Welding Tips and Tricks

whats the best ways to bevel aluminum plate?

I find the " Evolution " TCT plate saw works quite well if run along a straight edge - sadly the smaller cheaper 180model does not have this feature - you have to buy the 230 model - it will with a good blade make a nice weld prep bevel on steel or aluminum plate. I've not tried it -but there are negative rake blades for regular saws specifically for cutting aluminum - though normally section not plate used by window fitters etc - maybe worth a try before parting with alot of $.
if it's a short " token" for a weld test they can be cut vertically with a TCT dry chop saw - but if I bevel for a test piece I normally throw it up on the big mill & swipe it off with a multi tipped " slab mill " .
I don't recommend it as the results are not great on aluminum - but you can make up an angle gauge that fits the head of a plasma cutter - they will cut at the sort of angle generally used ( 35 > 40 degrees )

http://www.evolutionpowertools.com/uk/steel/evo230.html

Hey,

I think i heard somewhere about beveling aluninium plate with a wood router Not sure exact details. have a look on you tube.

Mick

This would be just for garage practice nothing for a test or anything like that.

amazinblazin wrote:This would be just for garage practice nothing for a test or anything like that.

You can cut most aluminum with your circular saw, with a carbide blade. Set the bevel where you want it, and work slowly.. let the saw do the work. A coarse blade, like 24 tooth, works better than a finer blade.

If you want a "land" after the cut, a few seconds with a flap-wheel will do the trick.

For 1/4" and less, you don't even need a bevel unless your machine is under powered. i use a 3/16" gap and bury a balled 1/8" tungsten right down into the gap so that the arc wets the bottom and then draw the bead from the bottom up.

Freud makes a blade for cutting non-ferrous metal that will fit a 7-1/4" circular saw that cuts smooth-as-silk. Rub some bar soap on the saw plate so that it glides on the plate.

For flat bar stock, say to 4-6", you can turn it on it's edge on a miter saw and set it to 45 (whatever) and nip the corner like that.

I'm in Gibsonton, FL Just South of Tampa. If you ever want a tour of a pretty much all out aluminum process and the tools involved, let me know. I'd be glad to give you a tour and maybe even stick a few things together.

TamJeff, I am Ruskin and I will take you up on that offer!

That's great. . .now you can see everything to do wrong to aluminum. No gloves, no foot pedals and no fancy machinery and no wire brushes for the most part, unless it happens to have pigeon poop or something like that on it. The stuff we build is fun at the very least. It will probably take some type of therapy to go back to the industry standards.

I mostly weld anodized pipe/flat stock and some neat extrusions. It's a good trick to have in the bag.

You can definitely use a router with a wood bit as long as it's carbide tipped. I've seen guys at work do it all the time. Safety glasses and a full face shield would be advisable for sure. And you better have a broom handy, makes quite a mess in a short period of time.

We had some guys come in and weld a heat exchanger and worked at night and when he fired up the router in front a halogen work light Zambelli Brothers would have been proud. It looked like a forty foot high sparkler. Does a very nice job though and in short order.

Now go melt something.

I'll have to give that a try