3mm is about .120" ...
reasonably thick stuff..
Al tends to gall so use a suitable blade and make sure tooth spacing is
significantly under 3mm..
Scribe a good line and clamp between two boards or plates..
Also try using oil or water as you cut with the saw at an angle..
Failing that find a place with a shear!
I was in the RCAF in 1959 and as best I can recall everything fit.
Mostly stuff from south of the border.
73
hank wd5jfr
"Joe McElvenney" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Whatever metal-working skills I acquired during my training as
a radar fitter in the Royal Air Force so many year ago have
evaporated it would seem (RAF Locking 1958). Just now I tried to
cut some short strips from a 3mm aluminium sheet using a hacksaw
and made the worst possible mess of it.

No matter how I tried, I couldn't stop the cut veering to the
right. In the end I just cut out the pieces larger than required
and filed them to shape. The end result was OK but what a waste
of material.

So, what is the technique for hacksawing a straight-ish line
by hand. I guess that as my cuts always went the same way it was
something to do with how I was standing and holding the hacksaw.
Any tips would be gratefully received.

All those years ago I passed the necessary trade tests so I
must have had it down pat then.


73 de Joe, G3LLV