Ray Williams
Member
Hi guys, just started on -7A emp kit. Would appreciate some advice on what type of bandsaw is best for the job, and what sort of blade I need to get to cut AL.
Best wishes, Ray
Best wishes, Ray
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Band saw
- Thread starter Ray Williams
- Start date
bandsaw
Any good brand will do, 12" minimum throat, larger if you can afford it. I just got a Jet 18" and love it, got a great deal at my local supplier.http://woodworking.jettools.com/Products.aspx?Part=710751B&cat=333152
The 6TPI blade that comes with it is for woodworking and does fine until you cut something that you shouldn't, ask me how I know, then you can replace it with a bi-metal blade that cuts aluminum like a hot knife through butter, and just about anything else.http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=240-4947&PMPXNO=21108763. Had a craftsman that I practically built my 9A with, but blades were hard to find, worked fine even at 12".
Hope that this helped.
Mike H 9A/8A
Any good brand will do, 12" minimum throat, larger if you can afford it. I just got a Jet 18" and love it, got a great deal at my local supplier.http://woodworking.jettools.com/Products.aspx?Part=710751B&cat=333152
The 6TPI blade that comes with it is for woodworking and does fine until you cut something that you shouldn't, ask me how I know, then you can replace it with a bi-metal blade that cuts aluminum like a hot knife through butter, and just about anything else.http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INSRAR2&PMAKA=240-4947&PMPXNO=21108763. Had a craftsman that I practically built my 9A with, but blades were hard to find, worked fine even at 12".
Hope that this helped.
Mike H 9A/8A
FrankK90989
Well Known Member
Ray,
Yes a band saw is good to have.
Mine is a Jet 12" and the current blade I am using is a 10 tpi X 1/2"
I bought a few different 100' blade coils from Ebay and tig weld them together
It has been a good saw. Paid about $350usd at the home store.
Yes a band saw is good to have.
Mine is a Jet 12" and the current blade I am using is a 10 tpi X 1/2"
I bought a few different 100' blade coils from Ebay and tig weld them together
It has been a good saw. Paid about $350usd at the home store.
Get a Metal-cutting Blade
I've been able to do everything I've needed to with an inexpensive Ryobi 9" -- can get at Home Depot.
Throw away the blade it comes with and order a good metal-cutting blade from McMaster-Carr. The band saw will save you tons of time and improve the quality of your work on all the angle-cutting you will do in the project.
I've been able to do everything I've needed to with an inexpensive Ryobi 9" -- can get at Home Depot.
Throw away the blade it comes with and order a good metal-cutting blade from McMaster-Carr. The band saw will save you tons of time and improve the quality of your work on all the angle-cutting you will do in the project.
N941WR
Legacy Member
Ray,
When you get your bandsaw, slow it down as far as it will go and replace the blade with an 18 TPI (Teeth per inch) by 1/4" blade (if yours can handle that thin of blade.). You can order them on line, there are a bunch of places that sell them, maybe even a few in your part of the world.
Buy about five blades, that should get you through your project. Just remember, steel will dull them very quickly.
This worked very well for me, others might have different opinions.
Oh, and don't forget the hearing protection, it can get VERY loud!
When you get your bandsaw, slow it down as far as it will go and replace the blade with an 18 TPI (Teeth per inch) by 1/4" blade (if yours can handle that thin of blade.). You can order them on line, there are a bunch of places that sell them, maybe even a few in your part of the world.
Buy about five blades, that should get you through your project. Just remember, steel will dull them very quickly.
This worked very well for me, others might have different opinions.
Oh, and don't forget the hearing protection, it can get VERY loud!
Last edited:
BrentHumphreys
Well Known Member
I think TPI is teeth per inch.
az_gila
Well Known Member
OTH...
...a bench mounted Delta or Roybi two wheel band saw...
...with no speed control will work fine for aluminum cutting using a wood blade of about 5 - 8 TPI. Since most cuts willl be essentially straight lines, a fairly wide blade will work.
No steel cutting though, unlike N941WR mentions.
If I cut steel, I use a cutting wheel on a Dremel for small stuff, and on a die grinder for bigger stuff.
...a bench mounted Delta or Roybi two wheel band saw...
...with no speed control will work fine for aluminum cutting using a wood blade of about 5 - 8 TPI. Since most cuts willl be essentially straight lines, a fairly wide blade will work.
No steel cutting though, unlike N941WR mentions.
If I cut steel, I use a cutting wheel on a Dremel for small stuff, and on a die grinder for bigger stuff.
On the sabre make sure you have I think a 32 tooth blade. On whether you should use one, up to you. If you are not mechanical, you may opt for the band saw, more stable, you can have better control. with the sabre, you need strong fingers, arms. I have all that, even though I'm a little guy about 5'6, about 170. I work on transmissions and have the arms, believe me, and muscles in my fingers. I can take a piece like the longerons and hold them still against the bench, with a line premarked, with the left hand and sabre saw in the right and cut that baby right off. I can do that with the little stuff as well, hold the piece in the left hand and cut it right off. Many times I clamped a piece in the vice and cut a piece with the sabre. I said to myself when I started, if I need the band saw I'll buy one. Well the plane is almost done and I never needed it. Not to say some things would have been a little easier with a band saw. I got cheap and bull headed.
I built my -9A using a Harbor Freight band saw - about $280, and used some bi-metallic blades from McM-Carr. Right speeds for aluminum and steel, and will last a long time. When I bought mine, it was $165.....but I'm sure these come up on sale frequently.....
HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL METAL CUTTING BANDSAW
Three speeds to cut everything from brass and aluminum to rugged alloy and tool steels!
* Cutting capacity: 4'' x 6'' (rectangle), 4-1/2'' (round)
* Gravity feed cutting pressure adjustment in horizontal position
* Comes with blade and heavy duty stand
* 0-55? left miter cuts on horizontal
* Two-position rocker switch with safety lock-off
120V, 1 HP motor, 60 Hz; Blade speeds: 80, 120, 200 FPM; Blade size: 1/2" x 0.025" x 64-1/2"; Cutting table: 11-1/2" L x 7-1/2" W x 23-1/2" height from floor (horizontal), 9-5/8" L x 9-1/2" W x 33-1/2" from floor (vertical)
Shipping weight: 137 lbs.
ITEM 93762-7VGA
$269.99
Allan
HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL METAL CUTTING BANDSAW
Three speeds to cut everything from brass and aluminum to rugged alloy and tool steels!
* Cutting capacity: 4'' x 6'' (rectangle), 4-1/2'' (round)
* Gravity feed cutting pressure adjustment in horizontal position
* Comes with blade and heavy duty stand
* 0-55? left miter cuts on horizontal
* Two-position rocker switch with safety lock-off
120V, 1 HP motor, 60 Hz; Blade speeds: 80, 120, 200 FPM; Blade size: 1/2" x 0.025" x 64-1/2"; Cutting table: 11-1/2" L x 7-1/2" W x 23-1/2" height from floor (horizontal), 9-5/8" L x 9-1/2" W x 33-1/2" from floor (vertical)
Shipping weight: 137 lbs.
ITEM 93762-7VGA
$269.99
Allan
N941WR
Legacy Member
Connect to your sander yes, grinder no.
You should never use a grinder to shape aluminum. The reason has been discussed a few times on the forum.
FredMagare
Well Known Member
I have a Ryobi 9" with a metal cutting blade (VERY important) and I also use a Craftsman mitre saw with a metal cutting disk. Each has its advantages. The mitre saw will cut the larger torque tubes square where as I might have an angle trying to cut them on a band saw. (The difficulty is moving a long tube while maintaining square.) Of course a hacksaw is just fine. But if you need a reason to go buy a power tool....
captainron
Well Known Member
You may also want to look at a portable bandsaw. I have a Porta-Band, made by Porter Cable, but there are cheaper ones like this from Harbor Freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840
They use a common standard length blade, available at any Home Depot, Lowes, etc. in any pitch you desire. The bandsaws have variable speeds and are very easy to control for accurate cuts. I have cut everything with them from small diameter welding rod to 14 inch diameter pipe! You can take your work to it, or take it to your work!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840
They use a common standard length blade, available at any Home Depot, Lowes, etc. in any pitch you desire. The bandsaws have variable speeds and are very easy to control for accurate cuts. I have cut everything with them from small diameter welding rod to 14 inch diameter pipe! You can take your work to it, or take it to your work!
Let me clarify
All this time and I was doing it wrong.........
I wasn't making any reference to shaping, although I was known to round edges and trim off a smidge here and there.
