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Cutting Aluminum

P

PoW

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 12, 2001
Messages
347
Im looking for some advice on how to cut perfectly straight edges on 1mm aluminum panels. I need to cut a perfectly straight line. Is there a attachment for a dremel that allows this to be performed easily?
 
If you have to use the dremel, I think your best bet would be to just get a cut off disc and do the best you can. Then file the hell out of it... ;)

I have heard of cutting aluminum with a table saw and a special blade...
 
hmmm a table saw would be good IF you have access to one but otherwise i would scribe it 2-3 times then bent it to cut it..
 
he probably means that u can use a sharp piece and push it into the metal a few times ofcourse along something straight like a ruler or something and then bend it back and forward until it breaks off ...
 
ShaolinDragon said:
Sounds pretty impractical. My suggestion, go with the dremel.
Click to expand...

I would say go with the dremel too .. but if u can cut into the aluminum a bit so that the dremel doesn't slip off that would be the best thing to do ..

GL :D
 
Stencil out the lines you want to cut. Put masking tape around the areas you are going to cut and stencil the lines on there. Drill a starter hole and grab a jigsaw with some really nice Bosch blades specially made for smooth cuts and go to town.....Make sure to clamp the panel to a table or something so it doesn't slide around. That's personally how I would do it.
 
depends on how big of a window your cutting, for a big window i use a jigsaw, with a fine tooth blade on it, seems to get the job done easy, just take a piece of wood and make a straight edge to rest the side of your saw on, it will give u a very straight cut, just file down and sand after your done with cutting, otherwise it will look like doodoo, and have some bur's on the edges that can be pretty sharp. if worse comes to worse use a hacksaw, and use short even strokes when cutting.
 
btw...... is gi jesus smoking crack? yah use a tablesaw to cut a hole in something........... well .... ofcorse your trying to cut the pannel completly off instead of making a window in it :D :D :D
 
XeRo_Dark said:
btw...... is gi jesus smoking crack? yah use a tablesaw to cut a hole in something........... well .... ofcorse your trying to cut the pannel completly off instead of making a window in it :D :D :D
Click to expand...
Tell me, what part of
PoW said:
Im looking for some advice on how to cut perfectly straight edges on 1mm aluminum panels. I need to cut a perfectly straight line. Is there a attachment for a dremel that allows this to be performed easily?
Click to expand...
did the thread starter make mention of cutting windows? I believe the thread title is "Cutting Aluminum," and that is is you who is smoking crack.
 
Basically what this is for is cutting a new faceplate for a sff box. There will be an internal cut for the drive bays and then i need to cut the outside edges down as well. I'm leaning towards the jigsaw idea right now, rigging up some sort of fence to guarantee and straight edge I think is the best bet.
 
Ok people stop arguing here's how you do it:


Table saw - For rough, straight lines (ROUGH MEANS YOU WONT GET A PERFECT STRAIGHT LINE).
Scroll saw - Interior cuts only.........for making windows (also not a straight cut)
Band saw - Can be used for both straight and curved lines (exterior lines).
Sheer - for a perfect straight line every time + little sanding to smooth the edges

Or do what I tend to do...Cut the line about 1/16 of an inch off from where you mark it. Then sand the rest down with a sander or file. I've got a 1" wide sander that takes stuff off pretty quick with 50 grit. You can use bigger ones but I hardly use it because I'm getting better at doing straight lines.
 
Qtip42 said:
Or do what I tend to do...Cut the line about 1/16 of an inch off from where you mark it. Then sand the rest down with a sander or file. I've got a 1" wide sander that takes stuff off pretty quick with 50 grit. You can use bigger ones but I hardly use it because I'm getting better at doing straight lines.
Click to expand...
Filing to the finished edge is the best way. I do like Qtip says and stay away from the line while cutting, and then file/sand to the line.
 
I actually recommend using the small circular saw blade attachment for something this size.
And just run it up against a piece of wood to get the straight lines.
 
The Flexshaft attachment would be a BIG help in your cutting, it's a lot easier to keep straight when you have to get close to a large flat surface. Use this with the fiberglass-reinforced cutoff wheels. As someone said before, stencil the hole to be cut first, then tape around the outside of it with masking tape so you don't make mistakes. Don't press hard with the Dremel; rather make multiple passes over the area to be cut. This way, you can use the first pass to make a good, even groove that will serve as a guide when you make your additional passes. When done, use multiple grits of hobby sandpaper to make the edge smooth. I actually used the cone-shaped grinding wheel first on the Dremel to take any jaggies off, then progressive sandpaper grits, 180, 300, 600, 800 worked for me.

