Can I use a miter saw for steel ?

[EddieWalker]

Miter saw for wood has a high RPM and it's not designed for heavy duty work required to cut metal. It will do the job in a pinch, but it wont take long to harm the motor. The miter saw for cutting metal cuts at a slower RPM, and its more industrial in it's design.

I had just the wood miter saw and burned it out fairly quickly using it for metal and pavers. Now I cut pavers with my tile wet saw, and I cut metal with a Milwaukee metal miter saw. The difference is what they do is worth the price of buying them, and the space they take up in my shop.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Do you have craigslist in your area? I have known a guy who purchased a wood miter and it is still cutting metal. IMO you can do both on one say, but the miter saws generally have plastic that will catch on fire / melt

 

[zzvyb6]

Look around for an old Sears table saw. Metal cutting blades work nicely in it. Mine cuts more metal than wood. Blow it off with an air gun when you are through. The vintage table saws around here on Craigslist are $50 to $100, although thats the price of a used mitre saw.

 

[s219]

I think RPM would be my biggest concern. Normally abrasive composite blades aren't meant to be run at higher RPM (they are not balanced and not constructed for high speeds). I have seen it done and it was scary. The blade was vibrating and flopping quite a bit.

 

[tcartwri]

Almost lost my fingers this summer doing this. The slide on the miter head was not locked and the blade dug in and ripped the piece of angle out of my grip and fired it through the ceiling. Shattered the casting on the saw and in general scared the crap out of me... coworker in the next room came running to see what was left of me. Very lucky.

 

[dickfoster]

I have limited space and a limited tool budget . With that said I am needing something better than a skil saw and a speed square for wood and an abrasive wheel on a grinder is getting old for steel. My question is " Can I use a miter saw for wood with an abrasive blade to cut steel ? " It won't be used a lot , just for repair and maintainance . I am open to any advice or suggestions.

I would NOT use my mitre saw to cut metal. If you aren't doing a lot of metal work you could get a cheap abrasive cutoff saw and that would be a much better deal all around. I just priced a 14" cut off saw at Harbor Freight for about 78 bucks.

If you're not doing a lot of metal fab, maybe a better bet would be a cheap angle grinder with an assortment of cut off wheels, grinding stones, flap wheels, wire brushes etc. If you do any metal fab at all you'll find an angle grinder indispensable. For about 20 bucks at Harbor Freight you can afford to use them up and just toss and replace as you break them. I'm always dropping the things.
Not that I would recommend cheap tools for someone making their living at it and doing a lot of work. In that case it always pays to buy the highest quality and most tool you can afford.

 

[MayesFarm]

Thanks for all the input. All of your experience makes me appreciate the advice even more.

 

[flusher]

Cheapest option: chop saw with abrasive cutoff wheel. Drawback: wheel can shatter (I've had this happen twice. Not injured, but it's scary. Wear a face shield.)

Much better option: 4-1/2 inch angle grinder with abrasive cutoff wheel. I use this for nearly all metal cutting in my shop. Never have had a blade shatter.

Best option: plasma torch. Expensive, but money well spent.

Good luck.

 

[dickfoster]

I've shattered cutoff wheels in the angle grinder too. It all depends on the abrasive blade and if there are any defects and how you use it and in what kind of material you're cutting. If you're cutting something soft and sticky like aluminum you're better off using something like a hacksaw or a sawzall. When using any abrasive cutoff wheel don't force it and keep the blade square in the cut and don't side load or allow it to pinch. Abrasive wheels are made to cut or grind straight though using little side pressure. Let the wheel do most of the work. Of course the smaller the wheel becomes from use the less shatter prone it is. In the long haul it pays to buy cutoff wheels in quantity instead of onesy twosies.

 

[dragoneggs]

Cheapest option: chop saw with abrasive cutoff wheel. Drawback: wheel can shatter (I've had this happen twice. Not injured, but it's scary. Wear a face shield.)


Best option: plasma torch. Expensive, but money well spent.

Good luck.

Thanks flusher... I think I just found the excuse to use to convince the wife why I need a plasma since I already have a chopsaw with abrasive wheel! :thumbsup: