Notice: We request that you don't just set up a new account at this time if you are a previous user.
If you used to be one of our moderators, please feel free to reach out to Chris via the facebook Outerlimits4x4 group and he will get you set back up with access should he need you.
Recovery:If you cannot access your old email address and don't remember your password, please click here to log a change of email address so you can do a password reset.

Cutting alloy?

General Tech Talk

Moderators: toaddog, TWISTY, V8Patrol, Moderators

Post Reply
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:23 pm
Location: D'aguliar- in the shed up on blocks!

Cutting alloy?

Post by tuff-lux »

Gday im going to cut up some old alloy checker plate of my door inserts :armsup: . And wanted to know it you can use those thin inox cutting discs on the angle grinder for alloy? they say they can be used on steel and stainless and they are thin so i guess they wont clog up :roll: . any help would be great cheers.
83 lux
Posts: 1076
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:49 am
Location: cashmere

Post by eliteforce32 »

mate they will cut alloy but u'll use about 1000 of them... go down to the hardware store and get one that looks like a circular saw blade.. they are made for ally cutting and cut like butter through alloy only.. hope this helps :armsup:
Eliteforce Heavy Fabrication
Proud supporter of these businesses:-
Pig Dog Shop(hunting)- Greg 0448024776
CrispProducts(Racetec Gauges)-Chris(pm him)
Fourbies at Moorooka- Ryano
Posts: 5179
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2003 8:15 pm
Location: Brisbane Australia

Post by Shadow »

They cut it just as well as they cut steel, ya do go through them quicker, but I would say only twice as quick, not 1000 times as quick.
Posts: 404
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: hunter nsw

Post by ssfabricator »

tungsten tipped wheels are the fastest and the thin inox (only use inox on alloy and stainless cos there iron free) will clog up and will be slow u should use a compound with them wax\grease comes soilidified in a cardboard tube bout 75 diam 200 long dunno its proper name heard it called fat, grease, wax hope i helped u should be able to get wax from any abrasives suppliers
If i just overtook you head to your nearest mechanic
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:23 pm
Location: D'aguliar- in the shed up on blocks!

discs

Post by tuff-lux »

Cheers thanks for your help so far. I went down to the hardware shop and started asking questions and the 2 young assistants (early highschool age) were about as useful as a hot chick in a gay bar :bad-words:
83 lux
Posts: 2931
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:43 pm
Location: Brisbane

Post by grazza »

I used a jigsaw. The edges were a bit rough but came up good with a light sand.

Keep the jigsaw blade lightly oiled.

And the most important bit - wear earmuffs!
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:23 pm
Location: D'aguliar- in the shed up on blocks!

ppe

Post by tuff-lux »

Now why didnt i think of that? :roll: cheers mate. I got earmuffs and saftey glasses and a face mask alloy tastes funny and gives you a sore throat, prob leading in to allsimers or something
83 lux
Posts: 771
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:34 pm
Location: greensborough, vic

Post by big bundy »

used it on the bottem of my quarters, use a flap disc in a grinder to clean up the edge's comes up really good
bundy's suck ass
LWB patrol's are where its at!
Posts: 141
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:59 pm
Location: bendigo

Post by AdrianGQ »

normal thin cutting disk will work fine
Posts: 722
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2002 9:31 pm
Location: Berwick, Melbourne

Post by awill4x4 »

We use the 1mm cutting discs a lot and if you use some styrene wax (surfboard wax will do) it stops the blade from clogging up.
Whatever you do, DO NOT use a tungsten tipped blade or you are likely to lose a couple of fingers. We use one at work specifically for removing alloy welds on a 4" (100mm) grinder and if it grabs you have little chance of holding it in place. We know how to use it and we move in one direction only (left to right) if you go in the other direction it's very likely to grab and try to rip out of your hands and it's no fun trying to dodge a tungsten tipped blade spinning about 4000 rpm.
We affectionately call our tungsten blade either "lethal" or "meat axe" for obvious reasons.
The reason we have one is where I used to work previously the company was made to throw it away by Workcare inspectors as they've seen the results of what these things do.
Regards Andrew.
We are Tig welders, gravity doesn't worry us.
[img]http://www.studmonkeyracing.com/forums/smilies/weld.gif[/img]
Posts: 1889
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:23 pm
Location: Brisbane

Post by just cruizin' »

We had one guy at my old work who copped a "nasty" cut from a meat axe, quite a few stitches later he now walks with a limp at his new job.
Posts: 826
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:18 pm
Location: Northern NSW

Post by slosh »

jigsaw blade, keep a candle handy and run it over the blade every 10 secs or so.
Posts: 3722
Joined: Sat Jan 18, 2003 7:32 pm
Location: perth wa

Post by bazooked »

you can also use masonary cutting discs they work a treat and dont clog up like the normal steel ones.
buggy time............
Posts: 2944
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2003 5:47 pm
Location: Manjimup, Western Australia

Post by ausyota »

As said use a jigsaw.
Or mark up the sheet with all the cuts and take it down to a metal fab shop and get them to guiloteen it.
R.I.P Brock Fontanini 28-3-06 - 16-2-08
www.teamcarnage.net
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:23 pm
Location: D'aguliar- in the shed up on blocks!

cut

Post by tuff-lux »

thanks guys i used the thin cutting discs and yes they do wear quicker. but other than that they were ok. to smooth the edges i got some scotchbrite discs and some flapper wheels and yes i still have all my fingers and can see.
83 lux
Posts: 1242
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2003 8:50 pm
Location: Kanwal

Post by ZOOK60 »

awill4x4 wrote:We use the 1mm cutting discs a lot and if you use some styrene wax (surfboard wax will do) it stops the blade from clogging up.
Whatever you do, DO NOT use a tungsten tipped blade or you are likely to lose a couple of fingers. We use one at work specifically for removing alloy welds on a 4" (100mm) grinder and if it grabs you have little chance of holding it in place. We know how to use it and we move in one direction only (left to right) if you go in the other direction it's very likely to grab and try to rip out of your hands and it's no fun trying to dodge a tungsten tipped blade spinning about 4000 rpm.
We affectionately call our tungsten blade either "lethal" or "meat axe" for obvious reasons.
The reason we have one is where I used to work previously the company was made to throw it away by Workcare inspectors as they've seen the results of what these things do.
Regards Andrew.
I would use a jigsaw. dont use a alluminum blade in my industry they are called a "death wheel" or "killer saw' for good reason. I have seen a guy at work cut his hole nose off with one. This is probly why they are banned on job sites in NSW.
P.E.T.A
People eating tasty animals.
Posts: 142
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:13 pm

Post by MY92SURF »

Ultrathins will do it, but are NOT recommended by the manafacturer (I work for Flexovit). Flexovit do an ally cutting wheel which uses a mix of Aluminium Oxide grain and Sillicone Carbide grain, and is iron free...

These should be available through Blackwoods, Coventry's, BOC, even Bunnings stock them i think.

The steel centre tungsten tipped blades are great if you like losing limbs... they're friggen dangerous.
Posts: 210
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:21 pm
Location: Bunyip Victoria.

Post by goannaoffroad »

Tungsten tipped blades are for drop saws and other fixed type machines,
NOT hand held grinders that probably have the wrong speed rating for these type of blades anyway . When I cut alloy with a metal blade I lube it with a cake of soap as many fab shops do.
Goanna Off Road, Out the back in the shed.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests