Cutting aluminum angle lenthways?

I have a number of 3m lengths of 40x40x1.4mm aluminum angles that I'd like to rip one side down to about 20-25mm.

What would be the best way to go about it? Circular saw or saw bench was my first thought, but maybe that's not a great idea?

Thanks

I'd use a band saw with a fence. 

If that's the tools you have on hand, either a circular saw or a table saw will work. The table saw with a fence will be more accurate, of course.

Table saw.  It's noisy as heck but it works fine.

I've done a lot of that with a table saw. It works. 
 

band saw with a fence would be preferred, but they are less common 

In reply to mw :

For a band saw solution, lots of companies make table adapters for portable bandsaws.

https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-V30-Portaband-Table_p_55.html

I cut a good deal of aluminum sheets with a circular saw. It works well if you use a carbide blade with high teeth count. I generally use a piece of wood as a guide, but that will be a challenge with something that narrow.

What types of saws/cutters do you have available to use?

Aluminum Angle is typically extruded. Depending on the alloy, temper and thickness of the section you may experience some warping length wise as the angle is ripped. 

I thought I'd forgot to post this, nope, just posted it in motorsports as opposed to off topic.

On hand I have a couple of circular saws, a recipro saw, a jigsaw and possibly access to a table saw (said saw owner may not be super enthusiastic about running aluminum through it)

My initial thought was setting up a circ saw in a clamping work table and setting a fence and just running it thru that. But wasn't so sure about the safety or blade choice.

It doesn't have to be super accurate, but reasonably neat would be preferable. It will be getting run around the base of my shed slab to keep rodents and snakes from getting in through the raised sections in the corrugated iron cladding.

I've cut aluminum sheet with a circular saw and WD40.  Not the best, but it'll do.

We rip a lot of aluminum in the door business. More than I want. Use a table saw if you have one. Apply a liberal coat of wax from a toilet ring to the blade to keep the aluminum from sticking.

If you don't have a table saw, use a circular saw. Clamp the angle down very well and wax the blade. 

Also, wear lots of safety gear and keep your mouth shut and cover your lips. The chips flying off the blade are hot and they will stick to your lips and the inside of your mouth. BTDT

I use one of the Diablo carbide tipped blades on the circular saw. You'll want 60+ teeth for a clean cut. The 72 teeth version would probably be best, giving you the cleanest cut. 
 

like Toyman said, the chips can be intense! Wear some long sleeves. 

NOT A TA said:

I'd use a band saw with a fence. 

Best suggestion here by far if you can find one to use.

Going back to my days building patio enclosures, i've always used wood blades and saws for aluminum, and if it's more than a quick cut wax the blade.  We used to have tubes of blade wax that were grease gun cartridge sized that you rub on the blade as it's running.  Table saw would be fine here depending on finger safety.  Like toyman said the hot chips will stick to your lips as they burn their way through your skin, wear a face shield

As someone who has cut themselves on a table saw ripping a narrow piece of plywood...PLEASE be careful. I can't imagine a machine shop with a band saw would charge much to do what you are wanting. May be worth looking into.

And this is what makes this place so awesome, the experience and knowledge amongst the people here is second to none. The fact that some of you have not only done this, but done it often enough to know what works well and what isn't so great is a massive help.

Really appreciate the heads up on the hot aluminum chips, it wouldn't have been something I automatically associated with aluminum given that it doesn't throw sparks. I realize pretty much any metal cutting makes heat, but I'm assuming the bigger chips of aluminum hold heat more than say grinder sparks.

I'll see what I have blade wise for the circ and do a test cut, I may also be able to invert the circ in a work table and make it into a mini table saw.

One last idea I saw last night that may be an ok poor man's bandsaw substitute is to invert a jigsaw In a stand/ table. Seemed quite effective as a scroll saw substitute and with a fence positioned along side the blade might just be a goer.

Either way, I'll do a couple of tests with what I've got on hand, and if I'm not happy with the result or safety, look at wether I can get acess to a band saw or grab a blade to suit the earlier mentioned table saw.

Band saws and jig saws are painfully slow when it comes to long cuts in aluminum. You will have to be religious about keeping the blade lubed. Tiny teeth get choked up with aluminum quickly. Aluminum also gets sticky when it gets hot. Jig saw blades will  want to push the material away from the saw and then they tend to snap. 

For a circular saw, just about any decent carbide blade will get the job done. Try to avoid the cheap cheap blades. They will throw the carbide tips. More teeth is better. The blade tips run cooler and there is less of a chance it will jamb. We run a 60 tooth blade in our 12" chop saw that has been cutting aluminum for years now. I have a 40 tooth blade for my 10" table saw that is a dedicated aluminum blade. Keep the blade waxed, don't push the saw and let the blade do the work. 

Toyman01 (Moderately Supportive Dude) said:

Band saws and jig saws are painfully slow when it comes to long cuts in aluminum. 

Not true if you have a sharp blade of the correct pitch for what you are cutting.  Two to three teeth in the cut is what you are after.

In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :

Compared to a circular saw or table saw, they are painfully slow. I can rip a 14' long, 3/16 web aluminum jamb or threshold with a table saw or circular saw in under a minute. A jig or band saw will take substantially longer. 5 to 10 times longer and time is money. A table or circular saw will also usually make a straighter and more uniform cut.

Just did a couple of test cuts with what I have on hand. Circ saw will probably do a pretty nice job based on what I've seen so far. Jigsaw would work, but the available blades I have either cut slow, or tend to bite a bit at times. Circ saw will pull the job to the table, jigsaw if it catches will start moving the job up and down pretty badly.

I'm rigging a jig to more or less make a fenced table saw out of my circ. Will run a length thru it and see how it goes.

Again, I appreciate the advice and feedback from everyone