Cutting suggestions for 4" thick aluminum

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I have a 3.5-4" aluminum block (don't remember the thickness off the top of my head) and I need to it into small blocks because as it is. It's about 1 foot x 3 foot and I need smaller sections for what I'm going to have CNC'd. My questions is, I don't have a plasma cutter, but would I be able to cut it on a vertical bandsaw? Being how thick it is, I'm a little worried. I need to get it down to blocks of 5" x 5".If not with a band saw, what recommendations do you guys have?
Reply:I'd use a bandsaw with a coarse or skip tooth blade. Make sure you use lubricant on the blade so it doesn't gum up, Do-all tool saver or something equivalent, wax or cutting oil.....Mike
Reply:Water jet?Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:That's ok.  I'm not sure how many amps a plasma cutter would need to get through 3+ inch aluminum, but I've it would be an awful large machine.Yes, a band saw would be great.  Ideally, they say to have at least 3 teeth in the cut (that'll be easy), but no more than 25 or so.  So, you'll need a VERY coarse blade.  Something like 6tpi would be ideal, with a skip tooth blade (lots of gullet room for stock removal), and standard alternating tooth set.  Yes, that sounds a lot like a wood cutting blade, except that hook tooth wood blades may be too aggressive, and bind up.You'll want to use a cutting fluid.  Something to keep the teeth cool, and keep the aluminum from clogging them up.  Vertical saws aren't really meant to work with cutting fluid though.I typically use isopropyl alcohol for this purpose, as it dries without leaving any residue on your saw.
Reply:Originally Posted by duffman1278My questions is, I don't have a plasma cutter, but would I be able to cut it on a vertical bandsaw? Being how thick it is, I'm a little worried. I need to get it down to blocks of 5" x 5".
Reply:table saw works great!
Reply:Thanks for the great advice guys. I would water jet it, however it's for a school project and we don't really have the funds to send it out for water jet. I guess I'll have to fork up the cash for the blade then and do it on band saw.
Reply:Originally Posted by forhireYou should look at the slick setup Frank Ford uses on his vertical bandsaw. He built a simple sled that runs in the table groove and uses a weight to control the feed. I'd start by looking at his setup: http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/To...ndsawfeed.html
Reply:In a shop I worked in, I used to cut a lot of thick sandwiched aluminum foil sheet (glue laminate), up to 8" thick, with very large vertical band saws (maybe 4' dia wheels).  We used methanol as the blade cooler.  A 5 gal bucket of methanol with a siphon tube aimed at the blade just above the cut and a line from the air compressor to keep it siphoning.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by Rick VGreat idea there forhire - thanks for that posting.
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33. . .We used methanol as the blade cooler.  A 5 gal bucket of methanol with a siphon tube aimed at the blade just above the cut and a line from the air compressor to keep it siphoning.
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepI'm not sure of methanol's cutting/cooling fluid properties, but it would sure seem like a high-risk fire hazard; especially in mist form.
Reply:Band Saw with 1/2 or 3/4 wide 3tpi skip tooth blade.  soulable oil in a spray mister.
Reply:Band saw would be the best way. If you used a plasma you would need between 800 and 1000 amps....and the cut quality would be more like a severance cut. An 800 Amp plasma is for mechanized cutting only.Jim Colt    Hypertherm
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepI'm not sure of methanol's cutting/cooling fluid properties, but it would sure seem like a high-risk fire hazard; especially in mist form.
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanProbably.  More so considering that the vertical band-saw in question is probably full of wood dust.I chose 91% isopropyl alcohol as a coolant (but not as a mist, just hand sprayed in a stream from a bottle), because unlike methanol its flames are visible, it is less toxic, and has a higher flash point, and its readily available.Either leaves no residue in a vertical bandsaw (and won't hurt your tires), and methanol is much cheaper.Anyway, you're not creating sparks in cutting aluminum, so you won't be creating sparks (at least on the band-saw).If this saw is in a wood shop (i.e. not where you do welding or grinding, etc.), and there is no ignition source, it should be safe enough.
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanI chose 91% isopropyl alcohol as a coolant . . .  and has a higher flash point,. . .
Reply:Well, neither is too good to drink.DesertRider33:  I wasn't talking about sawdust in the bandsaws you were referring to.  I was saying that the OP's saw probably had it in it (I know 14" vertical bandsaw is full of sawdust).Jim: I was expecting you to chime in with stats of a real plasma that could cut 4" aluminum.  Of course something like that is so far out of the reach of my home shop that it's more comical than anything to mention, but its still pretty cool to think about a machine of that size.  Kind of like seeing the monster machines on the History channel.
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat Bastardtable saw works great!
Reply:would one of the metal cutting circular saws have enough throat to get through that?