Cutting Aluminum With A Router

The pilot location is reversed when using the bit with a router table.

Cutting aluminum with a router.

Cut layers of material flush to one another or make cuts along a template. Cnc router aluminum sheet work is different than cnc routers cutting aluminum plate. The thicker the material and the greater the depth of cut the more important it is to follow these tips. While using the router on aluminum the tool may at times get into some places that are.

Just make sure you are using the right sized router bit. Generally a cnc router is a computer controlled machine used for cutting wood and plastic which are comparatively softer than metals. Any normal cnc router like benchtop or table top cnc routers are strong enough to make a hole in aluminium. When cutting aluminum unlike cutting plastic or wood you would have a much narrower window for your feeds and speeds.

The cutting parameters and quality of cut will depend a lot on how rigid your machine is. Metal engraving bits enpoint 60 degree v bits cnc engraving tools with 2 flute straight groove 1 8 in shank 0 1mm tip carbide tipped router bits marking conical carving liner for steel aluminum brass 4 6 out of 5 stars 19. You should also begin the routing process by first drilling a inch hole near the corner so as to avoid plunging the router bit through the material. All bits have a pilot to guide cuts.

Now it is also used to cut weak metals like aluminum. Therefore in this case you need to be particularly precise when calculating the feeds and speeds. Bottom pilot bits trim material from an upper layer of the workpiece so that it is flush with the layer below. Small hobby routers and the big 100k machines are very different.

Used a basic 1 4 shaft wood edging router bit to quickly trim the edge of 1 4 thick 6160 aluminum sheet. A normal carbide bit would be enough. Aluminum needs a lot more rigidity that wood or plastic. Pilot location describes the position of the pilot when the bit is used for hand routing.

There s a world of difference for a cnc router cutting thin aluminum sheet vs a cnc router cutting thicker aluminum plate. If you push it too fast you might actually be able to see your machine flex under the load if not rattle loose. So you need to know the right way to do it. Due to the bit sticky nature of aluminum the cnc router is the best tool for cutting it without making any mess.