ts55 and aluminum sheets

[declinetostate]

I have a box van that needs new aluminum skins. The aluminum is regular .040" powder coated truck stock. I'm wanting to use my ts55. All but two cuts will be the short dimension of 49" long. Has anyone used a ts55 on thin aluminum sheet? I'm thinking of using a piece of plywood as backing and just relying on the splinter guard to keep the face clean. I'm also not sure if I should buy the steel blade for the saw. Aluminum is pretty soft but i am worried about the tooth set up. I don't want to catch the edge and mess up my sheets. Any opinions or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[tbellemare]

There's a blade designed for aluminum and plastic for the TS 55. It works quite well for aluminum profiles but I can't think of anyone I know that uses it for thin sheets. There is no steel blade for the TS 55 that I know of.

I'd try it experimentally to see how clean you can get it. I suspect that if you use both splinter guards, it will work fine.

Tom

 

[peter halle]

I am going to let the educated here tell you about the blade, but if the material is thin I would wonder if you might try an experiment with a foam sheet as a backer.  Less wear on the blade and I doubt that with the material thickness and relatively fast feed rate you would not have an issue with heat and the foam.

If I am nuts about this I sure others will let us know.  [popcorn]

Peter

 

[DKurzweil]

My experience is with the TS75, but it should follow over to the 55 as well.

Cutting 1/8 inch sheet with mdf as a backer works extremely well.  The cut edges were perfect, near mirror finish, it didn't even need more deburring than a light pass with a file.

comparing the festool blade to a freud blade, which is very good, the festool was much better.  

I guess what I'm trying to say is the festool aluminum blade with an mdf backer is the way i would go.

Hope it helps,
Daniel

Edit:
Another thought, if you can (if you are cutting multiple panels that are the same size), stack the sheets to increase the rigidity.

 

[ccarrolladams]

The metal fabrication business I co-own uses several TS55 to saw aluminum sheets and plates as thick as 0.500" They use the 56 tooth Festool Aluminum/Plastic blade cat 496 307. They use CT22 with the new cloth-like bags and the spark deflector.

The trick to getting clean cuts is the support under the aluminum.

We use MDF which we cut into at least 5mm, so under the MDF there is a permanent support of 0.375" steel.

With the 56 teeth, cutting aluminum of 0.040" should be no problem

 

[nickao]

If I wanted to rip 1.5" wide .5" thick pieces of 8' aluminum flat stock in 1/2(getting 2 slightly less than 3/4" pieces 8 feet long), what would be the best blade  for a 10" table saw? What depth of cut?

 

[declinetostate]

thanks guys
After looking around a bit I realized it was an aluminum cutting blade that Festool sells. I do like the idea of the foam backing. I didn't think about stacking the cuts. I have to trim them all for length so I might try the stacking method as a test. I have plenty of cut off so I can give it a shot without messing up the real cut.  The fun part is going to be in the pre-drilling for the new screws. I plan on using the old sheets as a drill template. It's only 8 sheets total but it's almost 800 screws! I might cut the number down since I'm lining the interior with ply. The current rivet pattern is 4" on center. I might skip every other one. I think the close spacing is mostly for strength against interior hits. I have this crazy idea of a miter station slide out. I plan on cutting an 8' long by 34" tall door on the passenger side just above the deck. The door will swing down and then I would have a kapex station on 500lb drawer slides that will pull out. The kapex will be plumbed to a ct26 that will live in the truck. I'm trying to minimize set up and tear down time. Most of the houses I work on can easily have the saws set up in the driveway. I'm trying to set this up so I run one cord from the house, one air hose from the truck, and then the saws stay on the truck. The whole driver side of the box will have home made sys ports floor to ceiling. The systainers are going to be two deep. My wife doesn't get it.... I just had to let it out to some people that might understand... I'll have to show some pictures when I get this thing done. thanks for the help on the ts55. I'll have to order the blade.

