Using a blade on Aluminum

[HMW]

Anybody have any ideas on how to keep a saw blade from clogging when cutting aluminum. i've been using a band saw [vertical] to cut 6061 and it cuts good except blades don't last very long. [18 teeth] I know a more course tooth works better but doesnt seem to last as long as the 18 tooth one. Anybody try putting anything on the blade to prevent clogging up??

[SundownIII]

HMW,

Try running the blade thru wax before the cut. I've used beeswax before, but just a regular candle will work better than nothing.

Have you tried slowing down your bandsaw (larger pully on drive side)?

I use a regular Delta bandsaw, but it's designed for metal. Blade speed is slower than the same saw designed for wood.

Hope this helps.

[HMW]

I was wondering about wax, I think I checked the speed but I will again. It is 3 speeds.

[fun4now]

wax works great. bee's wax dose work better than a standard candle like sundownII said. i started with a candle to see how it would work then got some bee's wax later.used it with 14 tpi i think i would have to check, it's also really good for on a flap disk when using it on aluminum too. i have not had any contamination problems after using it aether. it seems to just burn up and be good to go when TIG welding.

[opsranch]

Cooking Spray

I use cooking spray on grinding disks, wheels, and blades for aluminum. Buy the cheap stuff it works as well as the name brand. You will get no loading and doesn't seem to affect weldability, at least with MIG. You'll be suprised how well it works.

Bob

[welder_one]

hmw, i work aluminum every day. so far there are two options that work the best, and i have to do production class stuff too. tap magic for aluminum(smells like cinnamon) and there is a company called "walter cutiing lubricants" or something like that. they have a stick wax that is designed for aluminum cutting, (it is truly awesome stuff). i will find a link to it on the web and post it in a minute...we get it from the local welding supply..

[welder_one]

here it is http://www.etox.com/index.asp?PageAc...ROD&ProdID=161 it rally works great with saw cuts, ecxept long deep cuts in thick aluminum on a table saw, for that i use a cold water mister directly on the blade with a synthetic cutting fluid mixed in. hope i helped... also try a little nozzle dip for your mig gun. apply it to the blade and youu should see that it works pretty good too...

[fun4now]

opsranch, welcome to the site.
yet another use for pam. neat idea. i'll have to try that next time, wax in the summer gets to be a bit of a problem to keep some times. although i have not tried to keep bees wax threw a summer yet, don't know how well it will hold up.

[jwsrep]

Silly me, I was gonna suggest this:

http://www.jwalterinc.com/walter_us/servlet/ProdSummary?franchise=chemical&criteria=appl&category=39&cbopgroup=8

I should just reach in my wifes cupboard.

[BWS29128]

Silly me, I was gonna suggest this:

http://www.jwalterinc.com/walter_us/servlet/ProdSummary?franchise=chemical&criteria=appl&category=39&cbopgroup=8

I should just reach in my wifes cupboard.

The next time I'm up in New Yawk I'm gonna come by your store and I EXPECT to see a can of PAM on the shelves!!

[Steve]

Alumicut is the brand of lubricant for AL. Also remember AL gets plastic round 750 degrees thus it tends to fill up the blade teeth and stick in finer tooth blades. Being soft as it is doesn't help either.

[wldrman]

I run an 8tpi blade for aluminum, and always use DoAll multi purpose wax. Never found anything better. I get mine from MSC. www.mscdirect.com
You want to run a faster blade speed for aluminum, like you would for cutting wood.

[Darmik]

Bandsaw Aluminum

I use a coolant while cutting works fine for me. I don't change speeds.

[HMW]

Thanks for all the replies. Good stuff to think about.
I Checked the speeds and the smaller pulley on the drive will make it run slower and its there now, someone said try faster speeds, but I thought that would make it hotter?? I have tap magic, but I use it with tap/dies never tried it on a cutting blade. Works super with taps. I use all Walter brand grinding wheels/flap discs etc so I may try them for lubricant. The PAM thing sounded pretty cool. 14 TPI sounds good, 8 TPI sounds too course but I guess it must work for you. Seems the teeth wouldn't last long. The 18 tpi I''ve been using cuts very well, with nothing on them, but only last roughly 8-10 feet. I think I'll try the wax first and use the slow cutting speed.

Thanks for everybodys ideas

[Darmik]

Okay here's what I do and use

Hey HMW Here's smoe pics.