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Kobuchi · 09-11-2004, 12:51 AM

Yeah with heavy shears and a gorilla grip you can work some very interesting shapes in 1/8" aluminum.

OK, here's another idea:

You'll need a 2x4 or 2x6 longer than the face plate, some clamps, a drill (Dremel drill OK), and some kind of pointed metal cutting tool like common Dremel bits for example.

Centre the plate on the 2x4, so wood is beneath where a 60mm hole will be, clamp them together.

Select your largest drill bit having a web shorter than the thickness of the wood. Put it in your drill, mark center for one hole, drill through and bury it into the wood so only the shank is showing. Leave the plate and drill bit where they are - loosen the chuck and remove the drill.

Remove the clamp. The face plate should now spin freely and without any play around the drill bit center. Get the idea? This is a crude lathe.

Now the 2x4 should be secured so you can rig up a stationary cutter to it. This may be a challenge. The cutter (e.g. Dremel) needn't have vertical travel because you can gradually raise the plate on paper shims or even by hand pressure depending on how the cut is going. So whatever tool you use to cut that soft aluminum, it might as well be fixed securely and therefore safely.

The converse approach is to buy (or make) a Dremel Router Attachment . This is essentially a flat-bottomed stand that clamps a Dremel upright, allowing vertical adjustment, and has a hole through which the bit protrudes. It can be spun around a center. This accessory is also handy for making straight or patterned cuts - it can glide along a straight edge or a template.

09-11-2004, 12:51 AM	#6
Kobuchi Cooling Savant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 313	Yeah with heavy shears and a gorilla grip you can work some very interesting shapes in 1/8" aluminum. OK, here's another idea: You'll need a 2x4 or 2x6 longer than the face plate, some clamps, a drill (Dremel drill OK), and some kind of pointed metal cutting tool like common Dremel bits for example. Centre the plate on the 2x4, so wood is beneath where a 60mm hole will be, clamp them together. Select your largest drill bit having a web shorter than the thickness of the wood. Put it in your drill, mark center for one hole, drill through and bury it into the wood so only the shank is showing. Leave the plate and drill bit where they are - loosen the chuck and remove the drill. Remove the clamp. The face plate should now spin freely and without any play around the drill bit center. Get the idea? This is a crude lathe. Now the 2x4 should be secured so you can rig up a stationary cutter to it. This may be a challenge. The cutter (e.g. Dremel) needn't have vertical travel because you can gradually raise the plate on paper shims or even by hand pressure depending on how the cut is going. So whatever tool you use to cut that soft aluminum, it might as well be fixed securely and therefore safely. The converse approach is to buy (or make) a Dremel Router Attachment . This is essentially a flat-bottomed stand that clamps a Dremel upright, allowing vertical adjustment, and has a hole through which the bit protrudes. It can be spun around a center. This accessory is also handy for making straight or patterned cuts - it can glide along a straight edge or a template.