I Want To Scroll Some Aluminum...

[Mort]

I'm making a pallet map project (lots of scrolling, I should upload some pictures), and I want to use some scrap aluminum I salvaged from a fire clean up (the map is the day-by-day progression of a devastating wildfire we had this summer).

 

My first thought was to carve the name of the wildfire in the pallet wood (also salvaged from a fire cleanup) and melt the aluminum and pour it into the holes. After watching a few YouTube videos, I came to the conclusion that this was impossible because it would catch my project on fire. Hmm.

 

So what if I were to cast a thin layer of aluminum and saw the letters with my scroll saw? How thin would I need the casting to be? And what blade should I use? 

 

Just kicking ideas around, I wouldn't expect any pictures for a while.

[LarryEA]

Contact the scroll blade sellers... Sloans Woodshop or Mikes Flying Dutchman.

They will answer your questions and sell you the right blades.

[LarryEA]

 Oh, and sounds like an interesting project. Please post some pics

[Multifasited]

I would not attempt to cast alum . on a bet ! take1/8 " thick pc .try cutting , give you an idea of the task before you and how thick or thin your talking about ,may be you could scroll sign out of wood with samples of melted  from the fire at each end ! JMHO!! 

[Jumpjet1127]

I have seen craft people cut an aluminium coca cola can with scissors , that is how thin you would need it. Why not cut the words out with scissors or scroll the aluminium can that's salvage or up cycling. This is just an idea I had i don't know if it would work. Linda

[amazingkevin]

Spray glue aluminum foil on wood and cut away !

[ike]

HOW ABOUT PUTTING THE ALUMINUM BETEWEEN 2 PIECES OF PLYWOODYOU MIGHT RUN SCREWS THRU THE PLYWOOD TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS IN PLACE. JUST A THOUGHT

[hippygirl]

Being a metalwoker of sorts (silver jewelry...all metal, no wire or beads), you're right about the potential for some molten metals to burn wood on contact...and I have quite a few burn marks on my jeweler's bench to prove it.

 

There are a number of faux finish options available such as metallic paint, leafing (faux gold, silver, copper, brass), waxes/burnishes, even clays that look like metal after baking in nothing more than a toaster oven. Of those, the most labor-intensive or "fiddly" method is the leafing...but, IMO, it's the most realistic.

 

I'm a TOTAL NOOB at scrolling, but crafting...not so much. I can see the use of faux finishes on scrollwork. I've never used Krylon metallic on wood, but, if it were me, I'd grab a can of gray primer and a can of silver or even chrome paint and give it a whirl. If you don't like it, I'm sure eventually you'll find a use for the remaining primer and paint.

[Mort]

Okay, so this is what I'm dealing with. It was in a scrap pile already, so I don't know what it was, maybe a wheel from an atv.

 

 

My whole reason for wanting to use aluminum is because I'm trying for mostly fire salvaged materials, and it would contrast nicely with the burned wood of the pallet. You can see now why something as thin as a soda can wouldn't survive. I thought maybe if I could cast this into a thin sheet, I might be able to saw some letters out of it. I saw the Mike's Wood-whatever page has some aluminum cutting blades, I wasn't sure how thick it could be or how many TPI I needed to get a somewhat intricate cut. 

 

Here's the work in progress:

 

 

My house is denoted by the red arrow. To give some sort of scale, its probably 40 miles or so from the top of the map to the bottom.

Edited December 17, 2014 by Mort

[LarryEA]

Use that old fashioned telephone. call and ask Mike or the Sloans... They will tell you.

[Kragax]

At one time I worked at Case Cutlery. My job was casting knobs for hunting knife handles. Alum. cools fast. It would be hard to cast a thin Alum. sheet and have any control of it without specialized tooling.

[tigercub]

Sounds like a facinating project,would love to see you progress with such a great idea.Good luck.

[heppnerguy]

I remember well the large fires in Washington State this summer. we too had some rather large fires here in Oregon. In Fact the town i live in, (Heppner) had a fire that burned a hillside the full length of our town.  I like the idea you have and I hope you can succeed with your endeavor, it will be a  nice tribute to the efforts of everyone who fought the fire or experienced a loss as a result of the fire.. I will be waiting to see how you do. but most of all be very careful. I sounds like it could be a little dangerous.

 

 

Dick

heppnerguy 

[Mort]

Thanks for all the kind words and advice. 

 

I'm still kicking around ideas for this map. I've gotten to the glue-up stage thus far. A map exists of the day-by-day progression of the fire, so I thought about separating the days with a copper wire inlay. I still may do that, but it will be extremely difficult, at least for someone of my beginner skill level. I guess the entire reason I got into wood working was to learn patience, this will certainly do that.

 

A tough part of this project is that I can't sand the surface, because it will ruin a patina that I can't replace. And I can't replace any of the boards, like I can with my normal pallet maps. I did save all the cutoffs for practice, so if anybody has any cool ideas, I'm all ears.

[MrsN]

I have cut 1/4" aluminum with regular scroll saw blades.

Thicker aluminum can be cut but it gets tricky.

[amazingkevin]

HOW ABOUT PUTTING THE ALUMINUM BETEWEEN 2 PIECES OF PLYWOODYOU MIGHT RUN SCREWS THRU THE PLYWOOD TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS IN PLACE. JUST A THOUGHT

Thats the best way to cut metal thats thin IKE!