How do you cut metal for finished projects?

[Ted Summey]

I am interested in knowing what tools and methods you use for cutting metal for your fabrication projects? I have a 14" abrasive cut off saw, grinders, a portable reciprocating saw and an OA torch. What else do I need? I can weld ok but really struggle with cutting parts.

Is a plasma cutter the best next cutting tool or a bandsaw?

 

[JPRambo]

I have used a vertical metal band saw at work. cut off wheels in a 41/2" grinder and a reciprocating saw.

 

[bikerdib]

My background is 35+ years of welding and fabricating including many years working as foreman of a fabrication/erection company. Now I just have a home hobby shop. The tool I use depends on the material and what I intend to do with it. I started with only a reciprocating saw. It did everything I needed but was slow and not the most accurate since there was nothing to guide it except my hands. It still has a place and gets used often. Then I added a O/A torch. Much faster and can be more accurate in steady hands (which when younger I used to have but not so much now) but of course it has limits on the material it will cut and the cut most times must be ground smooth. The next I added to my shop was a cut off chop saw. Works fast and leaves a clean and pretty accurate cut. Really makes a mess though with grinding wheel and metal dust. A plasma cutter came next, really fine cut capability and can be very accurate in steady hands (see my O/A comment above) with the ability to cut anything that will conduct electricity. My portable hand bandsaw is similar to the reciprocating saw in it's ability and limitations. I also have a table band saw, it gives really accurate cuts, relatively fast, leaves very little mess and very little clean up of the cut needed.

I'm not sure what you mean by struggling with cutting but before investing in a plasma cutter I'd say get a band saw.

 

[chim]

It depends on the metal. For heavy parts it's the horizontal band saw. For lighter gage sheet metal, snips or 18V double-cut. For heavier sheet metal plasma or cold cut Milwaukee circular saw. For tubing the Milwaukee cold cut saw or band saw. For smaller tubing the 4-1/2" angle grinder with a cutting blade comes in handy. When I run into stuff like 8" beams, pipe over 4" Sch 40, etc I do it in the shops at work. The horizontal band saw there will do something like 14" x 18" (unlike my Harbor Freight 4x6). The press brake will do a 90 on a 10' piece of 1/4" plate and I'm not sure of the upper limit of the hydraulic shear.

This past weekend I had some 16GA that needed cut at a cousin's house. I had the 18V sawzall and saber saw along. The sawzall wasn't a lot of fun because it wanted to grab and bounce. For giggles I tried a metal cutting blade in the jig saw and it worked like a dream.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Well the sawzall and torch are what i'd call demolition tools, at least that what I mainly use them for. The cut off saw is great for tubing and angle iron and crap like that, but like a miter saw it doesnt work great for longer cuts. I have what you have and my next tool ended up being the plasma. They are pretty diverse, anything conductive it cuts. You wanna get crazy with it, a good machine you can upgrade it to a CNC plasma down the road. I bought a hypertherm powermax 45 and i think it was rated pretty modestly. I forget what they say it can cut nicely but it will handle more than what they say. 3/8 is no problem for it and if you have a steady hand its a finished edge other than knocking the small bit of slag off from the bottom side of the cut. My opinion anyway. Much faster than a torch.

 

[joshuabardwell]

If you really are 50/50 on a plasma cutter and a bandsaw, I think the answer depends on what type of cuts you're doing in what type of material. Cutting bar/tube/angle stock to length? Bandsaw, hands down. Long straight cuts in sheet and/or complex curves/patterns? Plasma. The fact that you have an O/A torch already would seem to tip the scales in favor of a bandsaw, since there is substantial overlap in the cutting ability of a plasma and an O/A torch. A bandsaw is going to do much the same type of cuts as your 14" abrasive cut-off wheel, but a lot quieter, cleaner, and way more precise and consistent. Also slower, however. A bandsaw will also be able to be used vertically for notch cuts, which can be tricky to do any other way--although you may find that the O/A torch would be just as good or better for anything you'd do with a bandsaw in the vertical position.

It must be pointed out that a plasma unit will require a middle-of-the-line air compressor as well, which, if you've already got one, then no big deal, but if you don't have one, it can be a substantial investment. A 120v, 2-2.5 HP unit with a large (30 gallon+) tank has been reported to do an acceptable job, as long as you take the cuts in shortish bites. To really meet the CFM requirements that most plasmas call for, you have to step up to a 220v compressor. Also, don't forget that you need an air filter and dryer, which is another item that you may not already have.

 

[CliffordK]

I do a lot with a 4 1/2" handheld grinder. I haven't been too impressed with the cutting disks, but either a thin or thick grinding disk seems to work well for me.

I just bought a used HF style "4x6" horizontal bandsaw, and have gotten quite a bit of use out of it already.

I've been dreaming about a plasma torch, but haven't quite decided why I need it. I suppose one won't know until one actually has it.

I saw one of the 14" carbide tipped metal cutting chop saws at the local welding shop and it looked impressive, albiet a little expensive.

 

[bikerdib]

Like has already been pointed out, a plasma can be a major investment. In addition to the plasma cutter, you will need a good compressor and drying system. I have a 60 gallon 220 compressor with multiple drying filters. Even with my 60 gallon compressor using the plasma can create quite a demand.

 

[chim]

If you ever have a chance to try a Milwaukee M18 - do so. This one is from the weld shop at work and came in really handy when I built the cab:

 

[Ted Summey]

My struggle is that I see the fabrication that some of you guys do and I can't seem to get parts cut consistently. For just cutoff of tubing, pipe, bar stock and angle I get consistent parts but things like gussets and flat parts it is a real bear. My parts seem to require endless grinding to get two parts to match dont mention the time involved in getting a third part to match.

It is sounding like the bandsaw maybe the better choice but I am open. My daughter, the artist, wants the plasma cutter.

Cutting sheet metal I am okay with and do okay with sheet metal fabrication. It is the heavier gauge and plate that is my greatest challenge. I don't plan on fabricating more than typical farm implements. I'm thinking about a grapple.

I appreciate your responses.