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May 12, 2010 13:24:54 GMT
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That would be a pain in the chuff to do with Gilbows. Tried doing 5 foot cuts ? To get a neat edge you cut 5-6mm away from the wanted line, then cut again. Therefore 30 feet of hand cutting poss with big wobbly sheet. Air or electric will be way faster n easier. Nibblers are OK, chips can stick in yer boots and chop the kitchen lino though, resulting in a bout of earache... cough.
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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May 12, 2010 16:38:15 GMT
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I think that unless it is real easy, I will just go the thin blade on the angle grinder route, be carefull, and cut a couple of mm from the line, then use the beltsander on a fine belt to sand back a bit.
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May 12, 2010 17:07:23 GMT
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By cutting disc I meant a 4 1/2 inch grinder 1mm cutting disc's and no guard.
Lay the sheet on the yard floor and take your time its only thin so the disc wont clog.
That's exactly what we used to do when re-skinning coaches with 2mm ally.
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May 12, 2010 17:12:43 GMT
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By cutting disc I meant a 4 1/2 inch grinder 1mm cutting disc's and no guard. Lay the sheet on the yard floor and take your time its only thin so the disc wont clog. That's exactly what we used to do when re-skinning coaches with 2mm ally. Thanks mate, it is great getting advice from those who have walked the walk. I will do just that, guard off, and thin disc. |
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,786 
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May 12, 2010 17:29:58 GMT
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I'd opt for the 1mm cutting disc in a grinder tbh.
Just a thought tho' (not tried it) but what about a circular saw with fine(ish) blade and something to run along as a guide ? Possibly between sheets of ply ?
Large dia blade means less chance to run off.
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May 12, 2010 18:12:35 GMT
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By cutting disc I meant a 4 1/2 inch grinder 1mm cutting disc's and no guard. Lay the sheet on the yard floor and take your time its only thin so the disc wont clog. That's exactly what we used to do when re-skinning coaches with 2mm ally. Thanks mate, it is great getting advice from those who have walked the walk. I will do just that, guard off, and thin disc. FFS wear glasses you wont be able to see the alloy spark shower!! |
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You can get slitting discs that are designed for ally. Better than the 'stainless' ones, less cloggy, less like to dig and want to kick.
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'66 Amazon <-> '94 LS400 <-> '86 Suzuki 1135 EFE
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,712
Club RR Member Number: 34
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never, ever use abrasives for cutting/grinding ally. it an unbeleveably stupid thing to do.
they will clog up badly with the molten ally, causing the disc to vibrate as the ally will build up more in some places than others. then the disc will shatter in your face.
i pointed all this out to a mate recently who was wanting to part off some welded together 3pc split rims so he could widen them.but obviously he knew better than me and carried on regardless with the 1mm disc. it shattered in his face. by some bizarre stroke of luck he was wearing a motorbike helmet with visor to do it cos he'd lost his goggles!!!
it took a rather big chunk (1" square) out of the chinpiece. suffice to say he stopped using the grinder to do it then...............
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ImpManiac
Part of things
Imps... Imps... Imps...
Posts: 868
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I thought NIBBLERZ too.  But I would go with the angle grinder with 1 mm slit disc. I have only recently discovered them and they are REALLY GOOD! Plus 5 for 4 quids on the bay of e-ness too... Paul  |
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1966 Singer Chamois sprint/hillclimb car in white over blue two tone
1975 Triumph Stag long term project (over 20 years so far) in colour TBA
2003 Vauxhall Vectra GSi 3.2 in black sapphire
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May 14, 2010 12:03:02 GMT
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If it's only thin ally, why not score, fold and snap? Use a straight edge and a scriber (a sharp centrepunch, or a ground to shape drill bit) to draw your "cut" line on the sheet, then clamp the sheet between a table edge and a piece of bar with the edge directly underneath the score line. bend the free end of the sheet up and down slowly until metal fatigue does the job for you then you can sand the edge smooth. |
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
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MrSpeedy
East Midlands
www.vintagediesels.co.uk
Posts: 4,786
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May 14, 2010 12:25:52 GMT
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never, ever use abrasives for cutting/grinding ally. it an unbeleveably stupid thing to do. they will clog up badly with the molten ally, causing the disc to vibrate as the ally will build up more in some places than others. then the disc will shatter in your face. I pointed all this out to a mate recently who was wanting to part off some welded together 3pc split rims so he could widen them.but obviously he knew better than me and carried on regardless with the 1mm disc. it shattered in his face. by some bizarre stroke of luck he was wearing a motorbike helmet with visor to do it cos he'd lost his goggles!!! it took a rather big chunk (1" square) out of the chinpiece. suffice to say he stopped using the grinder to do it then............... Not entirely true. I often use a 1mm Stainless cutting disc on Ali when i can't be bothered to get the plasma cutter out. Never had any problems with build up/ balance/ explosions, but then i must be more sympathetic to the tools i'm using |
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May 14, 2010 16:13:19 GMT
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never, ever use abrasives for cutting/grinding ally. it an unbeleveably stupid thing to do. they will clog up badly with the molten ally, causing the disc to vibrate as the ally will build up more in some places than others. then the disc will shatter in your face. I pointed all this out to a mate recently who was wanting to part off some welded together 3pc split rims so he could widen them.but obviously he knew better than me and carried on regardless with the 1mm disc. it shattered in his face. by some bizarre stroke of luck he was wearing a motorbike helmet with visor to do it cos he'd lost his goggles!!! it took a rather big chunk (1" square) out of the chinpiece. suffice to say he stopped using the grinder to do it then............... Not entirely true. I often use a 1mm Stainless cutting disc on Ali when I can't be bothered to get the plasma cutter out. Never had any problems with build up/ balance/ explosions, but then I must be more sympathetic to the tools i'm using The only reason the disc will of shattered is by miss use and /or old damp discs, I have used this method for years re-panneling coaches box vans horse boxes ect, Only a fool blames the tool. |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,712
Club RR Member Number: 34
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May 14, 2010 17:26:53 GMT
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misuse like using it to cut a material the manufacturer specifically says not to use it on?
call me a fool all you like, i know I'm right, and I'm not stupid enough to try it again.
if they were for cutting ally it would say so on the box, its wouldnt specifically say 'not for use on non-ferrous metals'.
the reason for this is the cutting and grinding discs sold for working steel are usually aluminium oxide based, so the semi-molten aluminium tries to fuse with the disc as they melt and drag the metal around, it sticks to the disc, causes imbalance, and then they can potentially shatter, (which i have seen first hand, more than once) not to mention the abuse to the bearings or the big chunks of half molten hot ally they throw off when they clog up to the point where it throws it off.
plus, angle grinders spin far too fast for working aluminium, which generates too much heat and again causes melting problems.
but it seems you know best, better than the manufactures of said products it seems, just don't expect any sympathy when youve got bits of cutting disc and melted ally embedded in your face.
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May 14, 2010 19:10:19 GMT
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 That you finished then DEZ?? Great stuff. How you getting on Grizz?? |
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Last Edit: May 14, 2010 19:25:47 GMT by usedabused
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But I would go with the angle grinder with 1 mm slit disc. I have only recently discovered them and they are REALLY GOOD! Plus 5 for 4 quids on the bay of e-ness too...
