Best Way To Split aluminum Pipe

Hi, I need to split 20' sections of aluminum pipe for the rub rails of my boat. Which method do you use to split pipe this long?

 

Table saw or band saw

 

metal band saw with a half round negative base guide in wood.
have the pipe long enough for clamping

 

If you dont have table or band saw, clamp pipe and attack with



use tungsten tipped blades

 

And spray Pam cooking spray on the blade while it's spinning, just before you cut. Aluminum tends to gall even with a sharp new blade.

Lance.

 

Hello Lance
Any noticable difference in weld quality using pam vs dry
Thanks
Tom

 

Thanks, I didn't know this one.

Daniel

 

Another option

There is another way, although usually it's employed for steel/stainless, you can plasma cut the pipe. The nice thing about using a plasma cutter is that the heat shrinkage causes the pipes to curve and so it's more easily fitted to the hull, the negative thing is that the inside tends to get filthy and depending on the diameter of the pipe and power of the plasma cutter it's possible to damage the other side of the pipe, especially with aluminum.

Here is an image of some plasma split stainless pipes, the curvature is quite clearly visible with a straight edge right next to it.

Dallur Rub Rails

Jarl
http://dallur.com

 

I would use a band saw forsure, If you want to lube your blade use cutting wax, then wipe down your material with laquor thinner before you weld it

Dont use a skill saw

If you dont have a band saw use a table saw and make two cuts

Or just get haul stiffener material

If you use a plasma you will have a tone of prep before you can weld

Dont use pam either, get some cutting wax pam will get in the pours and will give you a bad weld
Again use laquor thinner on your cuts when your done

 

Thanks for the tip about using pam, I have been just cutting dry in fear of contaminating the metal
Tom

 

slicing pipe extrusions

I've slit and split pipe with all the methods listed before and they all work. I do use Pam or generic brand pan spray and have since I began cutting aluminum in 1975 and its fine.


a guide for the table saw made of the next size plastic pipe screwed to some plywood and clamped to the fence will slit pipe fine. It will split pipe too but then its wise to put a blade thickness kerf retainer so the halves don't bind behind the blade. I spray these with pam till they drip.



same with the band saw, just use the next concentric ABS or PVC and use a line on the pipe made by laying an angle on the pipe and Magic Marking a TDC mark. When you run the pipe through the saw guide(s) keep the line at the TDC mark for a non-spiral cut. I lube the band saw with Pam for all cuts and usually us a 6-to-8 TPI blade and they cut fine.



If you're not doing much pipe and want to rig the cut fairly fast then us a pair of planks (2x6) next to the pipe for the saw's table to run on. I usually line out the cut line and if I'm splitting instead of slitting I'd tighten the furniture clamps onto the cut behind the saw to keep tension on the entire show. I usually put a screw driver blade or some 1/8" scrap in the saw's kerf to hold the width of the cut open.

Before I had 2" half pipe and 3" half pipe extruded in 1977-78 we had to split all the pipe for skiffs and we still have to slit and split the small stuff.

WestCoastFab, there aren't/shouldn't be any pores in aluminum!!!; if there are then its one odd alloy standard! Acetone or laquer thinner will remove all the pan spray on any smooth surface and if its too rough to come clean its not ready to weld anyway.

If the cut edges have so much rough surface or texture that they will retain the veggie grease; then the edges aren't dressed enough to weld they need to be dressed. If the blades are dull, or not lubed the cuts may tear and melt the surfaces and leave behind a mess; the Vixen file is the correct finish for all those edges or the 1" belt sander or some other means to clean up that edge.

I use generic frying pan spray for all the aluminum cutting, sanding, grinding, milling, drilling and even in the first few grits of polishing- seems to work. I do clean it off with acetone, as I have for all these years and it comes clean enough to weld.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin

 

Treat it like a hard wood, use regular wood circular saw or table saw, just oil it. I use WD40. Blades last don't as long - that is all.

 

If you plan on powder coating your material you cant use wd40 or a oil base product, if you do so the powder coat will fisheye

 

Wd40

Actually soap and water works real good to remove residue for welding. Don't do much powder coating. But will keep in mind, thanks.

 

Kerosene is the usual cutting lubricant for Aluminum, if I remember from my long-ago shop apprenticeship, but I routinely cut aircraft grade alloy dry with a carbide-tipped crosscut blade and have no problem, at least up to 0.06" thickness. The cut is clean, just needs a couple of swipes with a file, and it's surprisingly quick.

A skilsaw works well for cutting a slit and IMHO is safer than a tablesaw; I used a ply baseplate so I could attach guides.

It may be dangerous to attempt to cut a tube into 2 pieces lengthwise with a skilsaw as the tool is resting on the workpiece which will become progressively harder to control as the cut proceeds. A bandsaw would be my choice of weapon.