[Bazzer]

Any great tips for cutting Alupanel?
For sign making and light boxes.
Aluminum plastic Aluminum sheet 5mm
Need to cut edges and vee groove.
what are my best mill ends?
How many flutes?
Up or down spiral?
Cnc has vacuum table.
What problems am I likely to run into?
Thanks in advance Bazzer

 

[John Smith_]

welcome to the forum, Bazzer.
the Alupanel is very popular for signs here in the U.S.
we would like to see some of your projects.

 

[difalkner]

I've cut it with a 1/4" downcut spiral and it worked great. I believe most folks use an O Flute bit but at the time I didn't have one.

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[jw2170]

Welcome to the forum, @Bazzer

 

[Bazzer]

we are just starting up making light boxes.
We have made a few and decided to fabricate our own after purchasing pre cut from others.
Time to make it ourselves.
new full sheet machine arriving soon.
new to all this. Man I’m going to have questions lol.

looking to reduce passes.
Here is my initial thoughts.
cut letters/design first.
Then use a narrow end mill to cut to lower Ali to make fold groove of box.
90 deg mill set to same depth to take away material at the edge of fold grove.
then external cut of box to maintain vacuum.
As I write that I’m thinking.
maybe that’s the wrong order.
Any thoughts please.
Bazzer

 

[John Smith_]

if you are going to be venturing into the sign biz, you might want to check out www.signs101.com and see what's going on there with the same projects you are wanting to do. (they do it for a living).

 

[UglySign]

@Bazzer
Use a folding bit like this for example:

Amana Tool - 45795 Carbide Tipped Double Edge Folding V-Groove 108 Deg x 0.090" Tip Wi - - Amazon.com

Amana Tool - 45795 Carbide Tipped Double Edge Folding V-Groove 108 Deg x 0.090" Tip Wi - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

You can make some neat stuff once you get the folding setup/cuts down
Good choice for doing your own.

Will you be using a vacuum to hold the sheet flat?

 

[Bazzer]

Thank you for your reply. That’s exactly the bit I’m looking for.
yes we will be using a vacuum bed.
in the factory we require some light box tables so that will be the first job. Using Alumpanel folded boxes.
We are hoping to pullenough vacuum for 20 mm acrylic but for see using clamping for smaller pieces of sheet.
May have to baffle sections of the vacuum table?