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So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 2:23 am
by JPAE07
Seibenelch, my aluminum chassis? You know cut down the sides...
What tools would you use to cut the aluminum? Dremel or something larger? What bits?
Anyone have any experience they can share?

Thanks in advance.

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 9:15 am
by Eau Rouge
I believe he said he used a bench belt sander and did it by hand... very carefully, and wearing leather gloves. :shock:

Probably many other ways to do it, none as clean and fast as a belt sander, though.

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 9:36 am
by highwayracer
I would use a dremel with a fiber cutting wheel. Also, use a lot of painter's tape (blue) to put around the areas you don't want to cut. If the wheel slips, you won't scratch the other surface.

Regards,
highwayracer

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 11:26 am
by mikedealer
a good belt sander works well and depending on grit should go pretty fast.

the dremel method will work, but if the wheel slides (and believe me it will slide when you lose control of it for a second), it will chip up your chassis nicely lol. I like the ez click system and fiber wheels for dremel, they work well and hold up well to cutting.

if you had acccess to a bandsaw that would work too, or even a hand saw might cut it up, slowly...

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 11:54 am
by siebenelch
Hi!

I cutted the sides by:

- milling-mashine: No good idea. Very loud and need hand-work by a file after for the bevels.
- Dremel: With cutting wheel. Works okay, but you need a lot of cutting wheels, because incredible waste of wheel after cutting some Millimeters. And need hand-work with file after rough cutting.
- Bench Sander: Works best of all. You one need two very precise heat-resistance hands. Needs only some minutes per side. Needs no more finishing. Only cutting the edges by a nail-file, or sand paper.

Maybe there are some other methods to cut that chassis. Dynamite-cutting, or something like this. Haha!

Good luck.

Michael

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:46 pm
by aeiou
Ditto on the bench sander. I picked mine up a couple of years ago at Sears for less than $100 during a sale. It has the 4x36" belt and a 6" disc with a vac port. And thick gloves are a must - gets really hot, really fast.

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 2:07 pm
by JPAE07
You guys are awesome!!!!! Thank you!

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 2:12 pm
by siebenelch

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 2:46 pm
by mikedealer
aeiou wrote:Ditto on the bench sander. I picked mine up a couple of years ago at Sears for less than $100 during a sale. It has the 4x36" belt and a 6" disc with a vac port. And thick gloves are a must - gets really hot, really fast.
i got the same one, harbor freights sells belts really cheap (cheaper than sears usually), and another critical peice i bought was a "belt" cleaner, its a peice of rubber that gets the crud out of the sandpaper and really makes the belts last forever

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=30766

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 3:17 pm
by MelvinsArmy
Don't forget the safety glasses. :wink:

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 4:35 pm
by scr8p
MelvinsArmy wrote:Don't forget the safety glasses. :wink:
yes mom............. :mrgreen:

i just use a dremel.

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 4:37 pm
by mrlexan
Or a dust mask.

Love,
Your Mother

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 4:49 pm
by MelvinsArmy
Yaaar, hand over yer gold..... tub!

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 6:53 pm
by JPAE07
mrlexan wrote:Or a dust mask.

Love,
Your Mother
LOL. I just asked my mom and she said to have one of you guys do it.

Re: So if I was gonna......

Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 1:02 am
by badhoopty
i always wear safety glasses, but anymore i'm wanting a face shield...