aluminum tubing

[trapper]

hello all, can anyone tell me how to cut thin slices of aluminum tubing to use for gauge bezels on a dashboard? every time i try it gets smashed or out of round

[Erik Smith]

Use a sharp x-acto blade and roll the tubing back and forth under the knife applying light pressure. The blade will slowly work it's way through.

I would also like to give you another tip - post questions in the "Questions" section

[Ace-Garageguy]

Step one: This is a question. Post it in "Questions and Answers" to keep everyone happy.

Step two: A very fine razor saw (32 TPI), a small aluminum miter box to keep everything square, and care and patience will do the trick for cutting thin rings. Also try to cut on the back-stroke with the saw. Dress the cut ends with the tip of a dull X-acto blade (to get the chaff out of the inside) and finally, sand the cut ends perfectly flat on a piece of sandpaper glued to a flat surface.

Edited May 4, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Harry P.]

Like the guys said... post questions in the question section.

[Harry P.]

Ace has it right.

Do not try slicing thin rings off aluminum tube by rolling it under your knife blade, because 9 times out of 10 you won't be able to keep just one groove going... the knife will wander and more than likely you'll get something resembling screw threads rather than one, neat cut line.

Much easier–and more predictable results–using a razor saw and miter box, as Ace pointed out. You can slice off extremely thin rings without distortion, then smooth the face of the rings with very fine sandpaper. I lay the sandpaper down on my work surface, lay the ring on the sandpaper, and then use a fingertip to slide the ring back and forth until it's perfectly smooth. Aluminum is soft; it doesn't take much time or pressure to get a perfect surface. They're kind of hard to see in this photo, but all the gauge bezels on this dash were made that way:

[trapper]

sorry about posting in the wrong spot,guys and thank you for all the good tips.