> My miter saw is good for about 5.25." It would not cut a 6x8. I use
> it for cutting element and boom tubing to length, but when I do
> plates, I use the table saw.
Table saws and cut-off or miter saws with large carbide tipped
coarse tooth blades designed for soft metals work perfectly.
> Maybe someone else can comment, since I have this on old-wives
> authority only, but I heard you DONT use a grinder for aluminum
> because the aluminum can get so hot it melts and clogs the pores of
> the grinder then when it cools it expands and can break the grinding
> blade or grinding wheel apart while it's spinning at a bazillion RPM.
> Is this true?
Depends on how careless the operator is. The first thing that happens
with solid disc cut-off wheels or fine tooth cutting tools is the
clog up or coat themselves with aluminum. I suppose if you continued
to force the wheel against the work with a lot of pressure it would
shatter, but normally they just won't cut.
> Just wondering, and would hate for someone to have a spinning blade
> blow up in their face as a result of a post here!
They always tell people in the instructions what the blades are good
for. I haven't seen any suggestions to use a cutoff wheel, just
carbide tipped blades.
Aluminum loads up anything except very coarse tools. Working with
soft aluminum, we use a thin coating of transmission fluid on
cutting, milling, drilling, and tapping tools. While messy, the tools
cut much faster and last much longer. Even hacksaws.73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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