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Cutting V-Slot Extrusion

Posted by makerparts 
Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 23, 2016 11:30PM
Curious what tips and best practises people would be willing to share to cut V-Slot to exactly length. true and square

I am considering purchasing a DeWalt DW872 MultiCutter, I have heard they provide a clean cut. compared to abrasive saws.
anyone have any feedback on these saws.

also how do you get your extrusion cut to +/-.1mm accuracy?


Makerparts.ca
Your Canadian source for V-Slot Extrusion, CNC and 3D Printing Parts and Accessories.
we are proud to be an official Openbuilds distributor.
Re: Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 24, 2016 10:05AM
To get .1mm accuracy on cuts you honestly have to be VERY precise on your cuts or use a milling machine.
Re: Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 24, 2016 10:08AM
I cut aluminum a few mm longer than needed with a band saw then mill the ends to match lengths and ensure a smooth, square surface. It works well enough to build a square frame by simply butting the aluminum pieces against each other. Cutting with a saw will not give that sort of accuracy.


Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]
Re: Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 24, 2016 01:03PM
I agree with the others on milling the ends square, but I have the luxury of some fancy machinery available whenever I need it. About the cheapest still safe method to get clean cuts would be to use a chop saw with a carbide blade designed for metal cutting. You can get these at most home improvement stores. With careful stop setup and making sure to use clamps to hold the extrusion, you can get relatively decent results.
If you don't already have the extrusion the cheapest easiest method is to just have it cut for you. Misumi makes getting cut pieces pretty cheap and easy, and they have the tools on hand. I don't use extrusion for machine frames, but every part I have got cut from there has been pretty clean cut and square. It will certainly better than you can do with a hand saw.
Re: Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 24, 2016 04:46PM
The Dewalt is a cold saw. I heard these give very good results. likely not as good a proper mill. but still good.


Makerparts.ca
Your Canadian source for V-Slot Extrusion, CNC and 3D Printing Parts and Accessories.
we are proud to be an official Openbuilds distributor.
Re: Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 25, 2016 12:07AM
I am a flooring contractor and cut aluminum stair treads all the time. I use my Dewalt mitre saw with a standard wood blade. Goes right through.
Re: Cutting V-Slot Extrusion
January 25, 2016 08:48AM
Its not a question of cutting it, that part is easy. We are talking about cutting square with .1mm accuracy on length. Its going to be real hard on a chop saw. Maybe you can cut a little over and file/sand into tolerance?
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