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Abingdon, VA – Tree Cutting & Portable Sawmill

Cutting Al (aluminum)? I forgot a tidbit of safety advice --> A near miss, cautionary tale

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Cutting Al (aluminum)? I forgot a tidbit of safety advice --> A near miss, cautionary tale

Edited #1

I had some small 1/2x3/8" Aluminum C channel (U channel) to cut - 24 pcs. I have browsed a few online posts and decided to use my "rougher" construction miter saw (60T blade?), not my shop saw with the 80T blade. Need 12" pieces so I set up a stop block, slid the piece into place, and cut. WHAM - flying metal!!! I was wearing safety glasses but no face-shield or other PPE.

I believe what happened is that on the upstroke the cut piece on the right side was trapped between the blade and the stop block (no hold downs were employed in this near-miss/disaster); it lifted and flew off to my right. 2" on the end of the retrieved piece was distorted/mangled (very thin walled C or U channel). Like many MSs, this has the motor on the right side, and I believe that motor help me from getting hit by this flying piece.

Only then did I recall the important tidbit from Rushton on NCWoodworker.net that I HAD READ in my search: "Just make a slow cut and don't lift the blade out of the cut until you've turned off the saw and the blade has stopped." Well, I remembered the slow cut idea but neglected the second part of that.

Rushton said:I regularly cut aluminum t-track with my miter saw and carbide tipped blades. Just make a slow cut and don't lift the blade out of the cut until you've turned off the saw and the blade has stopped. I don't doubt that it's possible to chip a carbide tooth in the process, but I've never had it happen over 20 years of doing this


Likely 'could' have been avoided with use of a proper hold-down; further mishaps were certainly avoided when I just made a mark for length (not critical to have exactly sized pieces) and did not use a clamped stop block for the rest of the cuts.

"Be safe out there"

Henry - Prolific creator of sawdust, and sometimes shavings - with the occasional completed project.

Re: Cutting Al (aluminum)? I forgot a tidbit of safety advice --> A near miss, cautionary tale

#2

Yup, been there, done it.  Aluminum is kinda sporty to cut with a wood blade, I've had that same experience you did.  I always figured part of that problem was the aluminum heating up and expanding a little, so would catch a tooth on the way back up.  I usually cut without a stop block and slide the aluminum away from the blade following the cut.

Metal rated blades usually have a 0 degree or negative hook so you don't have to slow the cut down like with a typical wood blade, but having never tried one I don't know how much that matters.

One shop I worked for decades ago did a lot of router cutting of aluminum.  Hot chips flying everywhere!  Miserable task that was.

Re: Cutting Al (aluminum)? I forgot a tidbit of safety advice --> A near miss, cautionary tale

#3

There is also real adventure in using a miter saw to cut 4" thin-wall PVC pipe.

Re: Cutting Al (aluminum)? I forgot a tidbit of safety advice --> A near miss, cautionary tale

#4

Plain old wood cutting bandsaw...with nearly any blade tooth configuration....works very well for cutting aluminum.
When we cut larger cross section solids we would occasionally use some lube to help chips release from the tooth gullets 

Re: Cutting Al (aluminum)? I forgot a tidbit of safety advice --> A near miss, cautionary tale

#5
Brian Roberts wrote:

Plain old wood cutting bandsaw...with nearly any blade tooth configuration....works very well for cutting aluminum.
When we cut larger cross section solids we would occasionally use some lube to help chips release from the tooth gullets 


Definitely agree with this.  The blade stock I typically buy for bandsaw blades comes from a machinery supplier in fact.  I usually use an old blade if I have some aluminum to cut, aluminum doesn't dull the blade fast by metal cutting standards, but it will feel dull if cutting wood afterwards.

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