Mitre angles in aluminium extrusion

[corabar]

I wonder if anyone can help me.

We are going to be cutting a lot of aluminium extrusion in the coming months, and don't relish the prospect of doing it with a mitre box and a hacksaw (we would like to finish it before we have to retire!!!! )

Can anyone suggest the best tool(s) for cutting 45 & 90 degree angles in 300mm aluminium extrusion (approx 2-3mm thick) accurately and speedily?

Ta!

 

[corabar]

Following on from my last post (or possibly more of a clarification)... can you get powered mitre saws able to cut metal?

 

[Diyisfun]

Coraba, you can go to edit YOUR own post & add another question.
But
Yes you can cut ally with electric mitre saw, you just need the correct blade

 

[Scrit]

Yes. But most woodworking mitre saws have universal motors and drive belts which aren't all that suitable. Aluminium can be a bit tougher to cut so you really need a chop saw or a heavy radial arm saw (i.e. not a DIY one) with an induction motor such as an OMS chop saw. Minimum might be the smaller deWalt DW711 although these aren't as heavy as the old green DW chop saws of years back and probably don't have the capacity you need.

Aluminium extrusions require a saw blade specifically designed for the material (try Freud) - wood blades can pick-up the work which can make them unsafe to use - and you'd be advised to rig-up some form of clamp to hold the work down as you cut it. I worked in a factory in the early seventies where we extruded 5 to 10 tonnes of the stuff each day and the crosscuts were big heavy Wadkin cast-iron radial arm saws with pneumatic clamps to hold the work down and pneumatic arm actuators - and even they broke from time to time. I'll bet that a secondhand RAS will a better bet than a chop saw any day if you need to cut in quantity. Either that or a small table saw with an induction motor and a sliding carraige depending on how long your pieces are.

Scrit

 

[johnb80]

I cut aluminium extrusions regularly with a titanium tipped blade in a normal wood chop saw. I agree with most of what the previous poster said but in my experience it cuts ok provided that you don't go through it too fast, nice a gently does it.

Regards - JB