Aluminum is a widely used metal in both the industrial and domestic sectors. It is due to its resistance towards rusting, excellent workability, and welding capability. Owing to its wide range of applicability, you also need to cut it occasionally. You can also cut it with the help of a miter saw but a circular saw is also a good option. However, you need to follow all the precautions and safety protocols while cutting aluminum with a circular saw.
You can use some standard type blades which you use for wood cutting but in this case, you need to be more conscious like a carbide tip is necessary for cutting aluminum. Most of the blades that come in the market are design for cutting non-ferrous materials. However, now some special blades have been made for cutting aluminum like materials.
First of all, count the teeth of the blades. Blades having fewer teeth are good for cutting thicker metals but you need to have blades having more teeth for cutting aluminum like thinner metals. It all also improves the smoothness and accuracy of the cutting. For aluminum having 1/16-inches thickness, you need to have 10 teeth per inch diameter. Many companies are also manufacturing blades that have more than 200 teeth. If the aluminum is sheet is thick, you can also use the blade having just 6 teeth in per inch diameter.
2. Blade quality
The only high-quality blade is good for cutting high-quality material like aluminum. A lower quality blade will become quickly weaker and break even after a single cut. The blade must have carbide-made teeth. A high-quality blade would also reduce the risk of injuries and provide you extra safety. Durability also comes with quality and it is the top requirement while cutting aluminum as it reduces wear and tears on the blade.
3. Blade lubrication
The blade must be crystal clear while cutting aluminum and there must be no layer of debris left on the blade. Many cutters have lost their finger while using not clean blades. You can reduce this risk by giving proper lubrication to the blades. It protects the blade and keeps it safe from overheating and chips production.
Saw blade wax sick is a perfect option for lubrication. These sticks have special ingredients for making the blade smooth and clear. You just need to rub the stick across the teeth of the blades. WD-oil spray is also a good and convenient option. but you need to apply it frequently as it doesn’t last long. you need to occasionally check the lubrication of blades.
4. Clamping the material
Clamping is inevitable if you want to get a smooth and accurate cut. The thicker materials could not be cut properly without clamping. Some saws also come with built-in clamps but these are not just necessary. You must have at least a couple of C-CLAMPS while cutting aluminum. It will keep the material stuck. In this regard, you must pick only industrial or highly durable clamps. The best option is clamps made of cast iron.
5. Use personal protective equipment
The chips inevitably produce while cutting aluminum with a circular saw. They come out at such a fast rate that they could cause injury in your hands, eyes or any other body part. That’s why you need to be extra careful and wear personal protective equipment before engaging in this kind of project. Indeed, a good amount of lubrication reduces the risk of chips production but you need to extra cautious on your end.
In this regard, first of all, you must protect your face as it is the most critical part of your body. you can wear a full face mask to save it from chips coming from any side. Moreover, just a mask is not enough for face safety. You must also wear safety goggles for the safety of your eyes.
In the next important aspect of safety, you must protect your hands. For this purpose, wear good quality gloves. The gloves should not be like that it irks you while doing cutting. These must be perfectly fit in your hands.
You must also not wear loose clothes as these could also entangle with the tool you are operating. It could cause severe injury to your body. Many other things like rings and necklaces should also be prohibited in this kind of work.
6. Check the straight cutting
For the extra stability, there is nothing better than clamping. But there are also some extra cautious steps you must take while getting accuracy and smoothness in the cutting. For this purpose, you don’t need to make any extra investment. You just need to have a piece of wood that is straight in its shape. You have to check that the blade of the circular remains straight while cutting. It will reduce the chances of diversion in the original project you are going to take. This kind of extra is especially helpful for beginners.
7. Cooling down the material
Always keep the metal cool while cutting it as the overheating could cause many problems both to the product as well as the cutter. Usually, lubrication is provided for this purpose. But if you know the lubrication is now not good enough then you must take breaks while cutting the aluminum. Mainly the blades engage in the cutting process and get overheated. Thus, the blade must always cool down while cutting through lubrication or other processes. You must also not touch the heated blades as it could burn your hands. Cooling the material and the cutting tool will give maximum results.
8. Use masking tape
If you want to keep the other parts of shining aluminum safe from the chips generating during cutting, then you must use the masking tape in all the remaining parts of the metal. It will protect the surface from becoming nasty and ugly by the showering of the cutting chips.
9. Use a Good quality circular saw
During cutting aluminum a lot of vibrations are produced and put a lot of wear and tear on the saw. Thus, you must always use the quality tool for cutting purposes. There would be no better option than a good quality circular saw.
Final verdict
When you are cutting aluminum with a circular saw, you must keep in mind some important steps. First of all, ensure that you have the right kind of blade with the tip of the carbide. There is a proper lubrication system. The material has been clamped. You are using all the personal protective equipment. And you are using a high-quality tool for cutting purposes.
If you are following all the points and you are not missing any protocols, then you can easily make a quality cut without having any mishandling or dismantling of the product.
Aluminum is a widely used metal in both the industrial and domestic sectors. It is due to its resistance towards rusting, excellent workability, and welding capability. Owing to its wide range of applicability, you also need to cut it occasionally. You can also cut it with the help of a miter saw but a circular saw is also a good option. However, you need to follow all the precautions and safety protocols while cutting aluminum with a circular saw.
You can use some standard type blades which you use for wood cutting but in this case, you need to be more conscious like a carbide tip is necessary for cutting aluminum. Most of the blades that come in the market are design for cutting non-ferrous materials. However, now some special blades have been made for cutting aluminum like materials.
