best way to cut 16ga metal and 1 inch tubing

[mjncad]

Go with the cutoff wheel in your grinder. Even with a fine blade, any saw is going to hop and bounce and give you a crappy cut. If you can't get the angle grinder in there, then a jigsaw and/or sawzall may be your best bet.

Mace, that's classic. :thumbsup:

An acquaintance of mine actually has a real ACME catalogue.

Amazon.com: ACME Catalog: Quality is Our #1 Dream (9780811851152): Charles Carney, ACME: Books

 

[6011Artist]

Definately use the thin cutoff wheel. The thin ones cut a lot better than the thicker grinder type wheels. They can be a lil pricy but they sure do pretty work and are a dream to use.

Don't go back n forth, go ahead and sink it and the cut will be a lot smoother and straighter, more of a factory look. And you may want to make your deeper tubing cuts first. The wheels wear out fast and then you can take the used smaller ones to cut the thin sheet metal.

I use the 6 inch ones from Fastenal, cost is 5.00 each. I try to save them for the must have jobs due to their cost but they are a joy to use.

 

[MMagis]

I think it took me longer to read three pages of replies than it would take the original poster to cut the 1" tubing.

 

[bobodu]

Don't go back n forth, go ahead and sink it and the cut will be a lot smoother and straighter, more of a factory look............................ The wheels wear out fast

That's why your wheels wear out fast. You're using too little of the disk edge to do the cutting.

 

[MMagis]

That's why your wheels wear out fast. You're using too little of the disk edge to do the cutting.

You realize the wheel spins right? The same amount of edge is used no matter what. The amount of pressure applied would chage how fast a wheel wears out.

 

[acs55812]

YEA----project done, cut it with a 4 1/2 inch grinder, thin Dewalt wheel, clamped a 2X4 as a guide, didn't use up one $1.70 wheel, (but I did switch to a second wheel cause I needed more "reach")

Spent 10X longer contemplating this project than it took to just "get er done"

 

[Zick]

Spent 10X longer contemplating this project than it took to just "get er done"

Sounds like me, usually spend more time thinking about how to do than to actually just do it. :laughing: