ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

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ADRIAN
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:43 pm

ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by ADRIAN »

ANYBODY USE SHARK TO CUT ALUMINUM?

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Bob
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by Bob »

I've used it to cut brass ( made a small branding iron) and I would not recommend using it for brass.
I have not used is on aluminum and can not make a recommendation. What are you planning to make? Are you intending to hog out a lot of metal, or do light engraving on a name plate?
Bob
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Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek (Developer of the microscope.)

Tim Owens
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Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by Tim Owens »

This was done with 1/8" dia end mill at .03 depth and 30 ipm. This is a single line font.
CNC Shark In Aluminum
CNC Shark In Aluminum

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Bob
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Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by Bob »

Nice work! What's next?
Bob
"Focus"
Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek (Developer of the microscope.)

ADRIAN
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Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:43 pm

Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by ADRIAN »

Bob
I was thinking about some openings in different control panels. Max thickness of material is 1/8" so it is not too bad - small DOC with high feedrate should works?
Adrian

recrisp
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:13 pm
Location: Texas

Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by recrisp »

I see that it can do some aluminum, and that is one of the things I need to do, but then again, I don't want to mess up my machine, the one I haven't bought yet. heheh
(I'm going to get a Pro Plus soon)
Realizing that metal is probably not what the Sharks were intended for, how good of an idea is it to use it sometimes on it?
So, I'd REALLY, REALLY like to cut some out too, aluminum that is only about 1/16" or less thick.
Anyone here have an answer on that yet?

I really appreciate it if someone can help out on this, and if I need to start a new thread, I will, I didn't want to make one too many if it wasn't needed.

Thanks,

Randy

spinningwood
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 11:28 am

Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by spinningwood »

Randy - The shark has no cooling capability, nor is it designed to accept an add on gracefully. So it's not really suited for machining metal parts. That said, I think you can get by with a little bit of metal work with the right bit, feed and speed. You would also need to have realistic expectations on cut quality and bit life. I think you might be able to break the machine if you get too agressive.

I use a lot of "urban harvest" wood in my work. Sometimes an embedded chunk of metal makes it by the metal detector. I was routing a piece of rosewood on my shark the other day that had a screw hidden in it. Fortunately I was watching the machine when it "discovered" the screw. The assembly that holds the router deflected a pretty good amount and the cutter walked around the screw. It only hit it once because I shut the job down. If I hadn't been paying attention or if I had been taking a deeper cut, it could have gotten real ugly real fast. The best I could have hoped for was a broker bit. Worst case....? Anyway, the point is that the motors on the shark have more than enough force to get you in trouble trying to cut metal, so go easy.

I used to run a bridgeport mill in a machine shop and have machined a lot of metal. I have turned metal on my woodlathe (small embedded metal embellishments and ferrules for tool handles), but it's not something I would want to do frequently. I would not cut metal on my shark unless there was no other way to do it.

Ed

recrisp
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:13 pm
Location: Texas

Re: ALUMINUM CUTTING PROJECT

Post by recrisp »

Thanks Ed, that's kind'a what I assumed from the stuff I'd read.
It makes sense, but I have heard more than once that it can cut/engrave aluminum, so I had to ask.
My deal would be to have to cut more than a few, do I guess I'll have to get that stuff done by water-jet.
I was really hoping that I was going to be able to though, but I had a feeling. heheh

Thanks Ed for you help.

Randy

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