tweetyduck Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Whats the best way to cut large sheets of Ali ? Want to cut it up to 650mm x 350mm to make some shelves. (only 3 or 4 mm) Needs to be pretty but not perfect finish. Am i to suspect a jigsaw is the best way ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 That or drop down to you local engineering works that has a guillotine, ask nicely and chuck em a tenner and then each one is exactly the right size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 I just tried that. My guy wasn't there.....£300 laser cut......needless to say i say no thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickwilliams Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Jigsaw will do a good job if you clamp a guide bar to run it against onto the sheet. Other tips: - Use a fairly coarse-toothed blade; - Wear goggles; - Wear ear defenders. Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Another option on Aluminium is a nibbler . If using a guide will get a cut almost as nice as a guillotine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Nibbler....that looks good but bit expensive I could radius the corners with that. Now hunting for a cheap one......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltan Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 If you end up with the jigsaw spray a bit of WD40 on the blade to help stop it clogging, depends what grade of ally sheet you have as to how prone to clogging it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I have a cheap nibbler that attaches to a drill. I expected it to be rubbish - but it's fantastic! I've tried my best to break / wear it out but a decade on, it's still going strong! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 i need to cut 4mm and 3mm Ali. The nibblers that i've seen don't say they can do that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I've cut 4.5mm with the beasty one at work... but being a Makita, I'm sure it was £££££££ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProteuS Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I've no idea what they are like to hire for a day, but if you have a compressor a plasma cutter would do the job nicely and leave a decent finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlandy Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 circular saw, forget jigsaws clog to easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Plasma Cutter + plus Wood "Guide" <bricktop mode on> "Goes through it like a knife through butter" <bricktop Mode off> Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yalan Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 What tools have you got... ? Bandsaw, router, jigsaw, circular saw, guillotine will all do a good job. I've even used an angle grinder on 12mm plate with reasonable success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 A wood router does a very good job on aluminium as does a circular saw if it is not too fast. I find jigsaws very noisy and rattley. I have a nibbler, well a pair of them, too. The sort that punches a crescent shaped 'nibble' out of the sheet as it advances. The little crescents have two razor sharp points on them so clearing the bench of them is definately gloves on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 looks like i will either be using the Jigsaw or find a nibbler to attach to the drill. I've got most of the sheets delivered cut to exact size so i should only need to radius a few corners and the like. One piece i have to diagonally cut so it might be a guide and the jigsaw. I'll get my brothers as it has variable speed. I'll nip off the the farm shop and get a sealey nibbler which seem to be about £30. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know how i get on. Should be next week before the sheet is delivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Jigsaw should do it if you have one and it's got some oomph. I second a circular saw for straight cuts though, my RAGE saw is brilliant for this sort of thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosecon Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 What about dremmel router attachment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 What about dremmel router attachment? I think it migth work but i got a long cut to do so my dremel wouldn't do the job. I think it would overheat. 3mm is a lot to ask of a little tool. However it might work on the chamfer / beveled edges. I'll give it a go on a test piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I still think you would be better getting them cut at a metal shop there are loads of small workshops around with a guillotine that will make a lot neater job than any nibbler, I would think if they were looking to CNC it for you I would say they were the wrong type of company that would just do you a quick favour. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetyduck Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 I've just been thinking about the design and can get away with 8 cuts of total lenght of about 500mm. The biggest is 350mm long. The rest are all ~50mm each. The longest cut is in 3mm sheet. The other ~50mm ones are in 4mm sheet. I'm going to give it a go with the jigsaw. I have the correct blades and i'll use WD40 to assist the cutting. Fingers crossed. If i had access to a table saw it would be a 10 second job so i'll check the neighbour as i think he has one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 This is gonna sound daft, but works. I found, by accident (don't ask!) that a thin sheet of polystyrene glued underneath ali acts a good lubricant when cutting it with a jigsaw! really stops the blade clogging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 You can get ali cutting jigsaw blades, for that small length of cut a 4.5" anglegrinder with an Inox 1.0 thick disc would work fine ...if you were nearby I'd offer to guillotine them for you cheers Steveb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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