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Beverly shear (throatless shear) could be pretty slick for you if your pieces aren't huge.

This sounds more like a one time project and not repeated fabrication.

The jig saw recommendations sound good to me, you might already have one, and if you don't... it's not a bad thing to have for other projects.

Honestly the cutting is the easy part. Forming .125 is going to be the OP's challenge.

2024 T-3 in my opinion your just wasting time and material.

Have you ever tried cutting .125 in a Beverly shear?

We cut all our straight stuff in .125 with a hydraulic shear.

Hey... not to be a debby downer but...

I've used one of those things before. It's kind of like a firecracker, good for one use, if it's not a dud.

Seriously, they are junk.

If you do get one.... get goggles, full face shield, ear plugs...

Make good with the lord, make sure your life insurance is current and let r buck.

I've been cutting the OP discussed material, and heavier for YEARS with a Makita Jigsaw,....fine toothed blade dipped in that waxy, "Blade Lubricant". Have cut MILES of both (resonably) straight, and intricate curves.

No problemo

I load abrasive discs, and belts with the stuff, and while making a filthy, oily mess out of myself and the surrounding area,....have no real problem with "Loading".

You're gonna' need one HELL of a good stout vice to be bending 1/8 T 6

Jigsaw with Boelube works great.

Yeah, just use the right size Beverly.

There's little bev, medium bev.... and BIG BEV.

lol!

I wouldn't care to do it all day, I'd whip out the plasma if I had to do big cuts on .125 cause, that's the closest to the right tool I've got right now.

I have a biggger then big Bev and no thanks. Better tools for the job.

A guy that has a Bev more times then not has all the right tools or access to them.

Yep.

I mentioned WD40 because everybody has it and it does OK. Back in the day when I refinished aluminium aircraft propeller blades we used tallow on abrasive discs which was a waxy substance. It came in tubes about the size of a cardboard paper towel roll.

I wrote in a previous post that it was given to me, so I'm going to use it. If it turns out that it won't bend or whatever, at least i'll get some time to practice with it.

Hell, they use the stuff on aerospace builds so it should work for something as simple as a utv panel.

Sounds like a jigsaw will work just fine with the right blade. I'm not doing this as a business venture, it's for my personal use so I don't plan on sinking a ton of money into tools and equipment.

2024 will be the easiest out side of "O" to bend and cut.

Yeah I use 2024 all the time for helicopter structures.

What I was trying to tell you is that as a guard it isn't worth the time and effort or materials.

I am not sure what you are trying to do exactly but I worked in aviation structures for 23 years. I can give you some time and money saving advice. Or not but you asked so I thought I would try to help you.

If you need rivets, Hi Locks, cam locks, or the like I may have some I can send you depending on what you need.

Yes electric, everyone should have at least one, two is better then you don't have to change wheels nearly as often.

Yeah you're right...I know I read the 1/8" but in my mind I was thinking 18ga.

WD 40 is actually a decent cutting oil for aluminum when you're in a pinch. One of the better uses for WD 40.

And I appreciate the advice, I really do but i got this sheet for free so there's no point in letting it sit when I can try and make somethng usefull from it.

I thought my goal with this whole thread was pretty clear actually, what did I miss?

If it's for a panel to just keep debris out of, it should be fine. If you expect it to take hits from rocks and protect something, I'd look into something purpose built. Either thicker T6 or steel.

Yes, I need some panels for keeping mud, dirt, and dust out of the cab of my Rhino. I know it won't hold up as far as using it for a skid plate or a arm guard, it's too thin for that anyways.

I do plan on getting some better aluminum down the road to make those other parts (skids, guards).

A circular saw with a carbide tipped blade will work the heck out of a sheet of aluminum.

Everybody who has ever worked in a machine shop has had to wrestle 8X4' sheets of aluminum through an upright bandsaw.

It's a nuisance.

One day we decided to give it a try with an old Skillsaw that was laying around the shop.

Stuck a carbide tipped blade on it,...smeared everything down with Crisco, and launched into it.

Worked so good that it became standard procedure.

A circular saw with a carbide tipped blade is the hot set up for sheets of aluminum.

I've cut 1/2" thick plates of 6061 with one. I'm convinced that you could cut even thicker stuff, but I've never had an opportunity to give it a try.

I know for a fact that you can go through 1/4" aluminum like a knife through butter with one.

Just keep everything greasy with Crisco so the blade doesn't load up,...take your time,..and wear ear protection.

A sheet of aluminum getting cut with a circular saw gives off a right smart amount of racket.

An even better material for skid plate / deflector type use would probably be 1/4� UHMW or even HD Polyethylene. Aluminum is very �snaggy� and high-friction while the polys are some of the slipperiest materials you can use. Poly is also very easily cut and shaped. The most expensive item needed to form it would probably be a strip heater for making line bends.