I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do
it.

Jimmie

JIMMIE wrote:

I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do
it.

Jimmie

I have used high speed small table slitting saws to cut small pieces
of non-ferrous; for larger projects, I have used a table saw, radial-arm
saw or circular saw, with the blade reversed (old plywood blades generally).
Except for the large kerf, I get straight edges. For most projects however
I resort to the hand hack saw and file

One can make a high speed slitting table saw from a lateral mounting of
a dremel tool; use multiple emery cutoff wheels on the arbor or a diamond
wheel.

Michael

Michael

msg wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:

I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do
it.

Jimmie

I have used high speed small table slitting saws to cut small pieces
of non-ferrous; for larger projects, I have used a table saw, radial-arm
saw or circular saw, with the blade reversed (old plywood blades
generally).
Except for the large kerf, I get straight edges. For most projects however
I resort to the hand hack saw and file

One can make a high speed slitting table saw from a lateral mounting of
a dremel tool; use multiple emery cutoff wheels on the arbor or a diamond
wheel.

Michael

Michael

I've heard of people cutting non-ferrous metal with a table saw.
If the metal is not too thin it should work, thin metal may curl up and
bind in the saw, or worse go flying off the table!
If you must cut thin metal back it with a piece of thin hardwood.

I've also heard of people mounting the blade backwards so the teeth face
away from the work to cut aluminum. Not sure how this helps, but others
say it works.

ken scharf wrote:

snip
I've also heard of people mounting the blade backwards so the teeth face
away from the work to cut aluminum. Not sure how this helps, but others
say it works.

Perhaps I should have said 'backward' rather than 'reversed' as the latter
may imply reversed rotation. Mounting the blade opposite to its normal
orientation is what I meant and that has worked for me on light gauge
metal. For thicker Al and brass, I have used the dremel slitting saw
method.

Michael

"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do it.

I have cut hard aluminum using a table saw with a tungsten carbide blade.
You have to be careful to feed the work slowly to the saw if you want
smooth edges. SAFETY GLASSES OR GOGGLES ARE A MUST!

73, Dr. Barry L. Ornitz WA4VZQ

We cut .090" aluminum sheets all the time... We do it on a 10" table
saw with a 6", fine tooth blade, high speed steel, no off set in the
teeth, feed it sloooow, and wear ear muffs......

denny - k8do

On Dec 14, 4:27*pm, JIMMIE wrote:
I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

Fine-toothed circular saw blade made for cutting metal works wonders
on not just aluminum and brass but also many hard plastics.

You will probably not find the optimal blade at your local home depot
or hardware store. Check out mcmaster.com

If you can clamp the material or build a custom fence to hold down
thin material you will greatly reduce the vibration and noise.

Ear and eye protection is a must.

Believe it or not, I have seen aluminum machining done with a 2 or
2.25 HP electric router on long (20, 30 foot) bars for cutting slots
etc.

Tim.

On Dec 14, 1:27*pm, JIMMIE wrote:
I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do
it.

Jimmie

For thinner panels I use a large paper cutter that I reinforced the
hinge mount. This also cuts larger circuit board. For smaller circuit
board I use a tile cutter I picked up at a garage sale for a buck.


Wayne kd7rur

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:27:36 -0800 (PST), JIMMIE
wrote:

I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do
it.

Jimmie

I have used composition blades for aluminum/steel/copper sheet, angle,
tubing and rods with good luck.

Wear eye protection and hearing protection!

The cut edges will be sharp, file or sand until smooth.

I bought a non-ferrous metal blade for my power miter saw - works great on
antenna aluminum projects - even built a special jig for cutting vertical
"slits" in aluminum tubing.

--
-larry
K8UT
"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
I have some door kick panels, some brass and a couple of Al ones. I
have used these before to make enclosures but in the past I always cut
them with a reciprocating saw then did a lot of filing to get the
edges straight and pretty. I was wondering if I could cut these using
my table saw. The motor is sealed so I don't have to worry about
getting metal shavings in it. Anyone here ever done this before. If so
what kind of blade did you use? Were there any special techniques you
applied?

It seems like this would save me a lot of finish work if I could do
it.

Jimmie