Cutting W-I-D-E aluminum

[apratt]

How would water affect the aluminum?

[Nitetimes]

How would water affect the aluminum?

It'll turn it black, particularly if it's layin' in the grass.

[apratt]

Rich, so water itself dosn't hurt the aluminum, but can create mold?

[Nitetimes]

Rich, so water itself dosn't hurt the aluminum, but can create mold?

I don't think it's mold. There is a chemical reaction that happens when certain things come in contact with aluminum that turn it black and damp grass is one of them. It's cleanable but it's extra work!!

[doug hodder]

For anyone interested..I did post the description on how I was going to cut the 103" aluminum...here's a photo....I uncoiled the aluminum on 2 4x8 sheets of 1.5" thick styrofoam laid end to end on top of a couple of tarps as I cut it on pavement, to keep the material from getting marked...then laid a couple of blankets and moving pads on the side I was going to work from...topped with scraps of plywood so I wouldn't dent it...used a drywall square to draw a line full length...cut it with a circular saw and a carbide blade...in my left hand, I had an air hose to blow the chips away as I went...total time to cut it...maybe 3 min...set up time 20. A heads up for anyone doing wide aluminum...make sure you buy at least an extra foot in length, as chances are, unless they used a full width air shear on it, the edge is going to be wavy and there will be clamp marks where they held it in the take up reel when it is coiled... Lee Bryant came by from Willits to help me out while on his car buying expedition, thanks Lee!!! Doug

[Keith]

I'm sorry I didn't get back to this post sooner. I've been gone for the past week. When two sheets of aluminum are lying in contact with each other and get moisture between them they start to corrode. I ended up with large white areas of corrosion that I ended up having to wet sand through and then polish to get rid of. Here are two pictures of my trailer showing the white corrosion spots.

Keith

[Larwyn]

I noticed on the "Henry's" thread that you are glueing your aluminum skins on the trailer.

Don't hold us in suspense, how did you cut that W-I-D-E aluminum down to size...???

[Keith]

Hi Lawryn,

If that question was for me. Our trailers are five foot wide. We were able to purchase five foot wide aluminum twelve feet long for the roof. We only had to trim a few inches off the length of it.

Keith

[asianflava]

I noticed on the "Henry's" thread that you are glueing your aluminum skins on the trailer.

Don't hold us in suspense, how did you cut that W-I-D-E aluminum down to size...???

What I did is kinda of anticlimactic, I just layed it out on the ground and walked on it. I put a 2X4 near the cut line to keep it off the grass and I cut it with the El Cheapo HF shears. I just made shure to walk on the part that I'm not using. It didn't even get messed up.

I only cut it lengthwise, I'll cut across it later this afternoon after I wake up. It's bedtime for me. I'm getting to the point where I just want to finish. I have 2 days to finish because we are camping in it this weekend.

[Larwyn]

I noticed on the "Henry's" thread that you are glueing your aluminum skins on the trailer.

Don't hold us in suspense, how did you cut that W-I-D-E aluminum down to size...???

What I did is kinda of anticlimactic, I just layed it out on the ground and walked on it. I put a 2X4 near the cut line to keep it off the grass and I cut it with the El Cheapo HF shears. I just made shure to walk on the part that I'm not using. It didn't even get messed up.

I only cut it lengthwise, I'll cut across it later this afternoon after I wake up. It's bedtime for me. I'm getting to the point where I just want to finish. I have 2 days to finish because we are camping in it this weekend.

Thanks, that is the kind of encouragement that I needed........