Bevelling Steel Pieces for Welding

[CalG]

Stacking 2 X 2 X 1/4 doesn't sound like fun. Might take a better saw vice than typical.

I suppose one could tack them all together into a solid. That would be fast, that's for sure.

 

[Jim Timber]

Just need a shim of appropriate thickness in the back side of the moveable jaw.

2x2" isn't big enough to worry about though. Grinder will bang those out in no time.

 

[CalG]

Just need a shim of appropriate thickness in the back side of the moveable jaw.

2x2" isn't big enough to worry about though. Grinder will bang those out in no time.

Let's think

2X2X1/4, a stack of even four would have less than an inch clamped for the top piece, and more than an inch overhanging to the saw blade.

That would take a pretty fair saw vise from my experience. Better than most I've seen on laydown cut off saws. True, the top piece would receive support from the pieces below. I wouldn't trust the set up with the Marvel 6X12

Regarding the use of abrasive methods, We share in that opinion!

 

[Sodo]

Some of it looks like more fun, but all methods thus far would be more time & trouble than a 9" grinder, and maybe even a 4 1/2". The most productive $$ thrown at the problem could be to buy a few vises, so you can get them all pre-clamped & setup before grinding.

 

[Jim Timber]

Let's think

2X2X1/4, a stack of even four would have less than an inch clamped for the top piece, and more than an inch overhanging to the saw blade.

That would take a pretty fair saw vise from my experience. Better than most I've seen on laydown cut off saws. True, the top piece would receive support from the pieces below. I wouldn't trust the set up with the Marvel 6X12

Regarding the use of abrasive methods, We share in that opinion!

Use a backer to extend the fixed jaw's reach and you have 1 full inch or more of clamping surface beneath all 4 parts - which is 50% of the surface area of the part and 400% of the cut's length across each part. It's a trivial set up. No tack welding needed.

Grinder is still going to be faster than band sawing through a 2x1" (effective) bar.

 

[Shield Arc]

On the whole I don't bevel 1/4" thick material, but it depends on what it's used for.
Personally I would clamp each piece to my welding table with a pair of #11s, and walk right down the line with a 9" grinder to bevel the plates.

 

[CalG]

On the whole I don't bevel 1/4" thick material, but it depends on what it's used for.
Personally I would clamp each piece to my welding table with a pair of #11s, and walk right down the line with a 9" grinder to bevel the plates.

I guess you pulled your hand back down.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

On the whole I don't bevel 1/4" thick material, but it depends on what it's used for.
Personally I would clamp each piece to my welding table with a pair of #11s, and walk right down the line with a 9" grinder to bevel the plates.

I knew you would come up with a good idea. My welding table is 40" long and I have at least 12 clamps of various types, A piece of flat bar on top and one clamp would hold 2 pieces. When I get back from vacation I now have a bunch of options I did not think of. In retrospect I should have cut each piece 1/16 th short and just gapped 1/8. actually this frame will take a lot of stress so wanted to assure good welding.

Thanks a lot guys, Ron

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you already have the 1/4" stuff cut, a 9' grinder will work as fast as any thing mentioned so far and likely be better. Unless you have a very high dollar saw like Shieldarc, you likely wont get a good square cut and end up grinding anyway. If you double V bevel on the 1/4" stuff there is very little material to remove. I would double bevel all pieces to help control warping from welding. Even the 1/2" stuff isn't that difficult to do.
The best would have been to cut / bevel in one pass with a track torch (but who has one other than ShieldArc), second would be some kind of band saw or carbide bit saw (again ShieldArc has the tool).
For me since I don't have a million dollars worth of fancy tools, my 9" grinder with a Norton or Pipeliner grinding disc would get the job done fast.
Just thought I would throw this in since we are discussing bevelling metal. I use my 4.5" grinder with a TigerPaw sanding pad for cutting bevels on lawn mower blades. They work about as fast as a hard abrasive disc but don't overheat the metal. The only draw back is the cost at around $10-15 per disc.

 

[ray66v]

My friend is a retired master pipe fitter, he bevels that kind of stuff with a cutting torch.

I am always amazed by how smooth, and neat it is, when he does that.

When I try it, I end up pulling out the heavy duty 9" grinder.