What do you guys cut aluminum with?

[MacMan]

I'm not talking about hacking off some rod ends with your dremel either. :)

I see some really nicely cut aluminum chassis, skidplates and such on here that look totally professional. Ban saw? er?

[Rikpal]

Hacksaw :lol:


HIHIHIHIHI



Serious: I cut with the hacksaw and then I trim with the mill.
I LOVE my mill ;)

[thumpin15s]

Not meaning to hi-jack, but since the post is about cutting your own aluminum, where do you get the sheets of it to use?

[utbeamer]

cutting sheers and file the edges.

[utbeamer]

Ace is the place for aluminum. -John Madden

[paranoid56]

i use a small band saw

[LockedinLow]

Some of us are just lucky I guess I have a metal lathe and a milling machine in my garage, its really helpful when you cant afford new parts plus I would rather make them myself, its more custom that way.

[SVEN]

i use a band saw

[SR5Dave]

I use a jigsaw

[JasonInAugusta]

Bandsaw, scroll saw, mill.

Depending on what I use to cut I clean the edges up with a mill file, sandpaper, or a scotch-brite pad.

[CustomCrawler]

Hack saw, band saw, shears, cut off disk, mill and lathe (for round stock). As long as you file the edges, any tool can produce a good finish.

[MacMan]

Hrm. Gonna have to go shopping soon. :)

I do have a scroll saw, but I can't seem to find any blades that are for cutting metal. Everything is for wood/plastic/bone, etc.

Doh. Nevermind. Found some on Amazon. Woot!

[bigred]

i use Hizzy S-to-tha-izzaw, band S-to-tha-izzaw, shears, cut off dizzay mizzay n lathe (izzle round stock). As long as you file tha edges, any too` can produce a good finish straight from long beach nigga.....LOL

[JasonInAugusta]

i use Hizzy S-to-tha-izzaw, band S-to-tha-izzaw, shears, cut off dizzay mizzay n lathe (izzle round stock). As long as you file tha edges, any too` can produce a good finish straight from long beach nigga.....LOL

Leave that crap in Chit Chat. :roll:

[joostin420]

i have left the metal to the machinists, and cnc operators. i use a scroll saw and carbon fiber on a lot of projects now, easier to work with:

http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1164.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1229.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1240.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1266.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1269.jpg

justin

[Janke]

joostin420- were do you get your carbon fiber?

[bubbacheechee]

I just use a jig saw and file the edges

[Supernova803]

I use a band saw. Reaaaaaaaal clean. :|

[MacMan]

oooh, carbon fibre. I can get thick sheets of that at the local hobbie shop. sure there's other places where you can get larger pieces for cheaper too. Great idea!

[Janke]

google carbon fiber.. some robot parts site came up its like the first or second one they sell giant sheets of it but i dont know a thinkness so i couldnt tell you how much it cost. it didnt look that expensive.

[BARK]

http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1164.JPG


:rainbow:

[MacMan]

google carbon fiber.. some robot parts site came up its like the first or second one they sell giant sheets of it but i dont know a thinkness so i couldnt tell you how much it cost. it didnt look that expensive.

I did some looking around too. For thicker stuff, it's like $1 per square inch!!! :O Sheesh. 8x10 sheet of 1/4 inch stuff is like $80. Really, if there's some place drastically cheaper, I'm still interested. If not, I'd rather invest the extra money into some proper metalworking tools and use aluminum instead.

[ronbeck]

email penguinrc they have been known to make custom sheets for home brew projects.

support@penguinrc.com <support@penguinrc.com>

www.penguinrc.com

[joostin420]

i get my carbon fiber from www.dragonplate.com

batman truck came out sweet, that chassis took a good amount of time to cut.

justin

[slashbasher]

i have left the metal to the machinists, and cnc operators. i use a scroll saw and carbon fiber on a lot of projects now, easier to work with:

http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1164.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1229.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1240.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1266.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~joostin420/wsb/media/355614/site1269.jpg

justin That chassis is awesome. I've been wanting to use it myself on a few things. Are there any tips on cutting it I need to know? Also someone told me after cutting it the edges needed to be sealed .Do you seal your edges? Any tips on using it would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,Bob.S

[caymin last]

I rough cut with a bandsaw, pin or srcew the two rails together, then finnish trim them before smoothing with hand files. Here is a pair still pinned together, marked and ready for drilling.
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr145/cayminlast/090617_150147.jpg

[sierradmax]

I use the old "elbow grease" method. Until I purchase some machinery, I'll continue to do so and take pride in my work. I've seen some nice hand cut rigs on here and props to those"thumbsup"

I draw a frame in CAD. However, if you don't have access, graph paper and a pencil works well too. After you've completed the drawing, trace the frame onto some aluminum (1/8" works well for T.V.P.'s). Radius cuts require skill with a dremel or a cut-off wheel but for straight cuts, I place the aluminum in a bench vice with the scribed mark flush with the "teeth" of the vice. Then I cut flush with a hax-saw. After one frame rail is complete, I do the same with the other. After both are cut out, bolt together and I file them down to match. Finally, I sand them down with a palm sander from 200 grit to 1500 grit, 000 steel wool and hit them on a polisher.

Scale frame took about 3 hours to make.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b294/sierradmax/scale%20rescue/DSCN0220.jpg

Super frame took about 6 hours
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b294/sierradmax/09%20super%20crawler/DSCN0260.jpg

[C*H*U*D]

3-axis CNC machining center and GibbsCAM. Those of you that do all this stuff with saws and files.....my hat is off to you.