How to Cut an Aluminum Plate

If you do not have access to a sheet metal shear, you can cut an aluminum plate with a straight, even line. Unlike other power tools that use fine-toothed blades, an abrasive cutting wheel affixed to an angle grinder will make short work of cutting the aluminum plate. The abrasive cutting wheel will not clog with aluminum particles during the cutting process, and after the cut is complete you can remove the bur from the metal with the abrasive cutting wheel.

Things You'll Need

• Worktable
• Dust brush
• Aluminum plate
• Tape measure
• Carpenter's pencil
• Straightedge
• Two-pair of self-locking C-grips
• Safety glasses
• Face shield
• Leather work gloves
• .032 abrasive grinding wheels
• Four-inch angle grinder

Instructions

1. Wipe the surface of the worktable with the dust brush to ensure that the worktable is clean.

2. Lay the aluminum plate flat on the worktable.

3. Hook the end of the tape measure on one end of the aluminum plate, pull the tape along the aluminum plate and mark the length you need to cut the aluminum plate with the carpenter's pencil.

4. Repeat step four, to place a second mark on the surface of the aluminum plate.

5. Place the straightedge on the aluminum plate and align one end of the straightedge with the two length marks you placed on the aluminum's surface.

6. Draw a line along the straightedge with the carpenter's pencil to provide a cutting line for the abrasive cutting wheel.

7. Remove the straightedge from the surface of the aluminum plate and slide the pencil lines three-inches over the edge of the worktable.

8. Secure the aluminum plate to the worktable by placing one pair of self-locking pliers at each area that an edge of the aluminum plate intersects the side of the worktable.

9. Don your safety glasses, face shield and leather work gloves.

10. Attach a .032 abrasive cutting wheel to the four-inch angle grinder.

11. Lower your face shield, pull the trigger of the angle grinder and lower the spinning abrasive cutting wheel to the pencil line drawn on the surface of the aluminum plate.

12. Use long strokes to run the abrasive cutting wheel along the entire length of the aluminum plate.

13. Push gently forward on the four-inch angle grinder after the abrasive wheel penetrates that aluminum plate to cut the plate to length.

14. Tilt the angle grinder on a 15-degree angle and run it along the top and bottom of the cut edge to remove the cutting bur from the cut edge of the aluminum plate.

15. Allow the cut end of the aluminum plate to cool before handling, as the cut will be hot and can cause severe burns.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use cloth or fabric gloves when using an angle grinder with an abrasive cutting wheel, as the glove can catch on fire and the fabric will not stop the cutting wheel from cutting your hand.