Aluminium shaping small pieces - what tool do I need?

[Magic Matt]

I have been looking online but I can't seem to find the answer to what I believe is a simple question. I'm pretty sure it's because I don't know the name of what I should be looking for.

Please can somebody help?

I want to refine the shape of some cut aluminium (1.2mm sheet) as my skill at cutting curves with the jigsaw isn't too good. I have a Dremel-like tool that has a lot of attachments etc. but I can't seem to find something to do this job.

Are there small grinding disks or stones for shaping aluminium sheet (ie smoothing away the rough bits of my cuts)? If so what are they called?

 

[StrikerDown]

Not sure what size of shape your cuts are, but perhaps you are looking for small sanding drums?

 

[gadget_lover]

Sanding and filing work well on thin aluminum. I have also been known to use aircraft snips to cut nice profiles.

Daniel

 

[Magic Matt]

I'm a hobbyist and this stuff is handheld size usually. I'm trying to make a star-trek badge shape in this instance, about 2inch tall. It will be a single LED keyring-style light when it's finished.

My jigsaw can't cut smooth tight curves (about 2inch radius is all it will do unless there's a technique I don't know about, which is entirely possible).

What I'm trying to do is take the rough < sort of shapes I get with the jigsaw and make them more C shapes. I can do it with the hand metal file, but it takes forever - I was hoping there would be a little tool that I could use to almost carve it out so that the hand tools are just for the final tidying up bit. I can do this with the sanding disks if I'm working with wood, but the sanding discs I have lasted about 10 seconds in contact with the aluminium.

The tool I have that I was hoping there may be an 'attachment' for is a hand held rotary tool by "Performance Power" (basically a checp copy of a Dremel Rotary Tool).


I'll investigate sanding drums, thanks. That's turned up something made of 'tungsten carbide' (whatever that is) but it looks very promising! I didn't realise there were different types of sanding materials. D'oh!

Any more ideas would be welcomed. At the moment, everything is a bit "bodge it" but I'm learning... slowly.

 

[Magic Matt]

Sanding and filing work well on thin aluminum. I have also been known to use aircraft snips to cut nice profiles.

Daniel

Wow... I had never heard of these... scissors for sheet metal! Quite cheap too!

 

[65535]

They tend to bend small pieces though, so be careful when using them. I've seen some Fiskars brand scissors that can cut pretty thick soft metals. Didn't bend too much, and were sharp with good tips.

Believe if or not these should cut 1.2mm aluminum fine.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00007M9MM/?tag=cpf0b6-20

I've had them tear through pennies easily.

 

[precisionworks]

My jigsaw can't cut smooth tight curves

A jig saw is not the tool for that job, but a scroll saw is. A scroll saw, with a fine tooth metal cutting blade, will easily cut 1/16" radius curves while leaving a finish that requires little sanding.

Available from inexpensive to really pricey, but you don't have to spend a ton to get good results.

 

[KC2IXE]

Of course you could get fancy

http://kmtwaterjet.com/?gclid=CIq0r_OO5J8CFVw55QodM2tHHg

 

[Magic Matt]

That scroll saw looks suitably evel. The more I look at this stuff the more I wish I had a workshop... and money to buy the tools! LOL!

Of course you could get fancy

http://kmtwaterjet.com/?gclid=CIq0r_OO5J8CFVw55QodM2tHHg

OMG... and computer controlled... you'd never get me out of the workshop!

 

[bluepilgrim]

Google on 'sheet metal nibbler'