easy way to cut wide flange beam?

[MF RED in MT]

I was given a few 2ft to 5ft pieces of W8 x 15 wide flange beams and I want to cut them in half to end up with tee shapes. I will then weld these tee shapes together to end up with about 24ft of straight rail. I will install the rail in my shed garage just below the trusses, which will give me about 12ft of height from the gravel floor. I want to use them for an overhead trolley rail for my HF 1 ton chain hoist. I plan on purchasing a HF 1 ton push beam trolley to attach to the rail. The WF material is about 1/4" thick and this is what I am thinking about to cut them. I am retired, so I have lots of time, :confused2:.

Plan A: is to sawszall the I beams slow but steady in order to not burn up the blades, :mur:.

Plan B: is to use my portable Victor cutting torch, which would be quicker but I do not know how much gas I would use, .

Plan C: is to use a skinny cutoff wheel in my RotoZip, but I believe I would need way too many cutoff wheels, .

Plan D: is to use my Dewalt 18 volt circlular saw with a 6 1/2" diameter cutoff blade, noisy, .

Most of my projects, I use the sawszall because the blades last a long time and I do not end up using a lot of my gases for the portable Victor torch kit.

Maybe I am just so use to saving my torch gases, .

I would like to hear your thoughts on this:thumbsup:. KC

 

[aczlan]

I would go for the cutoff wheels in an angle grinder (sounds like your rotozip can use them).
Get something made by a name brand (such as a Dewalt DW8062) as it will last longer.
I dont know how well your rotozip is built or how much wheels cost, but it might be worth spending $30 on a cheapish 4 1/2" angle grinder from Lowes (I have a B&D Firestorm) and taking it back if it burns up.

Aaron Z

 

[dex3361]

If I were faced with this cut and I had the room I would use the portable cold saw I got from HF clean cut and fast. Here is a link with some details and pics of the saw. HF Cold Saw

 

[MF RED in MT]

Thats a good idea, I forgot I have a Dewalt 18 volt small angle grinder with some skinny wheel for it, thanks. Also a lot of batteries for it, :thumbsup:. KC

 

[notme]

so your going to take all these lil 2-5 foot sections cut them down the middle...making 2 tee's....and weld them back into one 24 foot long STRAIGHT beam? good luck.... and by the way lil cuts like that dont use hardly any oxy/act at all.... but if ur not good on a torch ur going to use grinding disks....so maybe go with "zip" disks and cut it with the grinder

 

[joe48]

If I were faced with this cut and I had the room I would use the portable cold saw I got from HF clean cut and fast. Here is a link with some details and pics of the saw. HF Cold Saw

If you really insist on cutting these pieces of short steel (scrap term) I highly recommend the Steel circular saw from HF. It looks like a regular circular saw but has better guards to capture the hot cuttings from flying around, and getting into the motor windings.(won't last long if that happens)
Bought mine for $89 on sale w/coupon and got extra blade for $20. Cut a bunch of stuff and still on original blade.
Saws rated for 1/4" , but I've cut up to 1/2" angle and plate , just have to go slower and results in a cleean machined cut.

NOW what I'd recommend you do is look around for a scrap dealer or demolition company that will resell salvage beams. Or a steel distributor that sells odds and ends or returns from major jobs. Sounds like you need a 12" junior "I", ( but check with a PE) for the span and load.
I really wouldn't be to confident of welding those shorts togetther and having a smooth track for your trolley, even if you grind all the beads. OK I'll be blunt, you'll end up with a 1/2 a--ed looking piece that would scare most people, and will have an UNKNOWN STRENGTH AND WEIGHT CAPACITY.
i really think you can sell the the shorts for scrap and probably not have to lay out much for the new beam.
BTW, started welding at 14 on the farm, have a mechanical eng degree, spent 1/2 the last 40 yrs running maintenance shops and building and fixing stuff and not opposed to fabbing stuff from scrap(been doing it all my life) just think this is not the best idea. Good luck, Joe

 

[mjncad]

I know you're trying to save a buck; but how do you intend to hang the tee since there won't be a flange to connect to the trusses, which is what I'm guessing you have in mind.

By the way, the roof trusses may or may not be able to handle the load you are planning on lifting and moving.

Get an uncut beam and do it right. Be safe.

 

[rjmack]

i believe a cutting torch would be the tool to use in this instance...

however, i agree that it is a bad idea.

for starters, wide flange is not used for trolleys, I beam (eye beam) is, it has narrower/beefier flanges. welding short chunks together, while it is doable, isn't a good idea for this application. also, the hangers are generally drilled and bolted to the top flange of the i beam... using a Tbar will probably be more difficult in terms of hanging the beam.

i would spend some more time looking for a decent beam... keeping in mind that trolley beams can be stitched across the flanges, bent to whatever radius you require, and then formed to turn around corners, S curves, etc... now, THAT's neat stuff :thumbsup:

btw, the wide flange would make good imbeds for when you put concrete in place of that gravel.

 

[sandman2234]

I have been known to do things the hard way, in order to use material I have, rather than buying more, but there is no way I would do what your talking about. Too many variables, too much work and not enough return on your investment, including time.
If you want a trolley, carefully piece the short ones together and use them as posts, and buy a beam to span the distance you want. Used beams are available, though not always "cheap" but what your planning on doing isn't going to work satisfactory, so save the time and energy. Back to the drawing board...
David from jax

 

[SpringHollow]

If you knew someone who had a plasma cutter......

His Tees would be easy to hang if he welds on straight pieces of thin bar steel as mounting tabs. I hung my rolling bridge crane by welding tabs to the top web - worked real well. Much easier to weld to the vertical web that he has.

I had to make the 20' beams be closer to 23' so i had to have welded on a short piece with thick steel gussets on both sides of the web and top and bottom as well. Not ideal but it works. But for short pieces, you will spend more on gussets than getting a good used beam.

But I also did not trust my amateur welding for something above my head like that.