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Re: [TowerTalk] How do I cut aluminum pipes?

Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] How do I cut aluminum pipes?
From: Les Kalmus <w2lk@earthlink.net>
Reply-to: w2lk@earthlink.net
Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:51:05 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Can you tell me which blade to look for. I take it that these are not 
the diamond edge blades.

Les W2LK

Jack Brindle wrote:
> I use a miter/chop saw with a blade meant for cutting aluminum. The  
> miter saw does a better job at holding the aluminum piece than a band  
> saw (at least for me). I think the most important thing here is to  
> use a saw blade that is designed for cutting aluminum. I got mine at  
> Home Depot a few years ago, and I don't believe it cost any more than  
> a good wood-cutting blade.
>
> Then be sure to debur the tube as Bill describes. Having known Bill  
> for more years than I can count on my fingers and toes, I have come  
> to realize that he knows what he is talking about...
>
>
> On Dec 28, 2007, at 10:32 AM, Bill Coleman wrote:
>
>   
>> On Dec 7, 2007, at 1:06 PM, Alex Malyava wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> Is it enough to use regular hacksaw and sand the edges or there is
>>> some
>>> fancy tool like pipe cutter used in plumbing?
>>>       
>> Fastest way to cut aluminum tubing, if you have a machine shop, is to
>> use a band saw. With a proper blade, you can roll the tubing across
>> the table and it cuts quickly.
>>
>> The second best way is to use a quality tubing cutter. Use a good one,
>> and you can cut a tube of any size in a couple of minutes. A poor one
>> will spiral down the tube.
>>
>> A hacksaw will work, but it's really hard to get a clean, square cut.
>>
>> After the cut, be sure to dress it with either a deburring tool, or
>> round file or half-round file. Don't go wild with the files, as it
>> will take off a lot of aluminum in short order. You're just trying to
>> break off the burr. A sanding sponge, or a sanding block covered with
>> very fine grit sandpaper can also be used to dress the outside edges
>> of the cut.
>>
>> Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
>> Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
>>              -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
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>>     
>
> - Jack Brindle, W6FB
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