Cutting aluminum reflectors?

[bennyinca]

I have an Icecap T5 reflector, 48" long. I am tempted to "cut" it into 2 ~24" pieces. I want to use them in a smaller tank.

Has anyone tried cutting polished aluminum reflectors?
Can it be easily cut? What tool would be best?

Thanks!

 

[Frankysreef]

table saw.. dont use snips.... wont work.

 

[bennyinca]

Hey Frank, do I need a special blade, or just regular one for metal?

Thanks!

 

[Mchava]

hey ben dont use dont use a table saw no. Need for it. If you have a good pair of sharp kitchen sheers use does. That is whay I used on another reflector. Cut them clean.

 

[rscott76]

i use aluminum snips or a dremel depending on whats closest. just try to avoid messing up the angles on the bends.

 

[bennyinca]

Mario,
kitchen shears? do you mean the kind to cut bones and stuff? Did it cut pretty clean and straight?

rscott76,
the bends on the reflector is what has me concerned. I have a dremel tool, what type of blade did you use? And was there a need to polish the cut edges after that?

Thanks!

 

[Mchava]

yes the realy heavy duty once or you can also use a fine tooth hacksaw blade if you have one just make sure you do it slowly and take your time.

 

[d0cdave]

I use a chop saw for all my aluminum cutting. Just make sure to clamp both pieces firmly down so they dont fly, and wear eye protection. ZZZip!!

Not for the faint-of-heart though!

 

[glaudds]

I just shortened a 5 foot reflector by a foot. I used snips to cut each short side of the reflector to the flat part. Then over an edge of a sharp table top, you bend the reflector. You should get sharp crease between the two cuts. Then you bend the the reflector back and forth across the crease...the metal will snap at the crease into a nice smooth straight line.

 

[d0cdave]

That's a much safer way to go.

 

[ReefMeister2]

hacksaw both corners down about an inch or so, then you can use tin snips on all three sides

 

[bennyinca]

Ok. I think I will not try the table and chop saw. I am sure it will work, but I might not know what I am doing there. I can cut wood, but have no exp cutting metal :lol:
But seems like the hacksaw / snips method is do-able... let me check how sharp my hacksaw blade is.

The IC reflector has a lot of bends and angles, I don't think I can bend it without damage. Maybe I will need to hacksaw the whole piece?

Thanks!

 

[loc01]

I used a pair of sharp scissors. Just draw a line where you wanta cut they work just fine.

Loc

 

[IsaaX]

If it were me, I'd use a Dremel and a Carbide wheel cutter to do it. Last time I used snips, I damaged bends.

Ben, if you want, I can do it for you.

 

[slavearm]

I used a dremmel to cut mine.

 

[Frankysreef]

Depending on the thickness of the metal, tin snips wont cut anything long without bending in the middle, not to mention the gashes on either side of the cut.

If the metal is 1/16 of an inch thick or thicker, u need to use a saw, or your cut will be terrible... If it is like foil u can use snips, But dont u want to cut the whole T5 reflector in half?

Take it to a metal shop and have them cut it for you... Wrights in costa mesa could easily do it for you...

I use a special crosscut blade in my table saw that cuts acrylic metal and wood.

F

 

[Mchava]

he just wants to make two reflector out of one.
-------------|cut|---------------

 

[bennyinca]

Thanks for all the suggestions and offer to help.

Like Mario said, I would like to end up with 2 small reflectors. So maybe using snips may not be a good idea, I don't want to damage or bend either side of the cut.

I am thinking to get a new hacksaw blade at HD and use a saw box to cut it. Or as suggested, just take it to a metal shop, put on satey glasses, and wait