 

[DKurzweil]

thanks guys
After looking around a bit I realized it was an aluminum cutting blade that Festool sells. I do like the idea of the foam backing. I didn't think about stacking the cuts. I have to trim them all for length so I might try the stacking method as a test. I have plenty of cut off so I can give it a shot without messing up the real cut.  The fun part is going to be in the pre-drilling for the new screws. I plan on using the old sheets as a drill template. It's only 8 sheets total but it's almost 800 screws! I might cut the number down since I'm lining the interior with ply. The current rivet pattern is 4" on center. I might skip every other one. I think the close spacing is mostly for strength against interior hits. I have this crazy idea of a miter station slide out. I plan on cutting an 8' long by 34" tall door on the passenger side just above the deck. The door will swing down and then I would have a kapex station on 500lb drawer slides that will pull out. The kapex will be plumbed to a ct26 that will live in the truck. I'm trying to minimize set up and tear down time. Most of the houses I work on can easily have the saws set up in the driveway. I'm trying to set this up so I run one cord from the house, one air hose from the truck, and then the saws stay on the truck. The whole driver side of the box will have home made sys ports floor to ceiling. The systainers are going to be two deep. My wife doesn't get it.... I just had to let it out to some people that might understand... I'll have to show some pictures when I get this thing done. thanks for the help on the ts55. I'll have to order the blade.

If you need dead on accurate holes, spend a little extra time and go around to each hole and hit it with a center punch first.  This gives a divit that centers the drill bit, ensuring an accurately places hole. 

Just a thought.

Daniel

 

[tjbnwi]

Install whatever blade you have backwards in the saw. At 0.040 it will cut very well. This is the same way you cut vinyl siding.

Back with foam, set the depth to just clear the tooth.

Be carefull how you move the sheets once cut, you don't want to scratch the finish. Vacuum off the foam between sheets changes.

Use the Tek, steel siding/roofing screws with the rubber washers to secure the panels. If you wish to get the screws in the same holes, overlay the original panel and use a vid bit to center the hole.

DT65,

I would not use less than a 60 tooth TGC blade to cut the aluminum bar stock. I would start at a 1/8" deep cut to start. You may be able to cut deeper depending on the aluminum alloy number.

By the way, I would cut this with my TS55. I already have the blade.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

decline,

If you want to avoid using screws all together, use 3M VHB (very high bond) or UHB (ultra high bond) 2 sided tape. 3M also makes a 2 part adhesive for screwless installs, the tape is easier. This is how the manufactures do their screwless products, saves time and money, yet they charge more for the product.

Forgot to mention in my previous post, wear the proper hand, eye and ear protection when working on the panels.

Tom

 

[Svar]

Interesting discussion. I’ve cut aluminum on table saw no problem, but TS could be a good alternative.
Related question: Would cutting aluminum or other metal for that matter mess up plastic splinter guard with sharp, hot shavings?

 

[ccarrolladams]

Interesting discussion. I’ve cut aluminum on table saw no problem, but TS could be a good alternative.
Related question: Would cutting aluminum or other metal for that matter mess up plastic splinter guard with sharp, hot shavings?

Our experience is that the aluminum dust and chips tend to stick within the plunge saws. Same is true of the guide rail splinter guards.

For these reasons none of the guide rails or saws from my custom cabinet shop are ever used for metal fabrication, nor are any of the saws at the metal fabrication business used in my custom cabinet shop.

Shortly after I bought my first TS55 for my personal use, my business partner in the metal fabrication business stopped by my condo as I was breaking down a few sheets of maple plywood for a project. He asked if I thought a similar saw would be useful on aluminum. I replied that a special blade was mentioned in the Festool catalog. That was when I contacted the Festool rep I had met at my dealer. The next day he drove to the metal shop and demonstrated cutting aluminum with a TS55, guide rails and the Aluminum blade. Immediately my co-owner ordered a TS55, some aluminum blades, a CT22 and a 3000mm rail. Those have all remain at the metal shop. We always clamp rails when sawing aluminum.