Any of you have any experience cutting aluminum? What to use to make a nice cut?

I have to enlarge the outside fog light holes in my aluminum to fit in some nice LightForce ones that come up from the South of the border. After a trip out to hunting camp in a blizzard, I decided the OEM fog lights are useless - even with upgraded bulbs.

Any welding shop in the Edmonton area is so far behind right now it's unrealistic to find anyone to do a couple hours work. However, a couple have suggested to use a jigsaw and file to finish.

Any tips?

 

Jigsaw will work fine as aluminum is pretty soft. Die grinder works good also if you run it a little slower than you would cutting steel and if you have one, use a single cut burr.

 

another idea , I just finish cutting my H2 wheel with a flush cut carbide bit on my router and it worked great, take a piece of wood and cut it to the size you want , attach it to the aluminum with clamps and use the router to cut the diameter you want. should work.

 

Circular saw with a regular carbide wood blade works perfect. (DO NOT TURN THE BLADE AROUND BACKWARDS!!) You can also use a plasma cutter except the cut isn't as smooth as a circular saw. FYI the local livestock trailer MFG uses a regular everyday table saw, so no this isn't a redneck way to kill yourself. It cuts as easy as plywood.

 

I think that would be fine for a straight cut, but I have to do a round cut and enlarge an existing oval hole to round.

 

Jig saw works but you need a coarse tooth blade, the regular metal blades just gum up. Plasma cutter (if you have access to one). You could use a router and if the bit gets gummed up with aluminum just soak it in "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner.

 

You should be able to use a metal cutting blade in a jig saw. The secret is to use some cutting oil to prevent teeth from gumming up. Also on the die grinder bit.
WD-40 will work good on aluminum.

 

I hogged out the holes on my H2 rims with a non-ferrous carbide in my diegrinder.........like 4 minutes per rim.


...and someone hit the key there, lube is the key. even good nonferous single cut carbides pile up with aluminum

 

Find a machine shop. You dont need it welded.

 

Machine shops around here are like the welding shops. Overbooked until spring. I did pickup up a good jigsaw and blades. Now I just have to muster up the nuts to do it - I really don't want to make a mess of it. Will do alot of measuring, remeasuring, and prep before hand. Hope this doesn't hurt.

 

Be careful if the aluminum is thin, the blade can "grab" it and really bend the project, not good. The smaller the teeth on the blade, the less it will grab but the more it will tend to clog. As mentioned earlier, lubrication is the key, and keep re-coating the blade and workpiece. Also if the aluminum is thin, try to back it with something, thin paneling, plywood, another piece of metal, anything will make a difference. If the aluminum starts to vibrate, you should deal with it, you will get a crummy cut and the blade will grab easier. Backing is the solution.

 

A cone stone on a hand grinder will work to, probably the easiest way to do it. Mark out the circle you want cut out and away you go.

 

The aluminum on my bumper is 3/8" thick - no vibration. Almost forgot about the lubrication part......thanks.

 

In case the jigsaw thing doesn't work as planned, how big a cone stone? I have a 4.5" grinder.

 

Just go to a welding supplies store take your grinder and get one that will fit on the shaft. get as big of one that will go on your grinder. It will go through it like butter. A lot easier than a jig saw, and the finished work will look better.