Beveling Aluminum

[Scotty1]

What to use for Beveling Alloy for Tig Welding?

[Jules The Great]

I would try to use a sanding flap wheel on an angle grinder

http://toolspot-static.co.uk/i/4162z.jpg

[CGCINC]

I would try to use a sanding flap wheel on an angle grinder

http://toolspot-static.co.uk/i/4162z.jpg

Thats what I use. Of course that's all I have to use besides a bench grinder...

[jakeru]

How thick material are you talking about, and how much length that needs beveling?

For not a lot of thickness and length, the flap wheel on an angle grinder as mentioned previously here will work just fine. Just don't rush it but trying to press down too hard. Take your time and let the abraisives do the work, you don't want to melt the aluminum. (That can fold in oxides under the surface, and generally do bad things when it comes time to weld.)

If you have more thickness and length, an aluminum-specific grinding disc works several times a lot faster; and is a lot more aggressive. You can push down pretty hard and the aluminum comes off pretty fast. They are not too common, (and the common kind will just load with aluminum) but the aluminum-specific ones are available via mail order for not too much. Let me know if you need a link, they are kind of specialized. I have posted links to them here before, if you want to do a search you can probably find it.

Of course if you have a super amount of thickness and length, probably even a grinding disc wouldn't be enough, you might want mitering bandsaw or a mitering carbide tooth circular, or something like that. It all depends what kind of beveling you are talking about.

[ducksface]

Jakeru;
Are you active on dezertdimes?

[jakeru]

Nope, must be someone else.

[Rodsmachineshop]

was over at my friends shop he makes aluminum water filter tanks , never thought of it till i watched him , a darn wood router he was moving like grease lightning worked so cool. asked him what kind of bit he uses a bit designed for router to bevel aluminum here the company he get them from .http://www.amanatool.com/routerbits.html he has a table he clamps the sheets on for the bearing to ride against .

[burner]

Not that I know better, I do not. But I've been using files, rasps, band saws, or even though I shouldn't a diamond wheel on the bench top grinder. I was under the impression I wanted to keep any abrasive material away from aluminum because it could contaminant the metal.

Have I been sweating my ### off for nothing?

[Rodsmachineshop]

like the scuba stuff , have a friend that's a diving instructor he collect old scuba gear even has the old set up with the large loop hose with the big regulator on the tanks . He you to teach at Santa Monica seaports then now dose privet scuba lessons , me my self i am a advance diver but have not dived for over 6 years now . bet i could empty a 80 in 3 minutes if i went diving now lol

[Rodsmachineshop]

the company has carbide router blades last for ever my friend say as long as you don't use on steel he uses the router to also cut the holes for the 8 inch pipes he welds in the tanks, the tanks are cool they have this belt that's made with a membrane water runs rite through the belt and caches silt and silt dumps at the shoot at end of tank

[Scotty1]

They were 48"x 4"x 3/8" (20 pieces)
2 bevels per edge @ 45 degrees,1/4" deep on the long sides (1/8" top and side face)
Made up a table with fence to suit old drill press and used 1/2" end mill bit and just pulled them thru

Geez what a mess but they paid well