How To Cut Aluminum Window Screen
Aluminum angle is such a good material for projects. It'southward durable and piece of cake to work with. You tin use it for framing, or merely cut information technology upwards into picayune pieces and drill it for brackets or supports.
So what's the best way to cut it?
The best style to cut aluminum angle is with a miter saw that has a carbide tipped blade for nonferrous metallic.
That said, there are still a few tips and tricks, safety notes, and some tools that are better than others that we can go over.
Might as well go it right the first time, right?
How to Cut Aluminum Angle with a Miter Saw
Before digging in allow'due south make one thing clear: yous really don't have to overthink this.
Aluminum angle is pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to work with. Just utilise common sense.
If information technology doesn't feel safe, it probably isn't. If it does feel safe, grievous injuries hurt less when you don't see them coming.
Only kidding. (sort of)
What Kind of Blade to Utilise
For starters, you want to make certain you take a decent blade.
To cut aluminum, you definitely desire to use a carbide tipped blade. If you lot don't, the aluminum volition gum up, become jammed, and ruin your day.
There are some non-carbide blades out in that location that say they're supposed to exist for metal, but I only haven't had that not bad of success with them. I'one thousand pretty sure they're more than designed for those low-speed battery operated saws instead of something with actual power.
They habiliment out quickly, and the cuts are merely apparently ugly.
If you're just doing a few quick cuts, then a regular carbide tipped blade should get you through it. If you're doing a bit more, and then consider getting a specialized blade for nonferrous metals. It'll work for brass, copper, aluminum, etc, then it's worth having in your toolbox.
The main differences for these blades:
- The carbide is cemented on a scrap better to reduce the hazard of a tooth breaking loose and pain someone. Cutting metal has a lot more shock and vibration than woods, so it'due south a worthwhile characteristic.
- The carbide is mostly a higher grade and so information technology doesn't chip as much.
- At that place are more teeth packed on to the blade. It really looks more similar a finishing blade. This ways less burrs and cleaner cuts.
Personally, I've had good success with the Diablo from Freud. They accept a few extra features that will help absorb the extra shock you lot go when cutting metal.
If you desire to check them out, this one is the vii-1/4″ bract and this ane is the 10″ blade.
How to Hold the Aluminum Angle
If you're doing directly cuts (like with the angles all set to null) and then you should be just fine belongings the aluminum with your hand. Just keep it nice and firm and avoid cutting off your thumb. No demand to brand opening a door whatever more challenging than it already is.
If you're nervous, but utilize a clamp to keep it steady. Y'all can apply the concur-down clamps that probably came with your saw (if you lot nonetheless accept them) or only use a c-clamp to keep it firm against the fence.
If it'southward small stuff, then y'all can use a cake of wood to brand information technology easier to clamp. Behold, an example:
If yous want to keep the aluminum all pretty, run some record along any surfaces that contact the metal to avert scratching.
For mitered/beveled/compound angle cuts, clamping is a proficient idea. The reason being that it can exist a little cramped for hand space with the blade tilted every which way.
That, plus the aluminum volition push/pull depending on your angle. Clamping volition requite you cleaner, straighter cuts and help prevent grievous injury.
Don't do it with both edges downwardly like an inverted V (shown below) if you lot're working either with small stuff or needing to cutting angles.
The angles will definitely come out wonky, and if you lot look closely in that picture y'all'll see that the aluminum is sitting in the gap at the lesser of the contend. That means that all your straight cuts will exist merely slightly off.
If you're a perfectionist like me, this will badger yous.
All the same if yous're working on something that's too large for your saw (similar cutting 3″ bending with a little seven-ane/iv″ bract) and yous only need straight cuts, then this can be a skilful way to become the reach you need to cut it in a single chop.
Alternate Ways of Cutting Aluminum Angle
Obviously, in that location'south more one way to peel an aluminum bending true cat.
You tin can use a hack saw. The pro is that you probably already have ane. The con is that there's a reason that people employ the term "hack task".
Simply for kicks, hither's an example of the difference betwixt a chop saw and a hack saw on some thin angle:
On something this thin, it was really piece of cake to deform and bend the metal from the pressure of the hack saw. The cutting itself was reasonably clean-ish, just not nice plenty if y'all need to bring together it together with another piece.
Compare that to the nice make clean corner y'all can go with a miter saw:
Other things like reciprocating saws will but be slightly meliorate than a hack saw. It'll be pretty ugly when you're washed.
Another option is a band saw with a bimetal bract. They'll make pretty quick piece of work of aluminum angle, simply information technology'll be trickier to keep the cut straight for subsequent joining.
Seriously, just use a miter saw.
Drilling Holes
If you demand holes in the angle, so make certain your drill bit is really intended for metallic. Most drills for wood are just made from carbon steel, and then they don't work the best.
The easiest matter to accept in your toolbox is a pace drill like this 1. It'south the most versatile tool for thin stuff like canvass metal and bending. Split point tips means that the drill won't wander off position while you lot're trying to start the hole.
Condom Notes
Definitely vesture safety glasses.
If you lot're doing a fair bit of cuts, or if you're cutting some fairly large and thick pieces, then a face shield is applied.
Use a fine file to clean upwardly burrs and precipitous edges. Most of the time, even a bit of sand paper will do the job. It's really easy to cutting yourself otherwise.
Don't use an aggressive file, it'll just chew up the aluminum and make it expect terrible.
Cut-resistant gloves aren't a bad idea either. While it'due south truthful that chicks dig scars, the cuts you'll probably get from this will exist just slightly more astringent than paper cuts. They won't print anyone.
For the record, this process will work on pretty much whatsoever size of aluminum angle. You can do the actually tiny stuff like what I had in the pic. I've also used this method but fine on 4″ aluminum angle that's 1/four″ thick.
Works similar a amuse every time.
If you lot're trying information technology out for the get-go fourth dimension, do a practice cut or 2 to make sure that your cuts are straight and information technology's coming out squeamish and clean.
Any questions? Striking me upward in the comments below.
Source: https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-to-cut-aluminum-angle-for-diy-projects/
Posted by: alcantartheemed54.blogspot.com
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