Cutting 11ga. plate

[mikester]

The steel supply quoted $150 for cutting it into 5 pieces. I thought that was a bit extreme.
Now I am considering purchasing the sheet and cutting it myself.

I think you should spend $3,000 on a new plasma cutter and then you can cut your metal 吐or free? Now you can go into business custom cutting metal for free! You can rent a shop, pay taxes, hire employees, pay more taxes, pay for utilities, pay more taxes...

Why do you expect someone else to work for free when you dont want to yourself?

Naw Im just being cheeky. 11 gauge is like paper. Buy about $60 worth of metal cutting skilsaw blades and cut it yourself. Or spend $1200 on a cheapo nibbler. Or $60 in jigsaw blades. Your time and aggravation is free.

 

[MoArk Willy]

I think you should spend $3,000 on a new plasma cutter and then you can cut your metal 吐or free? Now you can go into business custom cutting metal for free! You can rent a shop, pay taxes, hire employees, pay more taxes, pay for utilities, pay more taxes...

Why do you expect someone else to work for free when you dont want to yourself?

Naw Im just being cheeky. 11 gauge is like paper. Buy about $60 worth of metal cutting skilsaw blades and cut it yourself. Or spend $1200 on a cheapo nibbler. Or $60 in jigsaw blades. Your time and aggravation is free.

Cheeky....naw, I don't think so. I would certainly spend the money if it was my profession or if I did enough of it. I've always been a tool nut but somehow space and finances seem to limit just how "nutty" I can get.
I think I will try the circular saw route. I have been thinking about upgrading my Skilsaw anyway so I will get a few blades for that and see how it goes.
Time to upgrade my woodworking saw anyway.
As far as time and aggravation go, it's like time and money. When you have one you seem to never have the other.
But a plasma cutter...they have gone down quite a bit in cost....
Tine to start thinking about more projects.

 

[dragoneggs]

As someone already suggested, use a guide... and clamp it down. Make a test pass with the blade all the way retracted to see that your push will be nice and smooth and even slow speed. If you have to, wax your saw base to get it to glide easier, then you will be able to control your speed better.

 

[MoArk Willy]

I have been cutting sheet goods for decades...just not sheet metal.
Duct tape on the base helps with the slide as well. And taping the cut line will keep some of the debris from becoming airborne.
Not my first rodeo with cutting flat goods. Once I determine the best way to cut it I will go from there.
So far it's a quality metal cutting blade on a circular saw. The guides I already have.

 

[PILOON]

I have cut many a steel plate with my angle grinder.
I use the very thin blades on my grinder,
For a guide I simply clamp a scrap of angle stock and use it to guide my blade 'til about 1/4 way thru then use that shallow slit to finish the job.
I then draw file for a nice finish.

In fact just yesterday I cut some 1/4" stock for a project using that method.

 

[downsizingnow48]

For thin metal and straight cuts I use a Makita cordless metal saw.

 

[Big Barn]

For thin metal and straight cuts I use a Makita cordless metal saw.

.

My cordless tools are all Makita. I’d be fine with a used Makita in good shape as I wouldn’t be using it a lot.

A fellow has had one for sale locally for almost a year now. Unfortunately he wants too much money and won’t budge on price.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

A special saw is not needed.

I use this diablo blade in a 25 year old skill saw and it works perfectly.

I used only one blade on this full rotation gun turret I built. I cut all the 1/4" sheet pieces and I'm still using the blade.

 

[Big Barn]

Cool lookin gun turret, Dave!

 

[mikester]

Cheeky....naw, I don't think so. I would certainly spend the money if it was my profession or if I did enough of it. I've always been a tool nut but somehow space and finances seem to limit just how "nutty" I can get.
I think I will try the circular saw route. I have been thinking about upgrading my Skilsaw anyway so I will get a few blades for that and see how it goes.
Time to upgrade my woodworking saw anyway.
As far as time and aggravation go, it's like time and money. When you have one you seem to never have the other.
But a plasma cutter...they have gone down quite a bit in cost....
Tine to start thinking about more projects.

Heres a warning about plasma cutters...once you use one you wont want to use anything else! Cuts aluminum, stainless, severs metal fast, leaves a nice edge,... my acetylene torch is feeling neglected.