Cutting aluminum and dust collectors

[Rocco.G]

Hi all,

I'm anxiously waiting for the new machine to be built and ship and am shopping for a dust collector. I expect to spend perhaps 50% of the machine time routing aluminum. Every machine i look at (woodworking units at least) call out that they shouldn't be used for metal. I can completely understand why. After some searching I've come across the following unit. it pulls 650 CFM per the specs.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-1-1-2-hp-metal-dust-collector/t28798

I'm comparing it to other collection systems, say this one which pulls about twice as much air.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200791233_200791233

I'm looking for thoughts on the differences between a "woodworking" collector and one specifically for metal. I just want to do this right the first time so am willing to spend the $. As an alternative I saw a JET metal dust collector for ~$1200 but it doesn't pull more air than the grizzly unit. Or maybe I'm just thinking about this incorrectly? In a perfect world I wouldn't be cutting aluminum at all, but I'm in the electrical sign business and know that's a big requirement. I'll be cutting anything from ACM to let's say 1/4" thick aluminum sheet, maybe thicker on occasion.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[jerry_stanek]

I cut ACM and use my wood dust collector for that. If you branch out into sign foam or Sintra I would go with the Northern one.

[tlempicke]

Hi all,

I'm anxiously waiting for the new machine to be built and ship and am shopping for a dust collector. I expect to spend perhaps 50% of the machine time routing aluminum. Every machine i look at (woodworking units at least) call out that they shouldn't be used for metal. I can completely understand why. After some searching I've come across the following unit. it pulls 650 CFM per the specs.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-1-1-2-hp-metal-dust-collector/t28798

I'm comparing it to other collection systems, say this one which pulls about twice as much air.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200791233_200791233

I'm looking for thoughts on the differences between a "woodworking" collector and one specifically for metal. I just want to do this right the first time so am willing to spend the $. As an alternative I saw a JET metal dust collector for ~$1200 but it doesn't pull more air than the grizzly unit. Or maybe I'm just thinking about this incorrectly? In a perfect world I wouldn't be cutting aluminum at all, but I'm in the electrical sign business and know that's a big requirement. I'll be cutting anything from ACM to let's say 1/4" thick aluminum sheet, maybe thicker on occasion.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

You need a dedicated collector for metal. Powdered aluminum is used as an explosive! In order to cut aluminum on your machine you are going to be using pass depths like .005 and you will be producing a great deal of very finely shaved metal.
You also need cooling and lubrication.
Think very seriously about putting in a coolant system to cool, lubricate and carry swarf away from the cut.
WHATEVER you do research this carefully. You don't want your whole business going Kaboom.

[Robert Rickard]

I've been cutting aluminum for 8 years. I cut aluminum 99% of the time. About the only exception is when I surface the spoil board. I began with a 2007 PRS Standard 4' x 8' with HSD 2.2 HP spindle. I now use a Desktop Max.

I've been very happy with the Oneida Mini-Gorilla. Here is their latest version: https://www.oneida-air.com/dust-collectors/personal-shops/1-5-hp-mini-gorilla-cyclone-dust-collector. Under Questions, they state "Oneida Air Systems' dust collectors are designed and tested for wood and wood dust. They can and have been used effectively for various other debris, including drywall dust, paper dust, agricultural dust, and metal chips."

There are many posts here in the forum regarding cutting aluminum. Use the search function.

You do not need either cooling or lubrication when cutting aluminum as long as you use the right alloys (usually 6061), cutting tools (generally upcut spirals) and chip loads (keep the rpm high and speeds up). The chips carry away the heat.

Also, check out this ShopBot tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glfoB7THcqs&feature=emb_logo

[coryatjohn]

Seven years of cutting aluminum and using a cyclone (an Oneida 2hp model) dust collector without any explosions!

Any threat of aluminum being explosive would require it to be ground to the point it can be suspended in air. Try taking some chips from your CNC and drop a handful. How much of it stays suspended in the air and how much drops immediately to the ground? I'd say 100% will drop and none will be fine enough to cause it to be suspended. The chips would have to be the size of talcum powder to float in the air, and if the chips were that fine, the CNC would likely break the end mill from overheating.

The biggest issue that I see from using my dust collector with aluminum and plastics is that I can't dump the dust in the compost heap. Other than that, I see no downside.

[Jerry Carney]

I've been cutting aluminum for 8 years. I cut aluminum 99% of the time. About the only exception is when I surface the spoil board. I began with a 2007 PRS Standard 4' x 8' with HSD 2.2 HP spindle. I now use a Desktop Max.

I've been very happy with the Oneida Mini-Gorilla. Here is their latest version: https://www.oneida-air.com/dust-collectors/personal-shops/1-5-hp-mini-gorilla-cyclone-dust-collector. Under Questions, they state "Oneida Air Systems' dust collectors are designed and tested for wood and wood dust. They can and have been used effectively for various other debris, including drywall dust, paper dust, agricultural dust, and metal chips."

There are many posts here in the forum regarding cutting aluminum. Use the search function.

You do not need either cooling or lubrication when cutting aluminum as long as you use the right alloys (usually 6061), cutting tools (generally upcut spirals) and chip loads (keep the rpm high and speeds up). The chips carry away the heat.

Also, check out this ShopBot tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glfoB7THcqs&feature=emb_logo

I cut alm. on occasion, must cuts in 1/4 stock, I allways keep cuts .010-- .012