What do you use to cut your metals?

[redhatman]

Hey guys, I am just wondering what you guys currently use to cut your metals. For the past few years I have just been using my dremel with a cut off wheel. However, that takes a good amount of time and is not very efficient as per dremel discs.

Let me know what tools you use.
Thanks
-Pat

[ed1380]

metal cut off saw. looks like a miter saw, but with a metal cuting blade.
oxy-accetalyne system would work too :cool:

[kibble]

Dremels are awesome! :D I used mine to cut out the slot for the key on my engine crank shaft just now. For cutting bigger stuff the metal cut-off is a lot easier and faster. A hacksaw comes in handy for cutting pipes and stuff where you can't use the cut-off. I also use an air saw at times for some things but it's really loud and noisy and uses a bunch of air so the compressor, which is also really loud, has to run really often. A jigsaw with a metal cutting blade helps for things like sheet metals. If you plan on using anything with a blade make sure to use metal cutting fluid, it helps out quite a bit and helps the blades last longer.

[redhatman]

Dremels are awesome! :D I used mine to cut out the slot for the key on my engine crank shaft just now. For cutting bigger stuff the metal cut-off is a lot easier and faster. A hacksaw comes in handy for cutting pipes and stuff where you can't use the cut-off. I also use an air saw at times for some things but it's really loud and noisy and uses a bunch of air so the compressor, which is also really loud, has to run really often. A jigsaw with a metal cutting blade helps for things like sheet metals. If you plan on using anything with a blade make sure to use metal cutting fluid, it helps out quite a bit and helps the blades last longer.

Cool, thanks for the information. Could you get a link to the metal cut-off your talking about? How long do they last?

[robertdjung]

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200320941_200320941

I don't have that one, but I'd like to. I have a cheapie version, which is far less rigid, doesn't cut as well... etc. The blades last... hmm. I dunno, "a while" is the best I can venture. I think I used 2 making a cart.

[redhatman]

Oh, a circular saw! Hahaha, I have one of those, but am not sure about the blade. I have never wanted to cut metal with that being I figured it would practically get stuck and explode.

[ed1380]

the blades are diferent.

[kibble]

They look like extremely oversized versions of the dremel cut off wheels. They don't have any "teeth" as with the ones for cutting wood.

[redhatman]

Cool thanks. Now I can picture it.

We have a circular saw, but can I just go out and buy that blade, and is it universal with the other types of blades? Or do I need a whole new saw?

[kibble]

I don't know about yours but, mine's a Dewalt that uses blades that have a 1" hole in the center. I think they're all pretty much the same though.

[robertdjung]

It's different than a free-hand circular saw because it has all that assembly.. It's called a cutoff saw because it's for cutting off metal tube and pipe. Like ed1380 said, it's like a miter saw.

You can get abrasive blades for a circular saw. I've never used one, and I'm not sure they're actually for a free-hand circular saw (versus a miter saw)

The blades are abrasive material, which gets slowly used up as you use the saw.

[redhatman]

Oh, my bad. We have a freehand one, a box, and the one with the platform that you lower the saw down by a handle. (forgot what they are)

[robertdjung]

right.. the one with the handle is a miter saw. That's because you can adjust the bottom plate to make 0-45 degree (or so) cuts. A compound mitering saw also swivels on the head portion, to make angled cuts in the other direction.

Anyway, if you've got something with the handle you lower, that might work in a pinch. Let's start another thread and see if someone knows!

[2or3wheels]

You could also get a saw's all. i have one and it cuts extremely easily. I dont know the grade but it cut througn some heavy think metal i used on my trailor and it cut it very easily. The balde was new too but still. Just might not be good for straight cuts.

[ed1380]

what about angle grinder with an abrasive blade?

[kibble]

That works but it seems to take a lot of work due to the wheel being so thick, at least from my experience.

[mikeandike]

for an angle grinder you can buy cutoff disks or zip disks as i call them. Theyre thinner than the actual grinding kind and theyre meant for cutting stuff.

I use a horizontal bandsaw or a power hacksaw to do my cutting but an abrasive cutoff saw will do fine.