Cutting thin aluminium sheet

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aideym

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I am about to turn four full sheets of aluminium into various pieces of a kitcar (it is actually a rebody )
Having used a jigsaw last time with some issues after using a nibbler the previous time (I'm still pulling metal shrapnel out of various locations)

The jigsaw always leaves an edge that needs cleaning and if it catches it bends the sheet which then takes some sorting.
The nibbler causes carnage and millions of razor sharp splinters
Tin snips can cause kinks and annoys my arthritis something terrible

I'm wondering if a multi cutter or a rotary / spiral cutter would be a better bet.
The sheet is a mixture of 0.5mm and 1.2mm and each piece is being cut using a mdf template

After spending hours looking at the pros and cons of dremels, rotozips, and the whole gamut of oscillating tools I am beyond confused.
Any thoughts would be welcome.
 
I'm reticent to use the bandsaw and the cutters are hand operated. I struggle to use scissors on paper without getting cramps in my hands. I've seen people mentioning using a router but that seems scary whilst a dremel with a rotary cutter seems less so.
 
A Dremel will take you years!

Spiral cutter works great but leaves sharp waste, jigsaw with a fine blade and Ali clamped between sheets of plywood works, router works if following a template but less accurate free handing.

Air shears are a good option if you have a decent compressor and don't leave shrapnel like a nibbles does.
 
Thank you for the reply tinbasher.
All the cutting is done around a template, so are you agreeing that a router is a realistic option?
There are electric metal shears available but @ £90 which is a touch heavy for my liking.
Perhaps I will use the jigsaw again using a profile following foot and scrap ply on top. Having cut out miles of parts on the last car I built and swearing to find a better way next time I suspect this tarnished my recollection.
I don't have a compressor, although I need to by one for the powdercoating system, perhaps air shears are an option, they are pretty cheap
 
I cut loads of brass sheet (3mm) with a very small Delta band saw equipped with a suitable blade supplied by Ian at Tuffsaws. http://tuffsaws.co.uk/

I wouldn't bother any other way it's so easy, accurate and fast. Aluminium would be easier still
 
Hi

Ask around at vehicle body shops - find one with a plasma cutter and offer them a back hander :)

Regards Mick
 
Hi Aide

If you are using templates then a bearing guided cutter in a router is the way to go.

If you can then cut oversize and use the router to trim to size. I am assumming these are sizeable panels so a band saw isn't an option.
 
Hi Mr Basher,
Yes the panels are quite sizable and the bandsaw would pose a few problems.
If I do go along the router route, I take it, super slow speed and a 1/2" template cutter would be the way forward.
Aiden
 
aideym":259tlj44 said:
Hi Mr Basher,
Yes the panels are quite sizable and the bandsaw would pose a few problems.
If I do go along the router route, I take it, super slow speed and a 1/2" template cutter would be the way forward.
Aiden
Click to expand...
The speed of travel and cutter speed should not be much slower than with wood, aluminium is soft stuff if you use a scrap piece of ply to sandwich the aly then normal speed would do. Dust extraction on the router will reduce the problems of aluminium swarf.
 
Hi

The recommended cutting speed for aluminium and aluminium alloys is 600 - 1200 fpm when using carbide tooling.

Regards Mick
 
Another option would be a metal shear which is like a jigsaw size tin snips. There not cheap new but secondhand ones appear on ebay all the time, there's currently a makita one starting at £100. There used by ventilation fitters will cope with 1.6mm steel so 1mm ali wouldn't be a problem and could be resold for what you paid when you're finished. Not sure about following a template but you can follow a line with them.

Hope this helps.

Steve
 

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