How do I cut metal (pipe, sheet and channel)??

[Laminarman]

Looks like I'm shopping for a new saw! Thanks a lot everyone.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

If I could only have one method for cutting metal it'd be a Milwaukee Super Sawsall because of it's variable speeds and the assortment of blades available.

If I could only have two it'd be the sawsall and an acetylene torch.

I use a portaband more than anything else for tubing. Either the plasma or the acetylene for flat stuff.

 

[bobodu]

I agree that a pipe cutter works great on pipe...go figure...LOL.Nice clean edge and pretty square.I have also found that wheels vary as far as cutting ability.We used to get great cuts till our vender changed brands.These puppies won't cut mud.I hate em.

 

[jim_wilson]

Not sure why the cutoff blade you are using in your chopsaw isn't cutting it but you might want to look at the recommended RPM's for the cutoff blade and then look at the RPM's on your chopsaw. I built a rollcage for my car a few years back and at the time I did not have a chopsaw so I used an 8.5 inch Skilsaw with a cutoff wheel in it and it worked fine. I was able to cut thru steel tube with 1/4 walls with the Skilsaw with no real problem. I now have a Dewalt wood chopsaw and one of their metal cutting chopsaws with the metal cutting toothed blade in it and I know the specs on them are different - I believe the metal cutting saw has lower RPM's. As far as cutting sheetmetal you might want to look into an air nibbler or an air or electric shear ( think that is what they are called) .

 

[SPIKER]

Guys:

for the Metal Cutting Chop Saws. (like 14" or 18" ones are OK at cutting stuff that is not solid bar, (ok to cut 1/2" x 2") but anythign bigger you need a band saw. Harbor freight has both types, if you get the metal cutting band saw, 150.00 or so, DON'T buy their blades get good blades from an aftermarket source. same for the metal cutting chop saws. saws are OK but need to go slow, if the cut slows then BANG the cutting edge slightly with a square edge of some scrap steel, file materal is not needed. as it spinning just bang a few small chunks into it >NOT HARD< just let it chatter on the edge to BREAK the heat melted edge's surface.

for you're use a chop saw should be fine, the metal cutting blades for circular saws are a waste of a good saw... as you noticed he heat melts much of the saw, unless you have an OLD metal one.

for sheet metal I suggest nibblers for air or electric powered.

plasmas are nice but way too expensive for home occasional use. any that are affordable for home use are usually too under powered to cut much over 1/8" and consumeables are hard to find for the cheapo units.

Mark M

 

[michaelaz]

As I have a machine shop, I have been through all this long ago. First, one cutting method can't do it all. For a fellow at home that wants to do a little welding using angle iron, strap and tubing, a chop saw can't be beat. Here is the reason some of you fellows have had trouble with them. A chop saw needs to have a constant feed on it. Whenever the saw cannot feed fast enough, the blade will burn the stock and instantly harden the material. Have you noticed the material changing color as it heats up? Sometime take a file and try to cut this burnt material with the file and you will notice the file won't touch it. What causes your saw to stop feeding and burn the stock is lack of horsepower for the job. The small chop saws will work pretty well for 1/4" material and even heavier stock like re bar if the cut isn't too long. If you can't keep the blade moving through the material, you have run out of horsepower. Also, this is one of those places to avoid the cheap Chinese saw blades, buy a good one and make sure it is the right thickness. One of the cheap band saws would be the next cutting tool I would recommend for the home shop as it will handle much bigger cuts. I have chop saws, band saws, plasma cutter, O/A torch, but the average home owner can't afford all this stuff.
Michael

 

[EastTexFrank]

Here's the learning experience that I went through as I found myself doing more and more metal work in order to keep stuff running.

An abrasive wheel, mounted in a table saw is pretty much useless as is a 7-1/4" circular saw with a metal cutting blade or wheel.

A 14" metal chop saw is great for tube and bar and needn't be too expensive. Getting a good abrasive disc is the key to it working well.

I'm still looking for a good way to cut sheet. I bought a Hobart 110 volt plasma cutter that is good on anything up to an 1/8". The advertising blurb says it good "to 3/16" to 1/4" with good technique" ... obviously my technique is not "good". The advantage of it is that it does cut fairly fast and reasonably clean. Right now I'm stuck between selling my little plasma cutter and getting a bigger 240 volt maching and losing portability or get a cutting torch and bottles. I've always been reluctant to use gas as I have no experience with it but it looks as if that may be way I end up going.

If I didn't keep on breaking stuff, this wouldn't be a problem.

 

[gsganzer]

A set of torches and an abrasive disk chop saw covers everything I do. The chop saws only work well for dimensional stock, like pipe, angle, square tubing. It's real difficult to cut anything flat, unless you can stand it on edge. You always seen to have to start your cut on an edge, otherwise it just burns the disk.

I'd get a set of torches. You can use them for a lot more then cutting plate. I use mine to braze, heat stuck nuts and cut saddles in pipe.

 

[Laminarman]

Won't a torch leave a sloppy, molten edge?

 

[RonR]

Sloppy Edge: That's why you own a 7" angle grinder with abrasive wheel on it!

Least that's what I do.

I have an o/a torch, which is nice for cutting thicker stuff, but it requires cleanup if you need it finish looking.

You can do some tricks, lick clamp a piece of angle to the "line", and drag the torch against the angle for a guide, but it still requires some cleanup.

I need to cut out some star wheels (about 15" in diameter) from 3/16; I'm building a knife aeroator of sorts. I'm dragging my feet since I don't want to do all that cleanup on 10 wheels..........

Can't afford a plasma cutter (and sounds like it would have to be a big one to cut 3/16), and don't want to do that much with my sabre saw.....

Ah, decision, decisions........