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Routering Aluminum

GRINCH

GRINCH

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I have a billet water neck housing that I need to campher the back edge out on so the fancy thermostat I bought will sit up in it.

Has anyone ever used a carbide wood cutting bit? I have 2 routers. 1 small laminate type one and 1 variable speed dewalt.

I stopped by a local machine shop today. Dode said $50 min... Figured he would just chuck it up in a lathe and be done in a few minutes..

I don't need to take much off.
 
Well, I regularly cut aluminum angle with a Milwaukee miter saw with a carbide tipped blade with no problems.

Don't imagine the router would have much trouble taking off way more than you want it to.
Its going to be tricky to keep it from hogging too much. But it should work.

J.
 
90k5blaze said:
I have a billet water neck housing that I need to campher the back edge out on so the fancy thermostat I bought will sit up in it.

Has anyone ever used a carbide wood cutting bit? I have 2 routers. 1 small laminate type one and 1 variable speed dewalt.

I stopped by a local machine shop today. Dode said $50 min... Figured he would just chuck it up in a lathe and be done in a few minutes..

I don't need to take much off.
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Use a Daimond cut rasp type carbide bit, Don't know the exact verbage or name but I would not use a two flute router bit. I'll see if I can find a picture of one.

EDIT, kinda like this

http://www.directindustry.com/prod/sutton-tools/carbide-rotary-burr-30553-418382.html
 
90k5blaze said:
I was thinking something like this.

View attachment 101020
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You will have to take very small cuts of you try it. Aluminum ain't like wood. If you try it, conventional cut it, don't climb cut it. Years ago I worked with a guy who was a master wood mold maker. He tried to climb cut a 1" aluminum plate on a table router. The kind where the router is mounted up side down and sticks thru the table. He never routed Aluminum and thinking it was soft he wanted to try it. As soon as the material touched the cutter it yanked the Al thru the router bit along the length of the cut and threw the 18 X 12 X 1" aluminum plate about 15 feet off the table. It also took the tips of all four of his fingers off from the lead hand aswell to the bone. Do you understand what conventional cut vs climb cut is?
 
Use the PROPER tool for the job, a router was never meant to cut anything but wood. You are just asking for an accident to happen and then you'll wish you could turn back time and pay the dude the $50.00 to machine it for you. :deal:
 
4X4HIGH said:
Use the PROPER tool for the job, a router was never meant to cut anything but wood. You are just asking for an accident to happen and then you'll wish you could turn back time and pay the dude the $50.00 to machine it for you. :deal:
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I totally agree with what Scott said. Would rather see you pay for it then You PAYING for it if ya know what I mean.
 
I have routered aluminum before with a bit like that and it is possible, but I'd recommend a bit like Rob describes and cut very little material on each pass. Make sure the water neck is clamped down very well, and wear every bit of protection you have.
 
I think I better chime in here. I'm an aircraft sheet metal Mechanic, I work with Aluminum exclusively.

Get your little die grinder/ 90* grinder, mount a small carbide "ball file" (they come in every shape known to man) and slowly grind out what you want gone. It's easy, inexpensive, and you can go very slowly if you choose too. That way you won't take too much.
 
I'm gonna add my vote for a carbide rotary file on a die grinder...but it ain't gonna save you any money if you don't already have the die grinder or the rotary file.

A router with a wood bit is just a bad way to try to save $50.

Rene
 
BoondocK5 said:
I think I better chime in here. I'm an aircraft sheet metal Mechanic, I work with Aluminum exclusively.

Get your little die grinder/ 90* grinder, mount a small carbide "ball file" (they come in every shape known to man) and slowly grind out what you want gone. It's easy, inexpensive, and you can go very slowly if you choose too. That way you won't take too much.
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This is exactly what I had in mind when describing the method I would use with a carbide rotary bit. As you said, lots of tool shapes to choose from.
 
I've done it...

Makes a mess, but worked fine...

I've also used a skilsaw... Works awesome... I've done this on 1/2" plate...
 
for the record, their are carbide bur's specifically designed to cut alum.. they are called clog-free or open fluted... double cut and single cut's tend to load up and clog easily with AL... alum ones are open fluted, to stay clean....

that being said, you could probably get away with a double cut on such a small project..
 
I have also been a woodworker for way more years than I have been wrenching. I did do some searching on google first and the consensus there was about 50/50.

I have a nice variable speed router that I can slow down to 1K-2K. The reason I choose the bit I did was because I could use it to control the amount of cut.

In the back of my head I know this has potential to be bad. It's not that I don't have the $50 to spend, but a simple job like this is not worth $50. (I'm kinda of frugal)

I do have a big assortment of air tools and grinding bits. I just didn't want a hack job.

:dunno:

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Holy ****! you guys if it's becoming this much of a project, it might be wise to just go buy the right part.
Just a thought...
 
What is the diameter of the hole in that water neck? Also what is the diameter of the area of the T-stat that needs to fit into the water neck? The reason I ask is because this would be a perfect job for a large countersink now that I see what needs to happen. Obviously unless you already have a large countersink in hand then you would have to buy one which would be prohibitive in your situation unless you would have other uses for the tool as well.
 
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