Need Help In Cutting My Aluminum Rods

[Billh50]

it may be a bit too coarse of a blade for small diameter rods. I know there are finer metal cutting blades available but you would need to search for one cheap enough for you as some are costly.

 

[Billh50]

That saw may work as well. blades are cheap enough for it also.

 

[yendor]

The Band Saw is a WOOD Model and you would need some major modifications to slow it down enough to cut metal.
The aluminum might be OK but, If you are also cutting stainless it will just tear up the teeth on the blade and not do much cutting.

The cutoff saw is a small one 7.25 inches but is designed for metal.
I'd get it with a Metal Cutting Saw Tooth blade for the aluminum and a cutoff abrasive wheel for stainless.

 

[Franko]

I don't think I'd recommend using a wood cutting circular saw blade for aluminum. I got a non-ferrous cutting carbide circular saw blade and use a slider table on my table saw for most of my aluminum cuts. Very precise and square cuts. The non-ferrous blade has almost no rake and is way less likely to snag and scare the peewadding out of you. I wouldn't recommend using a miter saw or radial arm saw. I broke a small one in half cutting a larger aluminum bar in one even using the non-ferrous blade when it snagged due to blade run out inherent in miter and arm saws because the side to side play they all have. I was lucky and didn't get hurt, but it was terrifying.

The small band saw with a fine tooth metal cutting blade is a good safe option and will be useful in the shop. Not all stainless is hard and may not be a problem in the band saw. Coarse toothed blades cause a lot of rattling and grabbing and spinning while cutting small rod. A 14" abrasive cut-off saw is a great tool to have around the shop because it will cut just about any metal you stick in it. I have a small 7.5" cut-off saw that is handy for cutting ferrous small stock.

Horizontal band saws are a great addition to a shop., but they are big. I'd wouldn't recommend the less-expensive small ones that use 1/2" blade as the blade can wander and not cut very square. 3/4" blade models work fine.

[edited to add]

I cut aluminum and small ferrous metal on my small woodcutting Ryobi band saw with no problems.

 

[Billh50]

I think the problem is he has not got a lot of money to spend on a saw.

 

[mce5802]

If low on funds maybe go with a Chinese metal cut-off saw with abrasive blades. These can be had pretty cheap in the U.S. though if you can afford it a Chinese horizontal 4" x 6" bandsaw would be way more useful.


P.S. I'd rather be using a collet and a stop in the taistock and parting them off than the method in your video, I think. Fwiw.

 

[T Bredehoft]

I would go with a band saw, and a clamp of some sort to keep it from turning (also for holding and pushing the part) I have a small vise I use for that sort of thing. Put rod on the table, put the vice upside down on the rod, clamp the vise and cut away. When you are done, you will have the band saw for a multitude of other projects. (as I do)

 

[RJSakowski]

Hi,
I need to cut at least 50 pieces a week. I don't need to have the cut finish to a certain neatness because I face them all on the lathe anyway as I chamfer them as well. This is why I don't want to use any cutters because the ends might not fit in my collet and I have at least 50 rods I need to do and I can't be concentrating on each rod trying to get them inside the collet chuck.

Your reply eliminates shearing from the consideration as the cut end always has some deformation. Cutters also leave a burr on the tail end of the cut. However, for 50 pcs/wk, I would cut them in a bundle with a cutoff saw or band saw and dress the ends with a grinder by rotating into the wheel at an angle. You only need to to one end so you can insert into your collet. The dressing operation shouldn't take more than a few seconds each. Just allow enough excess so you can machine away any grinding marks.

 

[muscleflex]

Thank you all. So much to consider.
It seems that that horizontal/vertical band saw is the best but unfortunately, it's:
1. A tad too expensive for me right now
2. A tad too big - My workshop at the moment is the conservatory as the garage is full of house moving boxes.

I will look into the Evolution Rage 4 cut off saw and maybe consider that cheap reciprocating saw as well.
I can't seem to find a vertical band saw just for metals from the machine-mart website. does not look like we have good choices here in the UK

I face the rod ends in my lathe and I also chamfer them in the lathe.

 

[muscleflex]

If low on funds maybe go with a Chinese metal cut-off saw with abrasive blades. These can be had pretty cheap in the U.S. though if you can afford it a Chinese horizontal 4" x 6" bandsaw would be way more useful.


P.S. I'd rather be using a collet and a stop in the taistock and parting them off than the method in your video, I think. Fwiw.

Hi - Is an abrasive wheel better for metal? I just watched this video this morning comparing a toothed saw (the Evolution Rage) vs an abrasive cut off wheel. Looked like the toothed wheel cut a lot faster than the abrasive wheel?