My BENCH grinder had a scotchbrite wheel on it and it throws a lot of dust in the air. The vacuum kept the shop clean and I didn't breath aluminum dust thrown in the air.
I used the small floor attachment, duct tape and positioned it so it would catch the throw off and pull a lot of air from around the wheel.
I'll stand by my advice. It works and increases safety to builder. I know I don't want to breath that stuff.
All this time and I was doing it wrong.........
I wasn't making any reference to shaping, although I was known to round edges and trim off a smidge here and there.
My BENCH grinder had a scotchbrite wheel on it and it throws a lot of dust in the air. The vacuum kept the shop clean and I didn't breath aluminum dust thrown in the air.
I used the small floor attachment, duct tape and positioned it so it would catch the throw off and pull a lot of air from around the wheel.
I'll stand by my advice. It works and increases safety to builder. I know I don't want to breath that stuff.
Webb,
Its not only the respiratory issues of breathing aluminum that's to be considered. If aluminum dust is combined with dust or cuttings from a steel component and a spark is produced, then there is the possibility of significant combustion from both of the components igniting and causing a significant and very hot fire. I've forgotten the name f the type or nature of the combustion, but someone here wil remind me.
Allan
Its not only the respiratory issues of breathing aluminum that's to be considered. If aluminum dust is combined with dust or cuttings from a steel component and a spark is produced, then there is the possibility of significant combustion from both of the components igniting and causing a significant and very hot fire. I've forgotten the name f the type or nature of the combustion, but someone here wil remind me.
Allan
Allen,
I still stand by my advice.
You are correct when it comes to fire risk. Fine metal is definately a risk for combustion. Atomized aluminum in the range of 5-10 micros is used in pryortechnics.
Even simple grains such as wheat are a risk when it comes to explosions. This is why mills that grind wheat have burned to the ground. A teacher back in high school demonstrated this with a metal can and a teaspoon of flour blown into the air exploded the top off the can.
Finely shredded steel (steel wool) burns rapidly when shorted across a battery and makes a dandy fire starter. Magnesium burn is even more spectacular.
Open flames in a shop are a recipe for fire since we use solvents and atomized particulate matter.
My point wasn't about a fire risk but you do bring up a good point. I was only referrring to reducing particulate matter (aluminum dust) in the air. It keeps the shop cleaner, reduces the risk of a fire, and I really don't want to breath it. Aluminum has been associated with Alzhiemers and I sure as heck don't want to lose what little memory I have now.
I think this is gotten blown a bit out of proportion. When I spoke of a grinder, I meant a bench grinder with a scotchbright wheel. Not a carborundum stone meant for steel and then used for aluminum. Not to mention that aluminum just clogs up the grinding stone anyway.
Let me try again.........A vacuum is a nice thing to use to keep metal off the floor and out of the air.
Will this work?
I still stand by my advice.
You are correct when it comes to fire risk. Fine metal is definately a risk for combustion. Atomized aluminum in the range of 5-10 micros is used in pryortechnics.
Even simple grains such as wheat are a risk when it comes to explosions. This is why mills that grind wheat have burned to the ground. A teacher back in high school demonstrated this with a metal can and a teaspoon of flour blown into the air exploded the top off the can.
Finely shredded steel (steel wool) burns rapidly when shorted across a battery and makes a dandy fire starter. Magnesium burn is even more spectacular.
Open flames in a shop are a recipe for fire since we use solvents and atomized particulate matter.
My point wasn't about a fire risk but you do bring up a good point. I was only referrring to reducing particulate matter (aluminum dust) in the air. It keeps the shop cleaner, reduces the risk of a fire, and I really don't want to breath it. Aluminum has been associated with Alzhiemers and I sure as heck don't want to lose what little memory I have now.
I think this is gotten blown a bit out of proportion. When I spoke of a grinder, I meant a bench grinder with a scotchbright wheel. Not a carborundum stone meant for steel and then used for aluminum. Not to mention that aluminum just clogs up the grinding stone anyway.
Let me try again.........A vacuum is a nice thing to use to keep metal off the floor and out of the air.
Will this work?
captainron
Well Known Member
This might be of some interest to those who want to keep the dust down. I used a Rubbermaid tub that fits around the grinder. In the bottom of the tub, I cut out a slot for a vacuum attachment that is pop-riveted to the tub. The vacuum hose connects to the attachment. Now if I could only remember to run the vacuum when I am using the grinder.....
