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Cutting 1 inch thick aluminum stock possible with a scroll saw?
- Thread starter defcon
- Start date
id like to see some different cutting degrees or polygon shapes
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No---first off I don't do videos and I don't have three or four hands to hold the product and the camera----I don't think I said you could cut other than mostly straight or slightly curved cuts in 1" thick aluminum---just that my saw could cut thick aluminum between drilled holes---yes it could cut inside sharp angles that a milling cutter can't----I really don't think I will ever be needing to cut intricate cut outs in thick aluminum---but if I ever do I will be glad to show you how it looks---just knowing that my powermatic did dry cut it ok and didn't hurt the blade at all impressed me.--by the way scroll saw blades are a lot cheaper than bandsaw blades and milling cutters----I do have lathes and milling machines and shapers so I know that each has limits also---it makes it easier to know what capabilities each machine in our shops can help us in our projects---I think I answered the question asked by the title of this thread----Yes it is possible---------Dave
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Dave - just wondering if it's not too much trouble, what blade is your "normal wood blade"? Zooming in on the pic as much as I can it looks like maybe a 1/4" x 6tpi? Or...?
I once tried to run a mini hacksaw blade in the the little Homecraft scroll saw with dismal results, but now this has got my gears going again and I'm thinking of trying again. Might save the little Homecraft from a conversion to die-filer death if it works.
-frank
I once tried to run a mini hacksaw blade in the the little Homecraft scroll saw with dismal results, but now this has got my gears going again and I'm thinking of trying again. Might save the little Homecraft from a conversion to die-filer death if it works.
-frank
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Frank--I think you are about right on the blade description, and next time I go to my other shop I will measure it----my other shop is 40 miles away and there is no heat in the shop----I am lots like you in finding more uses for each piece of equip--especially when I have many duplicates and sizes---I know I have at least 8 scroll saws but don't have a die filer made yet----I do have a couple pneumatic hand die filers so maybe those will satisfy all my filing needs-----my trouble is my head is so full of-- tools I can make or modify-- that I have to have an organized shop to store them all---I moved 4 years ago and haven't got 220 or even good 110 to my new shops here yet---but I have a lot of big machines that require 220 and plenty of 110----I'm sure that there are other members also that can relate to the situation that I am in--all I know is that I miss using my big air compressor, my big mills, my big drill presses, and especially my arc welder.---I have thought a lot about how handy it would be to make a vertical scroll saw that could use many different blades and have strokes of 6-12 inches with plenty of power---it could be made cheap with supplies I already have----I wish I had another HM member close to work on projects with----Dave
Some progress.
No scroll saw was used.
Ended up using a 3/8 roughing end mill and did about 15 passes for each line. Took me about 45 minutes just for this polygon.
I was going about .10" to .15" in depth.
Still need to clean up the inside and make things straight.
I'll have some time to do the other square side on the left.
No scroll saw was used.
Ended up using a 3/8 roughing end mill and did about 15 passes for each line. Took me about 45 minutes just for this polygon.
I was going about .10" to .15" in depth.
Still need to clean up the inside and make things straight.
I'll have some time to do the other square side on the left.
Hey there may be a reason and I may look like an idiot but why are you removing all that material when you could just cut the shape out leaving tabs or some material at the bottom so you could just pick out the block saving tons of material wear and time. I'm also not sure on your mill but I can take 1/2 depth cuts with full width 1/2 2flute endmill and get spectacular finishes. But that's on my lathe being used as a mill and my lathe is a big boy and I could probably push that endmill to its limits without phasing the machine.
Do you have a pic for reference on leaving tabs and picking out the block?
Im having trouble visualizing it.
My mini mill has a limitation and can cut only .10" to .15" in depth. I tried 1/2 inch and i got vibration and chatter
Well I can try and draw it but I'm not too great but it's something done on cncs running several parts from solid piece. Tried but couldn't upload picture because was to much mb. Just like soda caps are held by little tabs before you break them off this is the same theory.
ive seen something similar on youtube where they had tabs on the outside. not sure how it would look like for shapes/slots inside of the stock