[R-390] Cutting Aluminum sheet for your R390

[Barry]

Nibblers are also good at this sort of thing:

http://www.eastwood.com/electric-metal-cutting-shears.html?fee=7&fep=2378&SRCCODE=PLA00020&product_id=13475

I have an very old set of manual nibblers that I use for small jobs.  It might take a while for something the size of the cutouts for a Utah plate, but it would be a bit safer than a table saw, etc.

I also have a RotoZip saw with diamond blades that would work as well.  Those are very handy for all sorts of small tight jobs.

Good luck!

73,
Barry - N4BUQ

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Doug Hensley" <w5jv at hotmail.com>
> To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 9:29:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Cutting Aluminum sheet for your R390
> 
> Perry, the right way to do that is to have a shop chop it on their cutting
> shear.  If that is prohibitive for you, laying it out with clear marked
> lines that you can see and using a double cut saw would be easiest.
> 
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/5-in-75-amp-heavy-duty-double-cut-saw-62448.html
> 
> 
> or an electric hand shear:
> 
> 
> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200641785_200641785?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Power%20Tools%20%3E%20Cutters,%20Shears%20%2B%20Nibblers&utm_campaign=Ironton&utm_content=46257&gclid=CLzhlP3Z_c8CFUUbaQodXH0G_A
> 
> 
> On a table saw, the blade is going to want to pull on the sheeting if your
> feed pressure or clamping jig is not right.  Then  it will try to kick the
> sheet metal up over itself.  Not a good thing to do.  To control the sheet,
> you could sandwich sheeting between two pieces of plywood or pine wood and
> that will dampen the vibration enough so that you can cut through.  But
> then, accuracy is tough to get that way.
> 
> 
> The problem is not the cutting of the aluminum, its preparing the sheet metal
> so that the saw passes through it without moving it.  I went to NASA on the
> Gulf Coast one time for a university I was working for and cut off a twelve
> foot by eight foot piece of 1 1/8" T6061 with a skillsaw and bottle of spray
> lubricant.  Taking my time, it cut like butter but you see the plate did not
> move and so the saw just took its sweet time and enjoyed the ride !  The
> magic is all in the planning.
> 
> 
> Good luck,
> 
> 
> Doug W5JV
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 28 Oct 2016 05:47:35 +0000 (UTC)
> From: Perry Sandeen <sandeenpa at yahoo.com>
> To: "r-390 at mailman.qth.net" <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [R-390] Cutting Aluminium Plate
> 
> 
> List,
> Some of my A's are missing the Utah plate.
> I have some very nice sheeting of about the same thickness.
> I'd like to cut them on my table saw that has a new 10 inch 40 tooth carbide
> blade.
> Good idea? Bad idea? ?Pitfalls to avoid?
> Regards,
> Perrier
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> 
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