Metal cutting tools recommendation?

[Smokeydog]

Bought a grizzly 4x6” metal bandsaw about 30 years ago. Has cut, cut and cut. Made lots of fabrication and repair jobs possible.

 

[rScotty]

At some point many hobby guys will likely aquire all of the above. I couldn't imagine not having a dry cut saw ( or 2 ) a few angle grinders with various wheels, Plasma and Oxy-fuel, Band saw, shear and nibbler. Enjoy.

I'm the same way.... Welding is a major hobby of mine, and that means cutting metal. So I've ended up with lots of tools - like various grinders, horizontal bandsaw, power hacksaw, lathe, mill, nibbler, post drill, drill press, and half a dozen more. There's even a vertical jig saw in the mix. All for MIG, TIG, ARC, but oxy-acet torch welding is still my favorite.

If I had to have just one metal-cutting tool in the shop it would be a medium size vertical bandsaw on a stand. Actually it wouldn't necessarily be medium sized... I'd would be as heavy-duty of a vertical bandsaw as I could find and afford - but medium size would do it. Even in medium size it would probably have to be a used one as new ones are real expensive & this is one of the areas where used is just as good if you don't mind doing basic maintenance & adjustment.

With a bandsaw you can cut out odd shapes close either close enough to weld them and even trim them to fit. A medium size bandsaw is slow at cutting thicker metal, but it will cut up to about 1/4 to 3/8" thick fast enough for most projects....how thick & fast depends on the bandsaw. A bandsaw will also do some nice woodwork, and it's a sort of friendly tool.... not a frantic tool....

And if you just spend some time getting to know how to use it, your oxy-acet cutting torch will do a great job of cutting everything from sheet metal up to half inch plate and leaves a smooth bright shiny edge you can weld too without anything more than knocking some slag off.
rScotty

 

[Big Barn]

Bought a grizzly 4x6” metal bandsaw about 30 years ago. Has cut, cut and cut. Made lots of fabrication and repair jobs possible. View attachment 606650

That’s a sweet looking deck railing !

 

[Big Barn]

....

And if you just spend some time getting to know how to use it, your oxy-acet cutting torch will do a great job of cutting everything from sheet metal up to half inch plate and leaves a smooth bright shiny edge you can weld too without anything more than knocking some slag off.
rScotty

Up until I bought this Makita abrasive chop saw in 1983 O/A was the only way I had to cut metal on the farm. At the time it was like I had died and gone to heaven.

Still have and use both.

 

[rbstern]

Thanks for all of the helpful commentary and suggestions. A few things were jogged loose in my brain when reading all of the above.

I have a Ryobi cordless reciprocating saw and a bunch of metal blades I rarely use. I'm used to odd wood cutting jobs with that tool, or tree pruning. I don't think of it for metal working. Should press it into service.

I do have a 14" bandsaw. Fifteen year old HF model, from back when they were in made in Taiwan. **** good saw. Bought it for woodworking. My wife uses it in her crafts business daily. I could always throw a bi-metal blade on there if I really needed it. I prefer to leave her shop alone, since she has paying customers. In a pinch...sure could use it.

I've got at least one extra jigsaw around here somewhere. Again, same mentality: I think of it as a woodworking tool. D'oh! Get the right blade, it cuts metal. Hello.

My $10 HF angle grinder runs well, but the wheel swaps are a *****, because the manual stop doesn't engage well enough. Gonna pick up another $10 grinder or two, and I'll dedicate the existing one to just wearing a cutoff or grinding wheel. Might try the diamond cutting wheel discussed above.

Don't know if I'll ever graduate to justifying a plasma cutter, but I could see getting a portable band saw not far down the road.

 

[Big Barn]

The blade speed on your 14” bandsaw will be way too fast for cutting metal. Aluminum will be ok.

You would need to reduce the speed in addition to using a bi metal
blade. My Taiwan unit is prob the same as yours. I added a reduction gear to reduce the blade speed for cutting steel.



This bench model equipped with a narrow blade at regular wood cutting speed is used for aluminum.

 

[rbstern]

The blade speed on your 14” bandsaw will be way too fast for cutting metal. Aluminum will be ok.

You would need to reduce the speed in addition to using a bi metal
blade. My Taiwan unit is prob the same as yours. I added a reduction gear to reduce the blade speed for cutting steel.

I've got the model with the four speed gearbox.

 

[Big Barn]

I've got the model with the four speed gearbox.

That’s awesome. You’re all set!

 

[Smokeydog]

Have really enjoyed adding hypertherm plasma cutter to the shop. Repurpose and scrapyard much of my metal. Tools have to pay for themselves. Requires less skill and somewhat safer than oxy-acet.

Regulation and cost are are getting high for oxy-acet. Owner own tanks are getting smaller and harder to get. Really need some professional instruction. Lucky it was taught in my high school (1970) with graphic movies of shop accidents. OA is a chemical cut. Heating iron hot enough to react with oxygen instantly forming rust. Rust (oxide) melts at a lower temperature than iron. Doss not slag. Unique among metals and handy for us red blooded animals needing oxygen. That is why cut steel but not aluminum with OA.

 

[Rustyiron]

I'm getting a bit more into welding. Mostly light duty stuff so far, done with inexpensive wire fed MIG and arc welders.


Is there a decent, one tool cutting solution for a casual/occasional welder?

You will find that the cutting & fitting of parts is really where the "work" is in a welding project.:thumbsup:
After a simple o/a rig, it's hard to beat an abrasive wheel weather on an angle grinder or a "chop" type saw. That's where I started and I'm still looking for a better way after having everything up to my ironworker & plas. One big step for me as a kid was a hand held bandsaw, that old Milwaukee is now about 38 years old and still in use.
It was about $350 back then, they're still almost that much but in today's dollars!