cutting holes in 3mm aluminum sheet

[Rob Morley]

So get it sharpened.

[Tony Williams]

Kept the old one for rough jobs and bought two more, small and large.

[The Natural Philosopher]

20 ton press and punch and die set.

Qmax cutters for the one offs

[sm_jamieson]

Well, I used a hole saw + hand drill in the end. I clamped the alu sheet onto a good block of wood, punched it, drilled a very small pilot hole, drilled a long pilot hole into the wood using the drill bit that came with the saw, attached the saw, and it went through fairly easily. I used quite a slow drill speed. I think steel would have been more of a job. Thanks for all the responses. Simon.

[Brian {Hamilton Kelly}]

The OP hasn't said how close to the edge of the sheet the hole is wanted, but is the Abrafile still in manufacture? I remember using this tool in a jigsaw (that's the hand-tool, not the misnomer power-tool) for cutting all sorts of oddly shaped holes in electronics chasses, both aluminium and mild steel.