Greg Postma wrote:
I need a little help. I have to cut about 200 "slugs" of 1" round
aluminum bars stock. I'm using my "new" to me band saw and although I
got a couple of piece from the blade that was on the saw when I got it,
the cuts are not very accurate or clean.
I've never used a metal cutting bandsaw before and I know that you can
get all sorts of blades with different tooth styles and configurations.
What I am cutting is 1" round bars of 6061 aluminum. So if any of you
have the secret recipe for smooth cut in 6061 please fill me in.
TIA
Greg
A little more information about my saw and the project.
The saw is an old J-Line by Yates American and sold by Brodhead Garret.
This is what it looks like
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=1849
Tool GloatOn
I was at one of my clients plants and I saw a guy take it off a pick up
truck at the metal recycler next door. The local roach coach showed up
and I wondered over to get a cuppa and came back with the coffee and the
band saw. The coffee cost me a buck and the bandsaw cost me a cuppa and
10 bucks. I wheeled it into the plant, plugged it in and the motor ran,
quiet and smooth but it had no blade. I mentioned the no blade to Jose
the metal recycler and he came over with a couple of bands, one of which
fit the machine. When I went to install the band, I noticed that the
driven wheel had no tire on it. So a call to McMaster and $24 later the
saw was cutting. So now I've invested $34 and a cuppa in the thing.
Tool Gloat Off
The project involves cutting segments out of the 1" aluminum bar that
has been rolled to a 5" centerline radius. The plugs I cut must fit into
a tube that also has been bent to a 5" radius. The cross section of the
cut is "oval" to match the tube.
I did 3 pieces as a proof of concept and the clients customer jumped on
the idea, so now I have to do 30 pcs. of 3 different lengths as
manufacturing feasibility test. If all goes well, I will finish this
project in the next couple of days and then take a couple of days off
before I head to China.BTW if this project works out, these parts will
come back from Asia, the second project the I've successfully brought
back in 3 months.
To all that offered advice, thanks. I think that I will use my miter saw
with a Tenyru metal blade and some WD40 and just whack the plugs off
that way.
Thanks again
Greg