Using A Wood Router On Aluminum

At its most basic a router is used to rout out or hollow out a hole or groove in a piece of wood metal or plastic producing finished edges cutaways curved contours and precise holes.

Using a wood router on aluminum.

Use cnc router bits for cutting aluminum carbide endmills cnc routers use a variety of specialized cutters that should not be used with aluminum. To begin with cutting aluminum using a cnc router has its complexities as compared to cutting plastic or wood with it. You require the right hearing and eye protection during this process. Some woodworking experts use old candles wax on the cutting bit when cutting aluminum and they have found it to be effective as a lubricant.

Any normal working router with standard carbide bits can be used to cut aluminum. Materials such as wood plywood wood composites pvc plastic etc can be easily worked upon with this cnc router. You can make anything with a router and a pile of wood. We didn t go that far with our technique primer below but you can see how a woodshop workhorse like bosch s 1617evs router can contribute.

You want cutters specifically made for aluminum. It is quite easy to cut aluminum using a wood router. Downcut spirals compression cutters and the like have no place in aluminum work. The cutting blades may dull off after several uses on aluminum and therefore you need router bits that are hardy and durable.

The smooth metal surface makes it dustproof and very easy to clean as sawdust and other wood waste does not cling to the surface.