P.S. Do this part of your case when you've been off caffeine for 24 hours. Twitch is bad. ;)
 
flex-shaft attachment.....will that fit on a generic dremel? i hate holding the ginormous dremel when im trying to get in small areas.
 
how to cut perfectly straight edges on 1mm aluminum panels. This May work you might try using a strait edge, a 1" x 1" x 2"s longer than your cut. That might give you a perfectly straight line. Use clanps to hold the wood or wed. or what ever you use as a strait edge to keep in place.
 
domoMKIV said:
flex-shaft attachment.....will that fit on a generic dremel? i hate holding the ginormous dremel when im trying to get in small areas.
Click to expand...

What do you mean, "generic dremel"? Do you mean an off-brand, or a Dremel that didn't come with one?

I bought my Dremel Multipro 3895 without the Flexshaft and had it for two years. I bought the Flexshaft two months ago, it fits great. It won't fit other brands like Ryobi.
 
yeah i meant off-brand "dremel". but doesnt matter now, my gf picked up a 400XPR kit for me earlier today as an early xmas gift. this thing is sweet :D
 
domoMKIV said:
yeah i meant off-brand "dremel". but doesnt matter now, my gf picked up a 400XPR kit for me earlier today as an early xmas gift. this thing is sweet :D
Click to expand...

If you get the 220 piece Attachment kit, it comes with a Straight Edge Attachment.
PS: I have the same thing 400xpr :cool: :D
 
kuyaglen said:
I actually recommend using the small circular saw blade attachment for something this size.
And just run it up against a piece of wood to get the straight lines.
Click to expand...

^ and a cheap metal cutting blade
alternately Ive cut up to 1\8 inch plate with carbide

I use a Radial arm saw, and have wacked 1\2" plate with metal cutting blades (multiple passes)
but then I true it up with a cross vise, mill bit, and drill press

you could also build a jig to hold a dremel and run it against a fence
rather than buying an attachment
 
Table saw, jigsaw, dremel, air-powered shears, press-shear. All sorts of ways. Whatever you ahve access to. All they take is a steady hand and some careful use.
 
thats my prob i don't have a steady hand to save my life i think its all the coffee and coca :eek:
 
altec said:
thats my prob i don't have a steady hand to save my life i think its all the coffee and coca :eek:
Click to expand...

Lay off the Java and have a few Beers, that is if your over 18 :D and build ya self a Jig and mount the Dremel to it.

Like "Ice Czar" had stated, you could also build a jig to hold a dremel and run it against a fence :cool:
 
had a beer one time it was all over kick the s@@t out of my exbest buddie lol really don't want to go any more in to that.

now how do you make a dremel jig????
 
first you would determine at what angle you want the dremel to be cutting the aluminum
if its a cutoff wheel then it likely parrallel to the plate\sheet and at a right angle to the cut
then you devise a means to attach it to say a block of wood or arcylic, that will hold it in that position but the "jig" has an edge that is parallel to the direction of cut, and sits against a fence

it might be two peices of wood\arcylic that bolt together to hold it

a more advanced jig would allow for the angle to be adjusted and say a port to attach a vaccum, a see through shield to observe the cut, basically turning a dremel into a mini router

Id still go with a small circular saw and an improvised fence,
(2 C-clamps and a straight peice of wood or metal)
and true it up with a hand file

its a much larger more powrful motor, and a much larger blade that will hardly wear, heat up and or shatter, like cuttoff wheels do
 
would there be any major differences in the methods described above if you were going to cut 2mm thick aluminum, specifically the side panel of a Lian-Li V1000?

thanks
 
I would use a dremel. Also I would not try to use a flexshaft with a generic dremel...
 
I too suffer from the unsteady hand, which is a pain in the ass as I'm fond of both target practice and cutting holes in metal with power tools. Lay off caffeine, do it when well rested and fully awake, and if possible practice on a scrap sheet of metal. Just liek anything, practice makes perfect. A few crappy blowholes in an old scrap sheet of steel made for good blowholes in the top of my case. Oh, and do it like a marksman... cut between the heartbeats. :D
 
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