# Forum Home Renovation Metalwork & Welding  Cutting Aluminium on circular saw

## Bros

I need to cut some 10mm aluminium alloy plate and I see on line people have done it on a circular bench saw. I have a few 40 tooth blades and I don't care if they go to heaven after the job just I don't want to go with it. 
Has anyone here actually done this?

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## sol381

10mm seems a bit thick but if i have to cut alloy i reverse the blade. Instead of chewing through, it kind of slices. works well. Old tiler gave me the tip years ago. Safer that way as well. Less chance the carbide teeth flying off.

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## Bros

> 10mm seems a bit think but if i have to cut alloy i reverse the blade. Instead of chewing through, it kind of slices. works well. Old tiler gave me the tip years ago. Safer that way as well. Less chance the carbide teeth flying off.

  Interesting approach.

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## Whitey66

I use a 100 tooth specially made for aluminium and it does a great job. I tried an 80 tooth wood blade on some aluminium channel I needed to cut and it was downright dangerous. 10mm plate might be a different story though, especially if cutting it laying flat so there's less chance of it grabbing an edge. I also read about fitting the blade backwards but I didn't like that idea as the tungsten blade tips would be pulled away from steel blade body, rather than pushing into it. Most tips are only brazed on. 
This is the one I bought - https://www.totaltools.com.au/123321...hoCdEMQAvD_BwE 
Or they do a 254mm one for $10 cheaper but it is only 80 tooth. 
If you do use your 40 tooth, just remember the safest way to do it to to get someone else to do it  :Smilie:

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## johnc

You pass the aluminium through slowly, if it bites it gets scary fast. I also have a metal blade made by some Australian crowd whose name I have forgotten and has worn off the blade. However in an SCMS I have no problems docking aluminium extrusions with any blade going

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## cyclic

> I use a 100 tooth specially made for aluminium and it does a great job. I tried an 80 tooth wood blade on some aluminium channel I needed to cut and it was downright dangerous. 10mm plate might be a different story though, especially if cutting it laying flat so there's less chance of it grabbing an edge. I also read about fitting the blade backwards but I didn't like that idea as the tungsten blade tips would be pulled away from steel blade body, rather than pushing into it. Most tips are only brazed on. 
> This is the one I bought - https://www.totaltools.com.au/123321...hoCdEMQAvD_BwE 
> Or they do a 254mm one for $10 cheaper but it is only 80 tooth. 
> If you do use your 40 tooth, just remember the safest way to do it to to get someone else to do it

  I agree with the 100 tooth.
I have done a lot of ali cutting on light stuff, roof racks, angle and flat ali etc 
Try the blades you have but use lots of lubricant in the form of either a wax block or WD40 or RP7 and don't push the saw like you might with timber.
Be gentle so you keep the tungsten teeth from burning/grabbing. 
I am talking a drop saw not hand held or bench power saw.

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## phild01

> I use a 100 tooth specially made for aluminium and it does a great job.

  I often cut thin sections of aluminium but it seems to dull my blade. Never tried one like that, do they cut timber with ease too. Just don't like swapping blades on the radial arm saw.

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## Bros

> bench power saw.

  Should have explained it more.

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## r3nov8or

I used no teeth at all (or 'millions'). Similar to this, in my drop saw. Used to cut aluminium seating profile. Take it slow...  https://www.totaltools.com.au/172-fl...sc-66252841606

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## Bros

> I used no teeth at all (or 'millions'). Similar to this, in my drop saw. Used to cut aluminium seating profile. Take it slow...  https://www.totaltools.com.au/172-fl...sc-66252841606

  Can you use these in a bench saw?

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## cyclic

> I often cut thin sections of aluminium but it seems to dull my blade. Never tried one like that, do they cut timber with ease too. Just don't like swapping blades on the radial arm saw.

  Yes

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## cyclic

> I used no teeth at all (or 'millions'). Similar to this, in my drop saw. Used to cut aluminium seating profile. Take it slow...  https://www.totaltools.com.au/172-fl...sc-66252841606

  Jigsaw works well also but when cutting ali you need lube.

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## cyclic

> Can you use these in a bench saw?

  I would never use a bench saw to cut ali..
Band saw yes, bench saw no.
If you have a jigsaw get a fine metal blade and use it.
Cheapest option imo

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## phild01

> cutting ali you need lube.

  A very long time ago I was sold stuff a bit like a fat candle stick for running against the blade before you cut, still have a remnant of that I still use but doesn't seem to do much.

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## cyclic

> A very long time ago I was sold stuff a bit like a fat candle stick for running against the blade before you cut, still have a remnant of that I still use but doesn't seem to do much.

  Wax block as mentioned in #6
Works good with flexovit blades but not so good with tungsten tip blades, that is where WD40 or RP7 works well.

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## Bros

Thanks all I will give that idea away as it looked the cheapest way for me to cut a straight line as me and straight lines in longish section of metal don't go together.

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## phild01

A suggestion to the old shed they need a metal guillotine :Biggrin:

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## Bros

> A suggestion to the old shed they need a metal guillotine

   We have one but 10mm is a bit to thick and using a guillotine on something that thick has the effect of distorting the surface.

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## Uncle Bob

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a plasma cutter, since you've already got a compressor.

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## intertd6

You need a blade with 0' or negative tooth angle, any positive rake on the tooth can pickup the material, tungsten is many times harder than steel so you won't affect the sharpness of the tooth, I've got a metal cutting blade for a 7 1/4" saw which I use for thin sheet , for thick sheet I'd clamp a guide & do a few passes, I would suggest wearing googles as the metal swarf is very dangerous to the eyes & it only takes a speck of it in your eye for a long wait in the hospital emergency department.
inter

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## YoungBolt

I personally would rather use a tool made for the job.  
Buy a 2nd metal cut off saw from fb marketplace/gumtree and fit a blade made for non-ferrous materials. A masonary cut-off wheel can also be used to cut alloy quite nicely.

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## havabeer

i cut up a heap of 2mm box/rectangle sections of aluminium on my Mitre saw. i did buy a specific aluminium blade for it though, probably doesn't help you with your specific task but the mitre saw chewed through it easily and safely.  
the only is was that the swarf sections peppered the plastic covering on the laser line so now it scatters the beam everywhere. 
i think you would be fine using a circular and do 2 passes. https://www.totaltools.com.au/74856-...ialized-b15562 $65 
another option would be a cheapish jig saw and aluminium blade.

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## Bros

Just to conclude. I took my piece down to a friend of mine who has a large workshop which includes a big guillotine and I was going to cut it on that but he said not to as it could distort it but to use the circular saw. I have used this saw to cut hardwood but I was bit hesitant from all the warnings here so he did it but he said the key to it was using a lot of INOX which stops the aluminium adhering to the saw blade. 
Well it went like a hot knife through butter and the chips would have only come up to my elbow and were not an issue.

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## phild01

Looks like a good blade for the job too.

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## cyclic

Just noticed Aldi have a 3 pack of TT blades on sale next week for $20 although they only go up to 80 tooth.
Different sizes.

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