Aluminium Sheet Cutting

[BZR4AGE]

Hi Guys.

Anyone on the forum deals with Aluminium sheets? I am looking at making a cold air diversion plate for my car, but I need it quite urgently (must be done this thursday) as my car will be going to the tuner on Friday.

Anyone can help? I will have proper drawings and dimensions done by tonight.

Cheers

Daniel

[KinLoud]

make it out of cardboard and gaffer tape
that will get you to the tuner - then you can get it made in alloy at your leisure

Ken

[postfach]

I can get aluminium sheets. How big is the part you want to make?

[Malcolm]

Nalco, Mico and Ullrich do aluminium sheets, Nalco does them cut to size and you can but the offcuts a bit cheaper if they have something the right size (not sure about the others). You can easily cut up to 2mm thick aluminium with tin-snips (good ones), otherwise a jigsaw also does the job pretty well. If you want it done really nicely then waterjet cutting is a good solution, and Aquacut2000 do this and can do it with just a hand drawing, and are just down the road from Nalco which is handy.

[BZR4AGE]

This is basically what I am trying to do. I've made this model up. Postfach, can you help and also cut it up and make the bends? I don't have the tools at home? I can pay you etc and a box of beer? PM me if you can help, and I will send better images in PDF.









It doesn't need to be thick. the thinner the better, so I can easily adjust the bends as necessary.

Cheers!

[Bazda]

If you took that up to silverdale water cutters they could cut that out for you easy as. But you will still need to bend it your self.

[Malcolm]

and all you need to bend aluminium is a flat, square edge (e.g. a block of wood), and some clamps. You'd be amazed at how easily you can do all this, but you have to plan ahead because sometimes if you bend in the wrong order you'll find you can't clamp where you need to to make some of the bends.

[BZR4AGE]

Thanks guys, I've e-mailed a couple of ppl to get it cut, and will try to bend it myself if they can't. The problem is I work in a office Monday - Friday 8-5, thats why I can't go out and do it myself before the Friday deadline.

[Bazda]

Thanks guys, I've e-mailed a couple of ppl to get it cut, and will try to bend it myself if they can't. The problem is I work in a office Monday - Friday 8-5, thats why I can't go out and do it myself before the Friday deadline.

You can just email the drawing to:
Kevin Hellens
Water Cutting Services
P O Box 489
Silverdale
23 Peters Way
Silverdale, Auckland
New Zealand
Ph +64 9 421 9073
Fax+64 9 421 0634
Cell 021-448-504
email: kevin@oscs.co.nz
www.onestopcuttingshop.co.nz

He can wack it out in a day sometimes. Prices are very good also. plus its a nice neat finish. If you want a shiny finish ask them to laser cut it. Might cost a bit more than water cutting though.

[BZR4AGE]

Thanks BAZ! Will contact him now

[Sideros]

Check out this stuff www.alcotex.com it's an aluminium composite panel - 4mm thick which is very easily bent etc and folded to create anything pretty much.

I use it at work and have made several things out of it for myself. If you want something a bit different and pretty flash give me a shout and i can easily fold up that diagram, obviously not in time for when you need it but if you wanted it at a later stage.

Being a composite panel it also has an added benefit of a resin core helping to give it thermal protection.

[BZR4AGE]

Anyone else here can do it today or tomorrow? despite numerous e-mails etc, no one seems to be able to do it before friday. I would have thought that it is a really simple shape to cut etc. I would have done it myself If I had the tools at home.........

[BZR4AGE]

Unfortunately no one can cut it for me in time, so I will be DIYing at home. Planning to get a jigsaw to cut it. the thickness is 1.6mm. Will that be OK?

How do I get a perfect straight line? I am thinking a metal rule with G-clamps to keep the jigsaw straight.

Any other tips? Will I need special blade for cutting metal? Sorry for all the newbie questions, I've done woodwork before years back when I was in college, but never did metal design...regretting now.

[2LTR Rona]

Personally I would go with a decent pair ofr snips as mentioned above by Malcom, I have found in the past when cutting thin metal with air saws etc the vibration from the saw leaves a rough edge.

With a decent set of snips you can always go back and trim as required

[BZR4AGE]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I did try that yesterday cutting into smaller pieces. But the problem is, 1.6mm is not very flexible (can't bend easily - to my surprise), and when using snips, is great for starting, but once you are at the middle of the piece, is quit hard due to the size of the snip blade. - Hope you understand.

Say if I use a jigsaw, I guess i should use a file to smooth out the edges?

[fivebob]

if you want to get a cleaner edge with a jigsaw then clamp the alloy between two pieces of thin (5-8mm) mdf, cut them all at once while they're securely clamped to a workbench with as little overhang as possible.

[sergei]

Also use fine metal cutting blade.
I saw some people attack alloy with wood blade

I sometimes use dremel with cut-off wheel to cut trhough thin steel, I doubt would work really well with alloy as alloy tends to become viscous when cut with temperature.

[postfach]

Where in Auckland are you? I've got some tools that will make life much easier for you but you'd have to come to me to use them, I'm in Northcote.

[BZR4AGE]

Where in Auckland are you? I've got some tools that will make life much easier for you but you'd have to come to me to use them, I'm in Northcote.

I live in Howick! But I can come to you tonight if I draw it all up on a sheet of Aluminium? A box of beer for it?

[postfach]

Have replied to your pm.