Cutting up to 1/4in steel - what do you recommend?

[Gary Fowler]

For all around versatility you cant beat an oxy-acetylene torch for cutting carbon steel. Just about everything else is a specialty tool of one sort or another. With oxy torch you can cut, heat and weld, so it is a multipurpose tool for something other than cutting.
For just cutting of multiply alloys, a plasma torch is about as good as you can get.

 

[k0ua]

Like I said the rectangular spec is a little smaller, 4-1/2 x 6 vs. 5x6, but I would be surprised if there was much real difference. Might be rounding in the conversion from millimeters.

Sorry. I missed your original comment.

 

[JKR]

I want one of the Bosch Metal Cutting Jigsaw GST 25M. I have the wood working one that I use for metal.

 

[PhysAssist]

Thanks for all the replies gents! I let this run a bit since I was getting great responses but I left out a very key word... cutting 'Curves'. Mostly sheet/plate.

Hi DE, et al,

You jumped back in with your "C"-word just in time because I was going to ask you what shapes you wanted to cut.

I have both a Workmaster [or whatever TSC's house brand is called] cold cutting chop saw, and HF cold cutting circular saw- the combination takes care of pretty much any straight cuts you need to make in anything up to about 1&5/8" for the circular saw (per the HF website), and 3" or 4" for the chop saw.

These are metal cutting carbide tipped blades and make a ton less spark and chips than abrasive wheeles, leaving clean edges that rarely if ever need grinding or filing..

That takes care of the smaller straight cuts, for thicker metal, there are are bandsaw chopsaws- I stll want to get one of those.

For curved cuts, as many have said, jig saws with metal cutting blades work ok on thin or even moderate sheet goods, and my welder friend can make amazing curves with his angler grinder, but the thing I really want to get my hands on is a plasma cutter.

I really do love both of the cold cutting saws though, and they also cut a lot faster than abrasives.

 

[Sodo]

Agreed on the cold-cutting. Nice, accurate cuts.

I have a Milwaukie dry-cut chop saw and a Porter-Cable (like a skil-saw) for steel. It takes about a whole blade ($100) to learn how to cut with it (and not ruin it) so if you lend it out make them buy their own blade. Both of these use carbide tipped sawblades. I like it. The material doesn't even get warm sometimes. I've cut 3/8" sheet steel with the skil-saw, it was surprising, cutting steel as if it was plywood. I have an abrasive chop saw, use it when I think the material's not appropriate for the dry-cut, cuz it's slower and covers everything in the shop with abrasive dust (which can't be good).

I use a 4/12" angle grinder with thin kerf abrasive cutters too, use this tool a lot.

For curves, I use an 18v Dewalt jigsaw. I have a 120v corded Bosch that never gets used, since the 18v is always at hand and usually my jigsawing is a short cut. Jigsawing gets much better when there is no cord. I use a sawzall sometimes too. A plasma cutter would only get me in trouble. (on the wish list though)

I bought one of those counter-rotating circular saws (from Costco) and it mostly sits in its case. Has some benefits, maybe safety, but I had a hard time cutting with any accuracy, real hard time it makes a mess. There may be some useful applications, but haven't been too inspired to get it out again.

 

[dragoneggs]

I want one of the Bosch Metal Cutting Jigsaw GST 25M. I have the wood working one that I use for metal.

I have a nice 'wood' cutting Bosch so I suppose I could try it with metal blades for the thin stuff.

 

[dragoneggs]

Hi DE, et al,

You jumped back in with your "C"-word just in time because I was going to ask you what shapes you wanted to cut.

I have both a Workmaster [or whatever TSC's house brand is called] cold cutting chop saw, and HF cold cutting circular saw- the combination takes care of pretty much any straight cuts you need to make in anything up to about 1&5/8" for the circular saw (per the HF website), and 3" or 4" for the chop saw.

These are metal cutting carbide tipped blades and make a ton less spark and chips than abrasive wheeles, leaving clean edges that rarely if ever need grinding or filing..

That takes care of the smaller straight cuts, for thicker metal, there are are bandsaw chopsaws- I stll want to get one of those.

For curved cuts, as many have said, jig saws with metal cutting blades work ok on thin or even moderate sheet goods, and my welder friend can make amazing curves with his angler grinder, but the thing I really want to get my hands on is a plasma cutter.

I really do love both of the cold cutting saws though, and they also cut a lot faster than abrasives.

Yeah the plasma cutter is tops on my xmas list to me... note I said "my" xmas list because no one else will be able to buy that for me. $$$ but wow... that looks like the tool to spoil myself with. got my eyes specifically at the Miller 375 X treme. How do I justify that though??? Going to have to sell something or two to help pay for that.

 

[PhysAssist]

Yeah the plasma cutter is tops on my xmas list to me... note I said "my" xmas list because no one else will be able to buy that for me. $$$ but wow... that looks like the tool to spoil myself with. got my eyes specifically at the Miller 375 X treme. How do I justify that though??? Going to have to sell something or two to help pay for that.

Naw, just break something more expensive, that you "need" it to fix....

Or find something your boss wants that it will be "the best tool" to make it with.

Thomas

 

[rmully]

Skill worm gear works well with 7" blade..... The saw does not bog down easily. Just cut some 3/8" plate using a wood fence and it came out clean.

 

[dragoneggs]

Skill worm gear works well with 7" blade..... The saw does not bog down easily. Just cut some 3/8" plate using a wood fence and it came out clean.

Really? Cool... I got a Makita worm drive. What is the blade you are using?