Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

For those of you that trimmed your trailer with aluminum, did you have to cut it length wise and what did you use? I've heard of using a table saw but what type of blade would I use. I've also heard of a router being used but what bit should I use?

I just used a power mitre box fine blade. Just cut slow and wear goggles.
I tried a metal abrasive but it melted it.

bledsoe3 wrote:For those of you that trimmed your trailer with aluminum, did you have to cut it length wise and what did you use? I've heard of using a table saw but what type of blade would I use. I've also heard of a router being used but what bit should I use?

Bledsoe,

For cutting lengthwise, I've always used a carbide blade in a table saw. The main thing is using featherboards and hold downs to keep the aluminum flat on the table. Another trick I found that helps is to keep the blade height adjusted to right at the thickness of the aluminum. It reduces chances for the blade teeth to take a big bite of aluminum. I've tried the router table but found all the waste from the cutter too extreme, too big of a mess to clean up.

...table saw, standard carbide ripping blade, 2 feather boards, full face shield...we have not had a lot of luck cuttin' with a router, no matter what speed or type of cutter( a spiral upcut seemed to work best)...
madjack

Steve_Cox wrote:

bledsoe3 wrote:For those of you that trimmed your trailer with aluminum, did you have to cut it length wise and what did you use? I've heard of using a table saw but what type of blade would I use. I've also heard of a router being used but what bit should I use?

Bledsoe,

For cutting lengthwise, I've always used a carbide blade in a table saw. The main thing is using featherboards and hold downs to keep the aluminum flat on the table. Another trick I found that helps is to keep the blade height adjusted to right at the thickness of the aluminum. It reduces chances for the blade teeth to take a big bite of aluminum. I've tried the router table but found all the waste from the cutter too extreme, too big of a mess to clean up.

I've heard reference to this "featherboard" before. Can someone explain what this is? Maybe a pic. Thanks

It holds your work tight to the fence, and reduces possible kickback.

Vertical bandsaw with a fence.

Ken A Hood wrote:

It holds your work tight to the fence, and reduces possible kickback.

...when cutting trim down, use a second one attached to the fence to hellp keep the piece from jumping up also...the more secure you keep the oiece the bette/smoother the cut...

Fred, we use a band saw also but it is easier for us to use the table saw in the shop because of setup and extra room to work long pieces...basically the bandsaw is in more closed quarters than the table saw(in our shop)....
madjack

Agreed, I was just posting a generic pic of a featherboard in use.....it's from the GRR-Ripper site ( http://www.microjig.com ).

Bought a HF horizontal bandsaw. Luckily it was on sale, with the coupon it was pretty cheap. I honestly don't know where I'm gonna store it now but it saved me a lot fo time and frustration. Especially in the areas where I had to miter them.

Getting the bandsaw to work right is another story in frustration. After I figured it out, it worked like a champ.

I used a 10" miter saw with standard carbide blade for cross cuts. used a scrap piece of wood behind thin alum to back it up. Go Slow.

I used table saw for riping. Backing material to keep it from bending.




Hope this helps, Good luck
Not sure if Picks will show up . so heres a link to them

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/spicerm@p ... /my_photos

Mike

I too just used my 10" miter wood saw with the standard blade. I only cut 1/16" aluminum angle and it worked great. You just have to be careful with the flying bits of aluminum and go slow. I was amazed at the clean cuts I got. I was going to use the metal chop saw but after my first cut on the miter saw, that's all I used. The 45 degree angles came out perfect and if I needed to trim a bit more off, it was very simple to do. Just how I did it.......

I cut my trim using a good ol hack saw. The aluminum cuts fairly easy.