Plasma cutting square tubing or angle iron

[Industrial Toys]

Here you need expensive contracts or go with those TINY customer owned tanks that cost a lot for what you are getting.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Here you need expensive contracts or go with those TINY customer owned tanks that cost a lot for what you are getting.

Just what kind of contract do you need for a customer owned set of tanks> I can see high $$$ if you lease the tanks on a per month basis. I don't know about Canadian regulations, but you don't need to stick with TINY tanks if you buy them at least where I live. I own two 100 CF O2 tanks and one acetylene tank and only pay for the gas when I swap them out which isn't that costly, no monthly rental fees.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Not sure. I just know it's not conducive to occasional use. I have never seen large customer owned tanks. The gas companies here are worse than the Mob! You can go to TSC for customer owned tanks, but it's still just a depot for the Mob!

 

[Big Barn]

I did a lifetime of farming (50 years) of cutting with oxy-acetylene and added an abrasive chop saw when they came out.



Now that I’m retired I have a couple of bandsaws





a power hacksaw



and a plasma cutter



As someone else mentioned a chop saw (abrasive or dry cut) would probably be your best choice.

 

[HCJtractor]

Big Barn, you’ve got a very nice shop there! Looks like you can do about anything with those great tools. And yes, I’m leaning more and more towards a nice dry cut chop saw. Thanks guys for sharing your opinions

 

[dragoneggs]

Big Barn, you’ve got a very nice shop there! Looks like you can do about anything with those great tools. And yes, I’m leaning more and more towards a nice dry cut chop saw. Thanks guys for sharing your opinions

Would love to swap out my 14in abrasive chop with a dry cut saw. Hate the sparks and mess.

 

[HCJtractor]

Would love to swap out my 14in abrasive chop with a dry cut saw. Hate the sparks and mess.

I just ordered a Morse Metal Devil chop saw, and the accessory clamping system they sell. It looks like a quality saw. Their clamping system seems well thought out as it grabs round stock and allows angle iron and square tube to be clamped on a diagonal plane to facilitate cutting. Their website has a good illustrational video showing optimal ways to clamp various shapes, to minimize cutting flat surfaces. Makes sense.

 

[cabinhollow]

Would love to swap out my 14in abrasive chop with a dry cut saw. Hate the sparks and mess.

Then you have to deal with the metal sawdust.
Even with boots on, pants legs over boots, 30 min after cutting, I am picking metal out of my socks.
Then, just as soon as you are doing cutting, you have to sweep the floor or it is like walking on ice.
It is getting to the point, I am going to hook a shop vac to mine.
But, I make 50 to 100+ cuts each time I use it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

WHAT is a power hack saw? Funny, a friend was talking about one last night saying how much cheaper it was to run than a band saw. I get good life out of band saw blades.

 

[Jeepnford]

Then you have to deal with the metal sawdust.
Even with boots on, pants legs over boots, 30 min after cutting, I am picking metal out of my socks.
Then, just as soon as you are doing cutting, you have to sweep the floor or it is like walking on ice.
It is getting to the point, I am going to hook a shop vac to mine.
But, I make 50 to 100+ cuts each time I use it.

I don't cut nearly as much as you but I'll take my Fein dry cut saw any day over my old abrasive saw.

 

[3Lfarms]

One thing I found out the hard way about the plasma is that it tends to harden the steel on either side of the kerf. It can be hardened so much that it will ruin a band saw blade when trying to cut through the heat affected zone. It’s only a few thousandths thick, but it’s enough that saw teeth don’t like it at all.

 

[HCJtractor]

One thing I found out the hard way about the plasma is that it tends to harden the steel on either side of the kerf. It can be hardened so much that it will ruin a band saw blade when trying to cut through the heat affected zone. It’s only a few thousandths thick, but it’s enough that saw teeth don’t like it at all.

Interesting. Never knew that.

 

[bcp]

WHAT is a power hack saw? Funny, a friend was talking about one last night saying how much cheaper it was to run than a band saw. I get good life out of band saw blades.

Marvel Power Hacksaw Vs Harbor Freight Bandsaw - YouTube


Bruce

 

[pgk]

I did a lifetime of farming (50 years) of cutting with oxy-acetylene and added an abrasive chop saw when they came out.

View attachment 568903

Now that I知 retired I have a couple of bandsaws

View attachment 568904View attachment 568905

View attachment 568907

a power hacksaw

View attachment 568908

and a plasma cutter

View attachment 568910

As someone else mentioned a chop saw (abrasive or dry cut) would probably be your best choice.

Nice restro on that Ellis

 

[Big Barn]

Thanks, pgk!

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

One thing I found out the hard way about the plasma is that it tends to harden the steel on either side of the kerf. It can be hardened so much that it will ruin a band saw blade when trying to cut through the heat affected zone. It’s only a few thousandths thick, but it’s enough that saw teeth don’t like it at all.

I believe the hardness is from formation of nitrides.

 

[metalbender]

Plasma all the way. Although very unforgiving with mistakes, once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder how life existed without. Have a 9x16 band, deep cut porta band, abrasive and angle grinders. All work in various applications. My plasma is the goto for most jobs. Cutting sheet aluminum or steel is a pure joy. I try to use a straight edge wherever I can. Saved hrs of drilling when I installed the cutting edges on my land plane. Needed quite a few 5/8 holes, a quick one hole jig, clamp in place and pop a hole. Took seconds for each hole.

 

[dragoneggs]

Plasma all the way. Although very unforgiving with mistakes, once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder how life existed without. Have a 9x16 band, deep cut porta band, abrasive and angle grinders. All work in various applications. My plasma is the goto for most jobs. Cutting sheet aluminum or steel is a pure joy. I try to use a straight edge wherever I can. Saved hrs of drilling when I installed the cutting edges on my land plane. Needed quite a few 5/8 holes, a quick one hole jig, clamp in place and pop a hole. Took seconds for each hole.

Are you talking about piercing for bolt holes? I haven't tried that yet. I suppose you blast with a jig and then drill out to final diameter? Sounds like I need to experiment with hole jigs to see what I can do!

 

[metalbender]

Yup, pierce in the middle, work to the guide and do a circle dance. I did eighteen holes in 3/8x3"x six ft angle in short order. Setting those pieces up in the drill press would be a major PIA. Trying to drill to final size would likely eat the bit, as was stated before, there is a hardened are at the cut.