How can I cut aluminium extrusions?

Discussion
1

I have this idea to build a small, portable electric vehicle, I saw many of them at the Emfcamp and I realized the technology it’s pretty simple and affordable now.

I would like to use extrusions to build the body, but how can I cut it at the makerspace? I’m assuming I can’t use anything in the woodwork area and I haven’t noticed anything in the metal work ?

2

There is an Electric rotary chop saw in Metalwork. you’ll probably need to get a mini induction for it as it bites !
@metaltechs

Courty

3

If you mean the ones that look like this, I’ve cut through them with a hacksaw in the past and it’s surprisingly easy, took barely any time to make all the cuts I needed and I just smoothed off the edges with a small file. There’s definitely a hacksaw in the woodshop, but you might want to buy a few blades that are suitable for metal

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4

Good idea, but using hand tools hurts my OCD…

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5

It is also out of service… :frowning: Not sure what is wrong with it… but it need fixing and a risk assessment before use

6

bugger, thats a shame as its a decent piece of kit.

Courty

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7

You can buy it cut to size?

8

Good call, I will give it a look

9

Yes, someone needs to take it on as a project to get it going again and get it usable for members (ra, induction etc!)

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10

Whats wrong with it? I pretty good at rebuilding machinery.

#Emuboy you can cut the aluminium profiles with an angle grinder using a 1mm cutting disc.

11

We did once have a rage blade… Which will eat through aluminium no troubles.
I may otherwise have a spare

12

I need machine precise cuts, I’m not a fan of handheld tools, that’s the curse of being an engineer :joy:

13

Maybe give it a Google as a rage blade is not a hand tool :rofl:

14

The cold saw should be good for this, we just need to buy the coolant for it… @Howard?

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15

Sorry, I ment to answer to @Gergo_Dala about the angle grinder, got my reply all mixed up !

16

Hi :smiley_cat: you can take a walk with me to smee and they have a saw cutter that will cut it very nicely

17

That’s very sweet of you, but I think I will need something that I will need often :slight_smile:

18

The angle grinder is a precision tool! :innocent:

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19

These aluminium profiles are quite soft and easy to cut, I have cut plenty of these for flight case builds using my mitre saw.

if you look at the marketing material on the screwfix site: https://www.screwfix.com/brand/evolution/ they pretty much market it for cutting metal, wood.

it’s down to the wood shops techs whether they are OK with you bringing your own blade to install onto the mitre saw to chop your profiles.

If you do manage to use a mitre/chopsaw go slow and steady, let the blade do the work.

1 Like