"JBL" wrote in message
news
I just wanted to ask about this possible alternative for cutting the
aluminum:
a neighbor offered to let me use his Craftsman 10" bandsaw. Would
this be able to cut the 1/2" aluminum or not large enough a saw?


I used a yellow 10" Craftsman to cut aluminum until I found a used
4"x6" metal bandsaw which cuts much straighter and more accurately.
The Craftman wouldn't cut straight enough unless the blade guides were
in perfect condition and adjusted carefully.

Mine lacked any provision for rip or miter guides until I adapted the
table from a small table saw. You can clamp on guide bars but setting
them simultaneously parallel to the blade and at the right distance is
difficult.

I'd buy the widest blade that will fit, 10 to 14 TPI although 18 will
let you cut thinner metal without catching and stripping off the
teeth. Sharp-edged, incompressible metal chips don't do the wheels any
good.

While the blade speed of a wood-cutting bandsaw is acceptable for
aluminum, steel will ruin the blade instantly.

-jsw