Manufacturing Aluminium Powder through filing

There are no import restrictions for aluminium powder for a majority (if not all) of EU the countries. Ordering 1-100 kg quantities of aluminium powder quantities from chemical/pyro supply factories is therefore advices. Just be careful and travel directly to the factory to pick up the order if possible.

However, if you want to avoid ordering it online (or pick up an order directly from the factory in f example Poland) you may create limited quantities yourself. You may use various aluminium scrap, or purchase aluminum ingots/bars from hardware stores to file down the aluminum into powder. This method can be cheap and yield good quality aluminum powder, however be prepared to work.

Most files will work, as aluminum is a soft metal. However, you should order high quality aluminium files online. There are variations of aluminium. The harder types, f example: 6061, 7075 are filed down quite well without having to cleanse/brush off/load the file. Other types of aluminium like the type that can be found in aluminium plate and cast aluminum are very gummy and stick to a file quite easily.

· Recommended files: try the Supershear file, or the aluminum cut file (a special file for filing aluminium, check Ebay etc.). According to one source; the Supershear is the fastest hand file. It may need occasional chalking or lubing. The Aluminum cut file is fast, and creates finer powder than the Super Shear. Next, and less accurate, but very much faster is the air or electric die grinder fit with a single-cut burr and lubed with beeswax. It will climb through 1/2" of solid stock in 10 seconds. The next step up is 6", 8", and 12" grinding discs, belt sanders etc.

· Correct filing motion: the trick is to push hard on the cutting stroke and ease up as you pull back to rattle the pins free. When you carefully pull the file back, you will basically remove much of the powder in between the tooth’s.

· Cleaning your file: Many people use a piece of copper water pipe (1/2"). Take a piece about 6" - 8" long, squish the first 2" or so inches in the vise of with a Hammer. The round end will be you handle, give a wrap or two with electrical tape or duct tape. Work the tool (copper pipe, squished end -almost a chisel) with the teeth of the file; not with the direction you would file if you were using the file, but side to side. This allows the copper to get under the aluminum and 'pop' it out the files teeth. The copper will not wear down or damage your file. Alternatively; you should just use an aluminum bristled wire brush which will clean the file perfectly, almost every time, as long as you clean across the teeth.

· It is recommended that you do your filing above a container to catch all the powder.

· Use a particle mask to prevent the inhalation of aluminium dust.

· The mesh, fineness, of the grain can be increased by using a mortar and pestle to grind the powder down more. However, this will be very time consuming.

· You should store your aluminium powder in f example glass or plastic containers.

· Cover story usage: fine aluminium powder is used as a paint component (f example boat paint) to add UV resistance.

· Estimated aluminium powder produced per hour using a specialized file; I’m not exactly sure, as I haven’t tried it. I would estimate between 50-100 g per hour. So if you wanted 100 kg it would take one person 1000 hours or 125 x 8 hour days, 10 kg = 12, 5 x 8 hour days.