Cutting 4-5mm sheet Aluminium Required

W

Wildfire

Senior member
 Sutton
Hi All

I thought I'd ask on here as people seem genuinely helpful on here, as opposed to some of the other forums I am on, where there would be frankly no point in even asking.

I am looking to cut or have some shapes cut out of 4-5mm thick Aluminium sheet.

Essentially what I am trying to make is a training tomahawk.

Before people get panicked I am training in my tomahawk and axe fighting instructor's course and want to make a few nice hawks for my use and a couple of friends. Don't worry I'm not going to go about axing people and these are totally blunt. But the only ones I can find online are generally plastic/nylon.

The head of the school (in Austria) has a few custom wood and aluminium hawks that are very nice.

My plan is to use standard hatchet handles and insert an aluminium head/blade in the top, secured by cutler's rivets (or similar) and hand finish it. Seems simple in planning...

Does anyone have any experience in cutting it or even could do it for me for a few beer tokens. The blades/heads would be about 20cm x 20cm at the most and I'd be looking to do one as a test then maybe make around 4 more.

Advice is greatly welcome on the metal work and cutting out a thin enough slit in the hatchet handle.
 
For that small number I would consider fashioning the axe heads by hand using a scroll saw or similar (maybe a jigsaw depending on the shape) to cut the basic shape and finishing by hand using files and a sander. Aluminium is very easy to work with and a good finish is easily obtainable.
The slit in the handle should be fairly easy to do using a circular table saw, practice getting the position right with dummy pieces of timber of the correct width. Usual saw width is 3mm so you would need two cuts to achieve the 4 or 5mm wide slot.
Wish I could help but don't have a scroll saw, if it was only one you are making you could cut the basic shape with a hacksaw and finish with files and sanders etc, it would be more time consuming and a bit more elbow grease needed.
I'm assuming you have access to a home workshop of sorts with a work bench, vice, drills, sanders etc? Good luck.
 
ekimj10 said:
I'm assuming you have access to a home workshop of sorts with a work bench, vice, drills, sanders etc? Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, yes I have a fair few bits, but saws and metalworking bits/fabrication is not in my equipment. I'm fairly handy with sanders and files etc. Last resort was going to be a hacksaw and a lot of filing!
 
An air nibbler with a 5mm cutter will easily cut it to shape, they only cost around £30 if you know someone with a fairly big compressor. You're welcome to borrow mine if it cuts to 5mm, but I think it might be to 3mm, I can't remember off hand, I'll check. If it's of any use and it'll cut 5mm then just let me know
 
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