[TowerTalk] How do I cut aluminum pipes?

[Jack Brindle]

I use a miter/chop saw with a blade meant for cutting aluminum. The  
miter saw does a better job at holding the aluminum piece than a band  
saw (at least for me). I think the most important thing here is to  
use a saw blade that is designed for cutting aluminum. I got mine at  
Home Depot a few years ago, and I don't believe it cost any more than  
a good wood-cutting blade.

Then be sure to debur the tube as Bill describes. Having known Bill  
for more years than I can count on my fingers and toes, I have come  
to realize that he knows what he is talking about...


On Dec 28, 2007, at 10:32 AM, Bill Coleman wrote:

>
> On Dec 7, 2007, at 1:06 PM, Alex Malyava wrote:
>
>> Is it enough to use regular hacksaw and sand the edges or there is
>> some
>> fancy tool like pipe cutter used in plumbing?
>
> Fastest way to cut aluminum tubing, if you have a machine shop, is to
> use a band saw. With a proper blade, you can roll the tubing across
> the table and it cuts quickly.
>
> The second best way is to use a quality tubing cutter. Use a good one,
> and you can cut a tube of any size in a couple of minutes. A poor one
> will spiral down the tube.
>
> A hacksaw will work, but it's really hard to get a clean, square cut.
>
> After the cut, be sure to dress it with either a deburring tool, or
> round file or half-round file. Don't go wild with the files, as it
> will take off a lot of aluminum in short order. You're just trying to
> break off the burr. A sanding sponge, or a sanding block covered with
> very fine grit sandpaper can also be used to dress the outside edges
> of the cut.
>
> Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
> Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
>              -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>
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- Jack Brindle, W6FB
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