On Sun, 25 Jun 2017 13:56:31 -0400, JBL wrote:

On 06/25/2017 01:45 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 24 Jun 2017 23:13:21 -0400, JBL wrote:

I am attempting to make a few "dovetails" which are brackets used to
attach a telescope to a telescope mount. If purchased outright, for the
kind of dovetails I need, the expense is beyond my budget. I recently
acquired some 1/2" aluminum sheet/ bar. The dovetail needs to be 1.75"
wide at the base, with the sides cut at a 15 degree angle. Length can
vary a bit, but usually about 12-14". My plan was to make at least 3
for the various telescopes I have.

I thought I'd be able to get away with an old circular table saw I had.
Last week, I made some 1/4" thick dovetails of a slightly different
design using my table saw fitted with a plywood blade. This went well,
but when I tried to make these thicker 1/2" dovetails today, I ended up
burning out my saw.

Ideas for a cheap way to make these dovetails would be welcome. I've
been watching Craigslist for another circular to replace the burned out
one, but I don't think it's the best tool for this job without a $30
plus blade made to cut metal and even then I'm not sure it will do it.

Thanks in advance for your help,
John
2 words. Band Saw.

Would you happen to know what size band saw? A neighbor has a 10" saw
with 1/8 to 1/4" blades I could borrow.
How good does the finish need to be? You could use a vertical band saw
but the finish won't be very good, not really good enough for a
sliding fit if that's what you're looking for. But if you just need
the angle for retaining then a bandsaw would be a fast and easy way to
cut the aluminum. You will need to make some sort of fixturing to hold
the aluminum at the correct angle and width. You could also use a
carbide router bit with a rub collar if you have a router. Carbide
router bits are great, they last a very long time compared to the HSS
ones and are not very expensive.
Eric