Using a blade on Aluminum

[HMW]

SundownIII

I kinda figured thats what you meant. Drive wheels or driven wheels or pulleys sometime gets confusing. I can't believe how well that circular saw worked on the 1/8" aluminum. Very nice. I think I will try another 14TPI band saw blade and use wax or wd40 with it just to try. It did cut very well dry but didn't last to long. The 18tpi works good too though. will have to experiment a little more.

Thanks for ideas

[SundownIII]

HMW,

Just for clarification, when I said drive side pully, I was referring to the pulley closest to the drive wheel, not the motor pulley. Reducing the size of the pulley at the motor would have the same effect, but that's generally a pretty small pulley to begin with. Hope this clears things up a little.

For aluminum, don't think I'd go with a blade with less than 10-12 TPI. Bi-metal blades are your best choice.

As has been mentioned, I use a cheap ($40 Skil) skilsaw with a 24T carbide blade for cutting aluminum sheet. Works as well or better than plasma and the edges do not require additional prep as is often the case w/plasma.

Just mentioning a couple of things that have worked for me.

[Darmik]

I use coolant too on the horizontal band saw, this is on the vertical one. Ours is also mixed with water, and works good.
I'll try that 8tpi blade but kinda scarey!! I would expect it to wipe the teeth right off
Funny, I used a circular saw with a 24 tpi carbide blade for cutting up the sheets of 1/8" aluminum diamond plate and it worked great, nice smooth cut. Nicer than the plasma cutter. Didn't seem to hurt the blade any. And I didn't have to take and get it sheared. So you might be right about the speed

I use a skill saw with a carbide blade I think it's a 20 tooth blade and go some what slow.I cut through 1/8 to 3/8" plate.If I need to do a patteren I use a jig saw.I don't use any cutting fluid on these.I guess I could.

The 8 tooth blade gee I don't no good luck.I'm pretty sure I already know what is going to happen though.

When using a die grinder with a carbide bit I will use WD-40 on steel and aluminum.

And with router bits also use a carbide bit with WD-40.

[fun4now]

although i would not recommend it...or try it for that matter i have heard of people using a router to cut aluminum. i mostly used my saws-alls on aluminum pipe or tube and my skill saw on the long flat stuff. again with bee's wax as a lube.

[HMW]

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

I use coolant too on the horizontal band saw, this is on the vertical one. Ours is also mixed with water, and works good.
I'll try that 8tpi blade but kinda scarey!! I would expect it to wipe the teeth right off
Funny, I used a circular saw with a 24 tpi carbide blade for cutting up the sheets of 1/8" aluminum diamond plate and it worked great, nice smooth cut. Nicer than the plasma cutter. Didn't seem to hurt the blade any. And I didn't have to take and get it sheared. So you might be right about the speed

[wldrman]

The reason I use 8tpi is for less blade load up. You don't want to run a coarse blade on slow speed due to the fact it may hang up and cause tooth breakage. Don't try running a 14 or 18tpi on faster speeds, this will cause excessive heat and load up your blade.

Faster is not better with steel. We have a guy at work that uses this theory. It works for about five minutes, then the blade is toast, along with the roller bearings and guides.

[jwsrep]

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!!

I couldn't do that to my poor Walter rep. Coffee's always on Clint.

[Darmik]

Okay here's what I do and use

Hey HMW Here's smoe pics.

[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]

Bandsaw Aluminum

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

[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.

[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.

[BWS29128]

Silly me, I was gonna suggest this:
http://www.jwalterinc.com/walter_us/...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!!

[jwsrep]

Silly me, I was gonna suggest this:
http://www.jwalterinc.com/walter_us/...39&cbopgroup=8

I should just reach in my wifes cupboard.

[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.