I have two pieces of appx 1/4-1/2" thick and about 12" wide aluminum that I have to do a straight cut on. Is it possible to do this with a metal cutting blade in a miter saw? The cut needs to be perfectly straight so I figured this would be the best bet.

I don't see a problem with it, as long as the blade is designed to cut nonferrous metals. The same blade on a table saw should also work fine.

You'll want a pretty strong saw and the right blade. I cut a whole lot of aluminum on a mid-size mitre saw and found the motor lacking. The whole thing would warp a little askew, but I managed to get my assemblages completed (display frames for a convention).

I do remember wanting compressed air to blow metal shavings out of the saw.

I should note too that this will be a one time project.

I do it all the time with my Makita sliding chop saw just a standard 60 or 80 tooth atb works fine, just hang on or clamp it down and go slow. I have been a cabinetmaker for 32 years so I have cut a few pieces.

XLT has it right - just use a standard ATB blade with carbide teeth and you can cut aluminum all day long. Of course, instead of sawdust, you end up with shiny metal chips everywhere!

Earplugs and gloves will be your friend!

Miter saws usually run at a much higher rpm than a chop saw and can cause a regular metal cutting fiber blade to wobble and make it hard to get a straight cut. I've jut turned a regular carbide tip wood blade backward and used it to cut aluminum many times

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SummersAtTheLake,

As XLT said, clamp it well. Aluminum is not forgiving like wood is. You can spray the blade with WD40 before and during cutting, this helps a lot.

I'm a welder who welds aluminum all day and we use a regular delta contractor's table saw to cut aluminum all day long, our miter saws are commercial machines but they were built for cutting wood. Just put a good blade on it

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
I do it all the time with my Makita sliding chop saw just a standard 60 or 80 tooth atb works fine, just hang on or clamp it down and go slow. I have been a cabinetmaker for 32 years so I have cut a few pieces.

I have been an accountant for 40 years. But I have made most of the furniture/cabinets in our house, mostly of oak, walnut, maple. (And I still have all of my fingers, albeit with too many evidences of violating rule #1, don't touch the blade when it is moving)

First of all, I hate you (as I don't have a Makita sliding chop saw).

I would bet you are somewhat above the average cabinetmaker. Please tell me you don't specialize in particle board cabinets. And I would also bet your finished product is much prettier than my financial statements/analysis.

quote:

Originally posted by SummersAtTheLake:
I've jut turned a regular carbide tip wood blade backward and used it to cut aluminum many times

This was the trick my contractor father-in-law taught me.
With the blade running backward, it doesn't dig in too much and makes a nice cut.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
Earplugs and gloves will be your friend!

And eye protection!

quote:

Originally posted by SIGguy229:

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
Earplugs and gloves will be your friend!

And eye protection!

This times 100x.

Saw dust is annoying.

Aluminum flakes are vision ending.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
Earplugs and gloves will be your friend!

ALSO WEAR A RESPIRATOR, aluminum dust is very deadly if you breathe in enough of it.

Thank you for the advice guys. I'll definitely wear sealing eye protection as well as ear and respiratory protection.