Aluminum Clad PVC sheeting: Anyone cutting this?

[woodshop]

Looking for advice from anyone with experience cutting aluminum clad pvc sheets (aluminum composite material (ACM) made of two sheets of .012" aluminum with a solid polyethylene core.

We are not sure if these sheets are able to be vcarved.

[RickW]

I haven't vcarved any, but I've cut and grooved a lot of Dibond and Alucobond panels.
For grooving in preparation for folding, I use the Amana 45747 bit, running 16,000 RPM @ 200 IPM.
For cutting, I use an Onsrud solid carbide bit designed for cutting aluminum. Sorry, I don't remember what bit number it is. Feed and speed on it is 10,000 RPM and 48 IPM.
I think you might have trouble vcarving aluminum composite sheet because of the nature of the V shaped bit. The chip load at the very tip is essentially zero, so you would run the risk of breaking the tip.
If you do try vcarving it, please let us know what the results are.
Rick W

[joe]

Dave,

I'g guessing you are the thickness of your material to be either 1/8" or 1/4". However the thickness of the metal shouldn't be much of a concern. I think your question is how does polyethylene carve. Like a dream with a good bit.

Joe

[Chuck Keysor]

Dave, my lack of experience in cutting aluminum should make me clearly state I am only speculating......... But I have done a lot of V carving of normal materials.

Considering that .012" seems pretty thin, can you get a sample to try and V-carve? Then, if it doesn't work, you could quickly run a small end-mill along the vectors to be V-carved, to cut through/remove the aluminum, and then come back with a V-bit to do the V carving. With the aluminum removed where the tip of the V-bit where there are no flutes, the potential problems would mostly be gone, except along the very fine parts of the V-carving sweep up to the surface of the material.

I look forward to someone with an experience based reply. Chuck

[jerry_stanek]

I have V carved lots of it. Like Joe said it carves like butter with a good sharp bit

[knight_toolworks]

I have V carved lots of it. Like Joe said it carves like butter with a good sharp bit

ever got a clean cut but maybe the v bit was dull? what sped and all did you vcarve it?

[woodshop]

Got slag cutting at 20ipm. Will try a faster speed and take pictures. Hold on...

[woodshop]

29980
Results today.

Depth of the material (ACM) was 0.13"
VCarve depth at 0.1"
We upped the speed to 40 ipm.
Router speed: 17K
We put a fresh cutter in the 90 degree vbit.

It cut smooth with no aluminum slag. We are impressed.
We have a video but don't know how to upload it here.

Hope this helps everyone.

[woodshop]

29982
Another example.
Looks like we stripped off the aluminum around "GERONIMO"

[knight_toolworks]

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29982&stc=1
Another example.
Looks like we stripped off the aluminum around "GERONIMO"
I have pocketed out a lot of dibond with a straight or downcut bit down to 1/16" I have found sometimes the faces of letters come off no matter what. I did several hundred tap handle faces where I pocketed out around the letters. the first sheet was fine never had a face go flying and the cuts were clean. the second sheet I kept having letter faces come off and a lot of fuzz. I used fresh bits and the same toolpaths. this was the read dibond too. so it can really be different sheet to sheet.

[woodshop]

Yes, it has a limit with fine detail. 29994

Anything with less than an 1/8" between vector cuts (no matter how you cut them, i.e., vbit or spiral) is problematic.

[woodshop]

29995

We cut this with a vbit 90 @ 0.075" depth of cut.

Conclussion: Small detail is best cut at a depth of 0.03 or less.