Results 1 to 12 of 12

commercial aluminum framed doors

| Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
  1. #1
    SoOrScrpr started this thread.
    SoOrScrpr's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Rogue Valley, Orygun
    Posts
    66
    Thanks
    16
    Thanked 40 Times in 24 Posts

    commercial aluminum framed doors

    Anyone have advice on what to use to cut up some aluminum framed doors? The glass is removed them. That was great fun! I tried using an angle grinder on the welds, but the abrasive wheel was slow-going. Should I use a different type of wheel or use something else altogether?

    Thanks!



  2. #2
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, NC
    Posts
    4,917
    Thanks
    15,632
    Thanked 5,861 Times in 2,713 Posts
    Non ferous metals tend to fill the gaps in the abrasive disk. NEVER use a grinding wheel on non-ferous metals because the gaps in the surface will fill with the metal and expand until the wheel explodes.

    I would wonder why you need to cut it but I would find a saw instead. Mike.
    "Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}

    Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to miked for This Post:


  4. #3
    RustyDollars's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Central Wis
    Posts
    426
    Thanks
    438
    Thanked 533 Times in 213 Posts
    A grinding wheel will just gum up when used on aluminum. A thin metal cutting wheel on your angle grinder is the way to go.
    The frame is likely extruded and your yard may have a minimum length, so a call ahead might be wise.
    HTH
    If it wasn't for the $ in $crap, it would just be.....

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to RustyDollars for This Post:


  6. #4
    KzScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Denver Metro, CO
    Posts
    4,841
    Thanks
    7,019
    Thanked 5,792 Times in 2,417 Posts
    I use 40 tooth wood blade in a circular saw and it works great (soft non- ferrous metals only!). Some say you should flip the blade but I haven't noticed any difference.
    Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesaler
    Certified Zip-Tie Mechanic
    "Give them enough so they can do something with it, but not too much that they won't do nothing."

  7. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by KzScrapper:


  8. #5
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    OK
    Posts
    5,731
    Thanks
    6,815
    Thanked 3,465 Times in 1,990 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by KzScrapper View Post
    I use 40 tooth wood blade in a circular saw and it works great (soft non- ferrous metals only!). Some say you should flip the blade but I haven't noticed any difference.
    I've been on a number of large commercial projects where we used aluminum trim, and set up using miter saws with regular wood trim blades, the good carbide tipped( iguess carbide, just a good decent blade) turned straight(not backwards) and cut every bit of it like that. The trick is just to cut slow and straight, and as always, wear eye protection

  9. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by Bear:


  10. #6
    KzScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Denver Metro, CO
    Posts
    4,841
    Thanks
    7,019
    Thanked 5,792 Times in 2,417 Posts
    Good call on the glasses Bear...Stuff screams when you cut it too so bring your ear plugs.

  11. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by KzScrapper:


  12. #7
    SoOrScrpr started this thread.
    SoOrScrpr's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Rogue Valley, Orygun
    Posts
    66
    Thanks
    16
    Thanked 40 Times in 24 Posts
    Thank you all so much for your replies. I wouldn't bother with cutting them down, but there is a little steel at the corners inside the channels that I can't reach with a screwdriver. I guess I will try my hand with my miter saw next.

    I was using the thin cutting wheels in my grinder, do they make a non-ferrous blade for a 4" grinder? I didn't see any @ the big blue and orange box stores.
    Last edited by SoOrScrpr; 07-16-2013 at 01:41 PM.

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to SoOrScrpr for This Post:


  14. #8
    eesakiwi's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    2,531
    Thanks
    2,909
    Thanked 2,556 Times in 1,227 Posts
    For a 'On the street' way to cut up Ali extrusion..

    Just put a nick in the ali where you want it to break, then bend it with the nick towards the outside of the bend.
    It'll crack there & then its easy to bend it a few times so it breaks in half.

    That covers pretty much all the ali extrusion I ever find.

    A hacksaws best to make the nick, but most of the time I just scrape it on the edge of some concrete or such.

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to eesakiwi for This Post:


  16. #9
    travistemple202020's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2012
    Location
    ames iowa
    Posts
    1,326
    Thanks
    267
    Thanked 883 Times in 495 Posts
    maybe I am thinking of just the alu frames like ext. alu. like windows if this is alu surrounding wood then it wont work but I am either old fashioned or just work to hard but for me I just lean pieces against something like a wall or tree and just slam down on it with my foot to bend it and then bend it a few more times till it breaks apart for most now for thick ones I use a cut off saw

  17. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Greenville SC
    Posts
    114
    Thanks
    12
    Thanked 40 Times in 31 Posts
    Thanks for the info on the grinding wheel. I never knew. As far as the circular blade turned around, if you were cutting for looks, not scrap, it usually makes a neater cut. Also, with some materials, blades are too aggressive turned the right way.

  18. #11
    happyscraper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    spring hill,fl
    Posts
    2,864
    Thanks
    350
    Thanked 1,371 Times in 847 Posts
    First of all he is trying to get the steel pieces out of the corners and bending the aluminum won't help. I have never had a problem cutting aluminum with a thin metal cut off wheel. I get mine from harbor freight.

  19. #12
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jun 2013
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    25
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts
    I love finding doors with extrusion in them. I normally use a reciprocating saw with a blade that says it is for metal in it. That will cut through extrusion quite easily and I think it is a little easier to control for opening up a hollow shape to clean stubborn steel out that is in there.


  20. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Turn Anodized Aluminum to clean Aluminum
      By samuel-a in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 33
      Last Post: 01-11-2014, 06:47 AM
    2. stainless steel on fridge doors/strange copper wire
      By mike1 in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 06-06-2013, 04:23 PM
    3. Scrapping Aluminum Framed HEPA Filters - Beginner Scrapper
      By meyer0202 in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 11
      Last Post: 11-17-2012, 09:03 PM
    4. Screen Doors
      By Gnraxlrose88 in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 15
      Last Post: 12-31-2011, 09:59 AM
    5. Microwave doors
      By Rowdy in forum Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 01-30-2011, 05:42 PM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook