Alumilite Casting - What saw blade for cutting castings?

[HamTurns]

Hello -

I'm pretty new to casting, I just made my first Alumilite casting last week.

I cut the blank up, and got the 6 pen blanks I was planning on but with a lot of blade smoking.

I'd like to know which saw blade folks use. I noticed on Curtis' video when cutting up the blank I saw no smoking table saw blade.

What blade works for cutting up Alumilite?

Thanks
Tom

 

[Monty]

I use, and I believe Curtis uses, a tablesaw. Are you sure your blade is sharp and clean?

 

[RetiredJake]

Most any blade will work. If you are getting smoke, you are either going too slow, or your blade is dull and needs to be sharpened.

Jake

 

[plantman]

Tom; I find a small table top band saw much easier and safer to cut blanks. You can get one for less that $100. Usualy when your blade smokes, it's because the blank your cutting is heating up and melting against the blade closeing the kerf. This is a very dangerous thing when working with small object, as it may cause a kick-back on the saw !! If you are cutting things on the table saw, it is best to build yourself a cut off sled to use. See articles in the library on how to construct one. Jim S

 

[HamTurns]

Thanks everyone for the replies -

I am using a table saw. My blade must be dull.

I did notice that when I cut faster I had less smoke.

I have a band saw too, I'll give that a try as well, then I'll have less kerf too.

Thanks
Tom

 

[crabcreekind]

bandsaw cuts well on alumilite. But plastic does dull the bandsaw blade faster than some woods. So make sure your blade is sharp.
I like to use the table saw, because the blanks look "clean" and you can make them to exact measurements. Where as on a bandsaw you cant take off a "hair" more. Because it will just flex the blade.
Also, you may want to look into how many teeth are on your tablesaw. I am not an expert on tablesaw blades. But maybe more teeth = more friction= smoke? Just a guess. (and it might be dull)
Hope this helps.