw with a fairly fine wood blade and just spray a line of Pam on the cut line before I start. Works great and blades are lasting much longer.

 

[T_Bone]

Hi Pandora,

Use a O/A torch, slightly oxidizing flame, on a vertical face thus melting away the AL. Do not apply o2 as it won't cut AL but it will melt it. Cut over a catch pan, steel, SS, Cu, etc;, too catch the drips.

Use bees/paraffin wax as a flux in the molten state to skim the dross.

T_Bone

 

[bison]

I use just plain diesel fuel as lubricant for cutting,filing, drilling and tapping aluminum,wont clog any cutting tool.

 

[markiz41]

I've used a plain old demolition blade in a reciprocating saw. Not pretty and kind of tiring after a while, but gets the job done.

 

[Tim B from MA]

I second the use of a carbide tip circular saw - never cut an ingot, but use my table saw and radial arm saw to cut 1/4 aluminum sheet and does a very nice job... a little noisy but cuts easily.

I wouldn't imagine it would get very hot even cutting 1-2 inch thick stuff - but again, never tried it.

 

[Bob - MI]

Contact a foundry supplier and tell them what you are doing. Foundries cut gating off all day long and know quite a bit about how to make blades last. The supplier of the blades is painfully aware of what works and what doesn't.

Kerosene and the other stuff is good to a point until the volume of material being cut wipes out the liquid or wax on the blade. High rake angles and lots of clearance on the teeth make for better cutting.

Some alloys also cut better than others while some are really gummy and tough to work. Do you know what alloy you are working with and the heat treat condition if any?

 

[markct]

when i was on a tour of summit trailer manufacturing in pennsylvania they were cutting up aliminum I beams with flanges an inch thick with a regular dewalt skilsaw and a carbide tipped blade. thru the whole factory was alot of sheets and such cut the same way