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Cutting aluminium composte sheet
What is the best method for cutting aluminium composite sheet please? I am totally new to this material and need to cut radii as well as straight lines.
I have a router at my disposal but are there any hand held type saws (hand or power) that can do the job as well?
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9 Replies
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Straight – stanley & snap – or out with the circular saw.
Radius – router
Weird shapes / fast…jigsaw.
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Thanks Dave
Most appreciated.
Tim
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With the stanley I find cutting on the opposite side to the finished side you want nearly all the way through with the last couple of cuts scoring the bottom ally after the cut passes through the black core then bending / snapping.
This I find leaves a better finished edge on the good side and a burr on the back side of the sheet.
Just my 2p’s worth.
Tim.
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I don’t really get a bad burr (clean up with de-burring tool anyway) – just do three hard scores and ‘BANG!’ it snaps cleanly – a quick wiggle and it’s off. Works on everything from a couple of inches in size to halving 10x5s.
Dave
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Great tips Guys and thanks for such a quick response. Looks like a busy week ahead with said stanley knife and high speed jig saw!!
Cheers
Tim
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quote Tim Cockings:Great tips Guys and thanks for such a quick response. Looks like a busy week ahead with said stanley knife and high speed jig saw!!Cheers
Tim
Make sure you use a metal cutting blade with fine teeth…….use this quite a bit when cutting profiles. Cut the template in cheap vinyl and carefully cut round the edge!!!
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I use a circular saw with an aluminum blade in it. 80teeth I think it has from memory. Cuts it like butter.
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Chaps what can i say? Thank you for all these tips. A couple of days a go i didn’t have a clue how to cut this material.
I clearly need to invest in a quality high speed jigsaw and various cutting blades.
Thank you.
Tim
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Magic! Its like magic. Cut my first sheets today and success.
No problems encountered. Used a sharp knife to cut sheets initially as recommended, then my (new) jigsaw to cut some radii and finally i thought i would have a trial run with my existing cordless circular saw which has a 140mm x 1.5mm with only 18 teeth. It cuts like a knife cutting butter. Very impressed.
That worked brilliantly so will probably stick to cordless for future work.
Thank you to you guys who gave me some excellent advice.
Tim
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