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mistercrash
Guelph, Canada, eh!
 
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Posts: 1,083
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
06.14.2010, 02:07 PM

I traced on the aluminum with a hobby knife and punched where the screw holes are with a centering punch. I used a print out of the drawing I made of the chassis, it is pretty accurate judging at how all the holes lined up with no problems.
Yes I used the router table with a Tungsten carbide bit, the same I use for CF. BUT with aluminum, the bit needs a lot of lubrication (I used a can of WD40) so that the aluminum doesn't heat up and gum up the bit. It was pain staking work to spray some lubricant and cut for half an inch then spray some more lubricant and cut another half inch. Sometimes I had to stop and clean the bit of the aluminum that was stuck in the teeth. It was very messy and the shards of aluminum left from the cuts were very sharp. I managed to finish the pieces but the router is not the best method to cut aluminum if you ask me.
If you have someone you know who can CNC machine it that is the best way. I think I can export the drawings I made in DXF or DWG files that can be used by a machinist. I never tried to have a CNC program read the exported drawings so I can't confirm if it would work. It might.
As for the aluminum angle, yes it was bought at Home Depot in a 36 or 48 inch strip. I make the cuts I need and make the bends using a big vise and a hammer. I do it carefully so that the alu doesn't crack too much.


No brain, no headaches.
   
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