best method for cutting 3/4" aluminum tubing?
 

hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need
to cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on
the most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking
tools such as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

Use a miter saw with a carbide blade. Works like a champ. John
"david" wrote in message
link.net...
hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need to
cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on the
most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking tools such
as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

ditto....... I'll add that a shot of WD40 on the blade every few cuts
helps. A carbide blade made for non ferrous metal is what I normally
use.

Kingfish


On Thu, 9 Sep 2004 04:43:44 -0500, "John D. Farr"
wrote:

Use a miter saw with a carbide blade. Works like a champ. John
"david" wrote in message
hlink.net...
hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need to
cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on the
most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking tools such
as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

Yep, use a power miter box. Best is a fine tooth non ferrous blade with
zero or negative rake but a fine tooth triple angle wood blade will work
fine on thin aluminum.

Kingfish wrote:

ditto....... I'll add that a shot of WD40 on the blade every few cuts
helps. A carbide blade made for non ferrous metal is what I normally
use.

Kingfish


On Thu, 9 Sep 2004 04:43:44 -0500, "John D. Farr"
wrote:


Use a miter saw with a carbide blade. Works like a champ. John
"david" wrote in message
thlink.net...

hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need to
cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on the
most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking tools such
as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

david wrote in message hlink.net...
hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need
to cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on
the most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking
tools such as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

Go to Home Depot and purchase a couple of their carbide impregnated
fiber metal cutting blades for you table saw. I use them for curring
aluminum tubing in my radial arm saw and they work like a champ.
(Unfortanately, they do produce an odor that smells like a wet dog!)

I've also used them to cut steel rods and angle iron, but in cutting
steel they produce a lot of very hot sparks, so be sure to clean out
all traces of wood sawdust before using one on a woodworking machine,
and keep a fire extinguisher or a bucket of water close at hand.

Harry C.

Pretend they are 3/4" wooden dowels. You would use a powered mitre box saw,
right? use that, using your normal blade, and you'll be fine. You may want
to buy a new blade after you are done, but probably not, just don't force
the cuts.

Brian



"Harry Conover" wrote in message
om...
david wrote in message
hlink.net...
hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need
to cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on
the most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking
tools such as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

Go to Home Depot and purchase a couple of their carbide impregnated
fiber metal cutting blades for you table saw. I use them for curring
aluminum tubing in my radial arm saw and they work like a champ.
(Unfortanately, they do produce an odor that smells like a wet dog!)

I've also used them to cut steel rods and angle iron, but in cutting
steel they produce a lot of very hot sparks, so be sure to clean out
all traces of wood sawdust before using one on a woodworking machine,
and keep a fire extinguisher or a bucket of water close at hand.

Harry C.

I cut lots of 1/2 brass tubing using my cheap bandsaw with a metal cutting
blade.
LB


"david" wrote in message
link.net...
hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need
to cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on
the most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking
tools such as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 20:16:33 GMT, "Leonard & Peggy Brown"
wrote:

I cut lots of 1/2 brass tubing using my cheap bandsaw with a metal cutting
blade.
LB


"david" wrote in message
hlink.net...
hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need
to cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on
the most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking
tools such as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc


Greetings David,
Since you have so many of them to cut I would buy a carbide blade for
the miter saw and cut them that way. I have cut aluminum angle and
channel with a skilsaw and with the miter saw. It's noisy, and chips
go everywhere. But you will get a nice clean cut with small, easily
removed burrs. And it's real fast. You can spray the blade with
cutting oil every so often, or use a small brush to put a small amount
of oil right at the cut, or buy a tube of cutting wax and apply it
either to the aluminum or the stationary blade to make the cutting
even easier. The reason I like the miter saw is that it stops pretty
fast when the trigger is released so it is safer for me.
Good luck!
ERS

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 09:34:55 GMT, david
wrote:

hi,

I am using 3/4" OD aluminum tubing as balusters for deck rails. I need
to cut almost 400 of them to length. I was hoping for suggestions on
the most efficient and painless way to do this. I have woodworking
tools such as band saw, table saw, miter saws, jig saw, etc...

any advice appreciated...

thanks,

david
greenville, sc
Several years ago I was cutting 1/2"copper tube using the regular
wheel type cutter but made up an expanding rubber plug to fit the i.d.
of the tube. This was just a piece of tubing between washers on a bolt
with a nut. I then gripped the threaded end of the bolt in my 3/8 VSR
drill. Running the drill forward, there was enough interaction between
the copper tube, rubber, washer and nut to expand the plug and spin
the tube in the cutter, reamer, and emery paper. Then, a quick reverse
and the piece was released ready to insert and spin the next piece. It
sure speeds up the use of a tubing cutter if the tubing is turning at
a few hundred RPM, and a tubing cutter gives a nice square cut.
With long stock, this would be a two person job, but shouldn't take
long to cut 400 pieces. I would go with a blind hole in a block of
hardwood as a bearing for the free end then measure back from the
bottom of the hole and make a reference mark to locate the cut.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada