Posted: 2/7/2015 9:07:09 PM EDT
|
I have a 12" long 4" OD 1/8" thick aluminum pipe I need slit. I'd like to have a narrow kerf. I've been thinking about using some 90 degree steel and clamps to make a channel for my saw to use as a guide, but there has to be a better way.
I want to end up with a pipe in a C shape, not two halves of one pipe, so a bandsaw is out. Ideas? |
|
Quoted:
Circular saw or table saw with a nonferrous metal cutting blade. Or take it to a fab/machine/welding shop and pay them to plasma cut it. Thin wall aluminum, should burn fast and easy at about 60 amps. I would guess that the kerf would be about .090 wide, maybe less. |
|
Attach some rectangular boards across the ends of your aluminum pipe. This will provide some flat surfaces for the pipe when pushing it over the table saw blade. A 13" threaded rod would work well to keep the boards in place. Hot melt glue might also work but I do not trust the stuff. May be glue and rod would be best.
Use a carbide-tipped saw blade. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Adjust the depth of cut shallow enough that the blade does not make contact with the threaded rod but cuts through the pipe wall. Use your rip fence and a push stick to guide the assembly over the blade. |
|
Quoted:
Or take it to a fab/machine/welding shop and pay them to plasma cut it. Thin wall aluminum, should burn fast and easy at about 60 amps. I would guess that the kerf would be about .090 wide, maybe less. Quoted:
Quoted:
Circular saw or table saw with a nonferrous metal cutting blade. Or take it to a fab/machine/welding shop and pay them to plasma cut it. Thin wall aluminum, should burn fast and easy at about 60 amps. I would guess that the kerf would be about .090 wide, maybe less. If the pipe is ever remotely smallish (~2" or smaller) the plasma will cut through both sides or at least FUBAR the opposite side. I would go with the table saw or circular saw. You can likely built a small jig out of scrap lumber to hold the pipe securely and guide a circular saw down the middle. Table saw would be easier, you just have to figure out how to hold keep the pipe from twisting while running it through the saw. FWIW, I use normal carbide tipped wood blades all the time for aluminum. |
|
Quoted:
Attach some rectangular boards across the ends of your aluminum pipe. This will provide some flat surfaces for the pipe when pushing it over the table saw blade. A 13" threaded rod would work well to keep the boards in place. Hot melt glue might also work but I do not trust the stuff. May be glue and rod would be best. Use a carbide-tipped saw blade. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Adjust the depth of cut shallow enough that the blade does not make contact with the threaded rod but cuts through the pipe wall. Use your rip fence and a push stick to guide the assembly over the blade. That sounds great. Thank you. |