Cutting aluminum platens

[inkman996]

I just cut down w full set of aluminum platens to a smaller size. I got great advice from Brian (blinkspot) and I figured I would throw a quick vid on doing this. I know some people like to resize palettes and some may be to nervous to try it them selves, hopefully this shows it's very easy and certainly not dangerous or risky.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6JJqtaJr0Dc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

cutting a platen

[Binkspot]

Thanks Inkman, wondering how you made out with that. You can do all sorts of things to aluminium with wood working tool like chop saw, skill saw, router, etc. The harder the aluminum the easier it is to cut. Used to cut 1/2" 6064 vertically no problem.

[inkman996]

I have a high quality round over for my router if I need to round the edges slightly

[Dottonedan]

Good food to help us grow. Love to see this kind of rich content.  I was thinking, if I were me doing that, I'd HAVE to find a way to round the corners off softly. Those little things bother me like fingernals on a chalk board. Just cutting them at 45 would eat at me every time I put a shirt on. LOL. What do they call that? Idiosyncrasies I think or even OCD. Not sure but I'd round them off with a file for a month if need be. 

Good tool.

Thanks
Dan

[inkman996]

Using a die grinder I rounded or rather smoothed the transition from the angle to the straight edges it really is perfectly fine. As for making it perfectly round I guess you could do it with a jig saw, or if you have a band saw you could make a jig that you can turn the platen on a radius and get round corners, tho it is really a lot of work for something that is only visually appealing.

[Printwizard]

Jesus, I'd be too scared, I woulda couriered them off to action or an engineering shop!

[jmd]

Cutting Aluminum is alot like cutting wood. Using a carbide blade as you say, the more teeth, the less chatter and smoother cut. Water based lubricant or wax keeps the heat down. As for rounding the corners, you can use a band or jig saw and finish with a belt sander (keep it moving). Pre Cutting the the rubber first will also help. Ink is right about the aluminum chips (dust) getting all over the place. I would recomend taking this outside, if not have a helper hold the end of a shop vac close to where your cutting to suck up most of the dust as it is being created. 

[inkman996]

Wizard I would say it was no more difficult than cutting wet wood. There was always a slight case of chattering but no big deal, it litterally cuts through like butter.


The dust and chips sucked but easily cleaned up afterwards with a shop vac and air hose, like I said in the video if you do it inside absolutely protect all your electronics and any area that has metal metal contact like your servo or center shaft.

[Homer]

10 cool points for skrillex. . .

[inkman996]

Ha Ha ten points to Homer for catching Skrillex!