Cutting down one leg of angle

flyerdan · Sep 16, 2013

I need to make some tiedown points on the pickup, so I got a stick of 2 x 2 x .187 mild steel. Going to weld some half chain links to use as rope hooks and attach bungees for tarps, etc. I need to cut the inside leg down to about 1" and will use the drop strip for backing on the underside. I have several methods at my disposal to cut this, plasma cutter, skinny wheel, metal cutting circular saw, and a band saw. The circular saw would be fastest, downside is the problem in jigging it to make the cut straight and the kerf. Skinny wheel would take several, and again keeping it straight. Plaz has a small kerf, but I worry about heat distortion.
I'm leaning toward using the bandsaw; it stands up and has a table that can be attached for just this type of things. By clamping some fences on both sides, it should make a pretty good cut, and I only have to do two pieces about 6' long.
Given what I have to work with, do you think this is the best way to proceed? Keep in mind I don't have any help, which is the major drawback in the bandsaw scenario. It might seem like overthinking, but I'll accept taking more time to prepare than it takes to do the cuts to avoid a slip that would ruin the material or necessitate crawling around on the floor looking for a finger. Below is a rough sketch, need to cut on the construction line, roughly half the width.

joshuabardwell · Sep 16, 2013

Plasma. No question. I don't think you have much to worry about with heat distortion. Just take a strip of square tube or angle that is the right width and clamp it to the inside of the angle to use as a guide, then run the plasma torch down it.

Paul N · Sep 16, 2013

I was under the impression that plasma didn't produce enough heat to cause any distortion, although I've never used one. I did use a band saw several times, it does work, but it's very slow. Especially when you have 12 feet.

Ken45101 · Sep 17, 2013

I agree, plasma.

medic0648 · Sep 17, 2013

Plasma can cause heat distortion, to combat it try to get the settings to be just hot enough to cut fast, but not put excess heat into the work causing distortion.

Stimw · Sep 17, 2013

I have a Miller Spectrum 625 40amp Plasma Cutter. It would slice it just like I was drawing a line!
I often use a 2 X 4 for a guide for straight cuts. The Plasma cuts so quick that it does not burn the wood!

woodlandfarms · Sep 17, 2013

Don't they make 1x2 angle?

flyerdan · Sep 17, 2013

They do make 1x2 angle, but it costs 3 or 4 times as much as the even sides, that is if you can find it. I'll see what I can come up with for a fence with the plaz, shouldn't be too difficult.

BukitCase · Sep 17, 2013

I don't have a problem with heat distortion, ripped a couple pieces of 1/4 x 6 flat bar down to 1/4 x 3 the other day, knocked a bit of dross off the edge and the only way you can tell which side is my cut is by the glaze.

If you're doing one of these for each side of the truck, you already have a good straight edge (sight down the length of your angle, if it's not been damaged it should be pretty straight.)

Just use each piece as the guide for cutting the other one.

I too sometimes use one of my metal cutting band saws upright - but if it's more than about 4-5 inches of cut, I start looking for something easier.

Plaz is definitely easier to avoid distortion than with O/A - acetylene cuts at around 5000 degrees f, plaz is roughly 4 TIMES that so cuts go pretty quick in comparison... Steve