Blade for cutting a aluminum clad wood core screen door?

[Jim Laumann]

All

This may be slightly off toptic...but I need some ideas...

I have a shed with a low ceiling, the existing service door which is installed was custom made to fit the opening - its 74" +/-.

I priced getting a screen door for it (wife wants chickens, and they need more light and ventilation than is available at this time). I can get the screen door for $97 (Stock), but getting the same door custom made to fit the opening will set me back $300, so it looks like buy a stock one off the shelf and having at it....

I thought about using a plywood blade installed backward (tooth rotation) on my circular saw, but that is only a guess. I have cut aluminum soffit panels in the past that way. I am guessing the the thickness of the aluminum layers and wood will push 13/16 - 7/8" +/-.
This blade would also need to handle cutting the door frame as well.

I know there are metal blades for circular saw, but have no experience w/ them.

Suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks

Jim

[Chris Padilla]

Carbide cuts aluminum just fine. Aluminum is quite soft.

[Bill Graham]

Assuming you're ripping a stile or rail a Skilsaw blade backwards would work fine on aluminum but would be a disaster with the wood core. Good would be to get a 40-tooth blade and take it extremely slow. Better might be a Sawzall with a course metal blade and clean it up with an angle grinder and a sanding disc if you have one available, it'll be slow and maybe burn up a few blades but there's less chance of carbide chunks flying around. Best would be a bandsaw or Porta-Band but you didn't say if either was available so I'm assuming not.

Regardless of the method, remember Norm's advice and wear safety glasses. Paying opthalmologists to pick little metal chunks out of your eyebones is no fun, neither is the recovery. Trust me on that, I've got three of those T-shirts in the closet and don't want another. You don't either.

HTH and best of luck,
Bill

[Stephen Cherry]

eye protection! I just use a normal blade for aluminum.

[johnny means]

I use any blade that isn't freshly sharpen to cut aluminum. Just don't expecr to cut melamine with it afterwards.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I use a jigsaw w/a fine tooth blade.
The one and only time I tried a circ saw, it produced the most annoying and loud screech I ever heard in my life.

[cecil rolfe]

I have cut countless aluminum/wood core doors. Just used a regular 24 tooth carbide tipped blade in a skill saw. Works fine. 40 tooth gives a finer cut. Never reversed a blade for aluminum.

[Mel Fulks]

We ordered a special blade once for cutting aluminum ,it was fine toothed but much like the blades made for cutting wood Dont think I'd use a real good wood cutting blade ,but would certainly use a cheap or damaged one rather than buy an unremarkable "special" blade.

[Charles Lent]

Use an older 40 tooth or higher tooth count carbide blade like others have said, but wear safety glasses as well as a face shield and a long sleeve shirt. Those metal chips are going to be hot when they hit you. Also, take the time to wipe the blade with WD-40. This will lubricate the cut and keep the aluminum from sticking to the blade and teeth. A streak of WD-40 along the cut line will help too. Make the cut(s) slowly and carefully to get the best results. If you guide the circular saw or use a fence on your table saw, the cut edges will be very smooth, although a slight edge burr may form that can be easily removed with a file.

I weld aluminum and frequently need to cut it with a saw.

Charley

[Ole Anderson]

Cutting aluminum doesn't dull a blade any quicker than cutting wood. And it won't start breaking your carbide teeth. Yes you will get hot aluminum chips off of it. I think you are getting opinions from a few guys who have never actually cut aluminum. Now for best results, use a triple chip grind with a zero or slight negative hook, but for an occasional cut, just use a fine tooth blade. Ear protection is recommended. Lube the blade teeth and gullets first with wax or even WD40 as noted by the previous poster. I have seen guys at an aluminum supplier cut heavy (1" thick or better) large aluminum plates with a circ saw and a carbide blade, crazy but it works. Hmm, wonder how one of those green track saws would have worked...

[Chris Padilla]

Yep...I've chopped through my green track with my green track saw...that carbide slices up aluminum without batting an eye.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I just use an inexpensive 7 1/2" blade in my table saw.

One thing to remember. If you do this on your table saw, and if you have a dust collector hooked into it, TURN IT OFF. The hot slivers from the aluminum in a barrel or bag full of sawdust do not play well together. DAMHIKT

[Gus Dundon]

A simple good carbide blade can do it. Just make sure you are all protected. I don't know but you should check tenryu saw blade .