Quick question to pick the brains of the community. I have a slab of alumin, 3/16" thick and about 3'x3'. I wish to craft a skid plate from it since I am currently running around with just a bumper (no valance/air dam) and want something up front...

My question is this: How the hell do you cut it? i have gone to town on aluminum before with a sawzall, but the heat must have softened up the aluminum too much, because it gummed up the blade and SUCKED to cut. I have also taken a shot at some with a standard air powered cutting wheel. That was a disaster as it ate up wheels faster than steel and was slooOOOooow going.

I do not have a torch, and think that would be a bad call even if i did... so wtf do you cut alluminum with? pnematic snips?? mind bullets? lasers?
help o masters of metal!

BONUS ROUND: i do not plan to slide UP rocks or OVER stumps on aluminum, but standard smashing through brush, road hazards, small animals should be ok if mowed down by 3/16" alum plate right?

 

Did you try coolant with the sawzall?

 

Click the picture... I can't convert mm to inches in my head but I think 1.6mm thick aluminum will have you covered.

*EDIT*... I pulled out the unit converter and my "bright" idea... ain't so bright no more. I'm gonna say lube the blade on the sawzall as you go like 96chevblazer said.

 

Yeah, I would say run some lubricant on the blade. The more aggressive you go with the blade, the cooler it will cut. Go with like a 10-14TPI blade and have someone spray it with WD40 as you cut. It will vibrate like hell, but it will make a good cut. Just support the plate well enough keeping the sawzall down on the part with good pressure and you should be good.

 

jigsaw or circle saw with a metal blade also work good for cutting aluminium

 

get some fire and rescue blades and go to town. Use wd40 or some other kind of lube

 

this would work


If you have the time a jigsaw works quite nicely

 

Auto tranny fluid works better than wd-40. Its what I use to cut aluminum and to keep my bits clean when porting and polishing aluminum heads and intakes.

 

LOL @ the sharks with frickin' lasers!

Ok, i have heard cheap soap, WD40, and tranny fluid (the car kind weirdo!). looks like im gonna need a lube pal, good job for the wife...

I think there is a 10 or 12 tpi blade floating around somewhere... Or i bent it while making a worst fence since 1,200 B.C. and will need to grab a new one. i guess i can C-clap the hell out of it and go to town...

worst case senarion I destroy some expensive material and am left with a ruined sawzall, one less thumb, and a trip to the E.R. Best case senario, I post up my first real fab work and get snickered at by the forum.
Either way, i'll break out a field dressing, safety goggles, and a few brews this weekend (cleared a spot in the garage!) ... hold on to your fingers boys! This weekend is going to end in a) tragedy or b) me FTW!

 

good luck brother.