Wrecked Aluminium from chopsaw

[swethaly]

Sorry for the mess up in the NASA thread. Button pushing fail.

Yeah, sorry about that. No one was hurt when the blade failed, but there were quite a few interesting chunks of metal that came out of it.

[FrankJ]

That has always scared me about cutting aluminum with a chop saw.

[sportzkrazzy]

Looks like the blade had a few more teeth that where pretty close to going also. I would buy a cold saw or a nice horizontal band saw. The cold saw in or shop probably gets more use than any other machine there. Best money we ever spent and its a whole lot safer too.

[MrBasse]

How long is that piece that was being cut and which way was it being cut? Was it cutting the full width of the tube?

I don't think that the blade failed causing the aluminum to bend and bind, I think that piece is just too small to cut with adequate clamping force. The margin of safety on a miter saw is 4", I don't see how anyone's hands could have been clear of that margin. When the aluminum moved or twisted it snagged the tooth and when the material hit the fence the tooth snapped off. I have lost a tooth on a blade before and didn't have a catastrophic failure like that. I'd be curious as to the full details of what happened and exactly how the scenario unfolded.

Glad everyone is okay, stay safe out there!

[techhelpbb]

Look at the Evolution saws.
They run at lower RPM.
They are cheaper than a new cold saw.
The Evolution blades have teeth both directions.

I had a piece do something similar to this after breaking a clamp.
The cost of the saw was nothing compared to the risk of harm.

[artdutra04]

I've always been slightly apprehensive about cutting aluminum on chop saws for the very reason pictured in this thread.

Horizontal chop saws are my first go to machine for cutting raw extrusion/rods, but after Build Blitz I'd also recommend this setup for those with space limitations: portable band saw (such as Dewalt DWM120) + aftermarket stand.

[Aren_Hill]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

I've always been slightly apprehensive about cutting aluminum on chop saws for the very reason pictured in this thread.

Horizontal chop saws are my first go to machine for cutting raw extrusion/rods, but after Build Blitz I'd also recommend this setup for those with space limitations: portable band saw (such as Dewalt DWM120) + aftermarket stand.

Obtained this guy before build blitz, and cannot recommend the setup enough.
Replacement blades are available from Home Depot etc, it's setup for much tougher cutting than your typical small bandsaw (wood/foam, etc).
It can easily handle steel/aluminum.
I would recommend the footpedal to control it.

-Aren

[chiefsfan67]

I love horizontal bandsaws, the only problem with them though is because aluminum is so soft and ductile, the blade may want to cut at a bit on a vertical angle, which can be easily corrected with milling.

[nixiebunny]

Scary! I hate to think of where that tooth could have gone.

We have a wonderful horizontal bandsaw that my nice brother gave me, then I donated to our build space. It is so much safer than a circular saw - no possibility of making shrapnel.

[team222badbrad]

This is by far the best purchase we have ever made in power tools. The Dewault DW872 metal cutting saw.

http://www.dewalt.com/tools/metalwor...aws-dw872.aspx



It can make cuts with no or minimal milling of cut ends.

It does have it's downsides though.

Loud (hearing protection loud), expensive blades (haven't replaced our's yet.), and bad clamp design (hard to get square).

[fox46]

Use the right tool for the right job. A chop saw may cut aluminum, a knife can also be used to eat ice cream. Just because a tool will do the job doesn't mean it is the correct one to use.

A reciprocating saw can be purchased for $30 at most any hardware stores. Combine it with a fine tooth blade and a vice and it will cut all the aluminum and steel you want-- safely.

[Chief Hedgehog]

Evo Cold Saw - all I am going to say.
http://www.oceanmachinery.com/evolution_saw.htm#380 Evolution Steel Saw

[FrankJ]

A bandsaw requires you to use your hands to push the part towards the cutting blade. How is that better then having one hand (or both) on the cut off saw handle which is several inches away from anything that can cut them?

Actual I have gone in another room & made coffee while cutting parts with the band saw.

A band saw will cut you just as fast a chop saw, but it is a lot less likely to cut you finger off.

[mrnoble]

As a shop teacher with 30+ years of history around woodworking power tools and 13 years in the classroom, I have seen accidents and results of accidents from chop saws, table saws, lathes, jointers, band saws, sanders, drill presses, and everything else. Fortunately I've not had to deal with students suffering injuries likely to change how their hands work, but I've seen that and worse happen to adults and children elsewhere. Use the right tool for the job, make sure you prep it correctly, and be thoroughly trained. Students should work within sight of a responsible adult and always check to make sure what they are planning to do is correct and safe.

Regarding bandsaws being a "safer" choice: see the meat packing industry and what they use band saws for.

[Dale]

The best $1K I ever spent was when we moved from using a chop saw with aluminum blade to a cold saw. Besides the piece of mind of knowing students fingers are likely to stay attached, the noise is vastly less. Cold saws just turn at around 100 rpm so the difference is night and day. Ours is this one from Jet.