Cutting Stock

[rake60]

They are tough little saws for the cost.
This was my first one.

It was 20 years old when I bought it 2ed hand for $25 from a
classified ad. I bought a new one last year and gave the old one
to my brother-in-law. He's still using it.

Rick

 

[jack404]

i have a very large band saw in the factory
but bought only recently a Milwaukee hand held band saw

we have cut 4" brass

2.5" Dia SS 416
all sorts of mild steel

4130 and 4140 in 1" and smaller hex and round

i love it, best buy in a long while

cheers

jack

 

[rake60]

Everyone would love to have something like that in their home shop Jack!

The bandsaw we use at work is a programmable Marvel saw.
It automatically feed the stock, up to 14" diameter to the length to be cut
for as many pieces as you program it to cut.
Since I usually mess up at least one piece, that would be useful at home too.

It just wouldn't fit into the hobby budget.

Rick

 

[T70MkIII]

Btw, I considered the abrasive-disk cutoff saws as well, but the recommendation was to avoid those unless you like little particles of abrasive all over the shop.

I have a big cutoff that I use for cutting steel tube for a car chassis I'm building - I just carry it out of the shop to use it (doesn't get used if raining!). I'd like to purchase a 4x6 but can't justify the cost when I have the cutoff - not at the moment, anyway.

 

[rleete]

There are two main problems with the abrasive cutoff saws. One, they throw sparks and a lot of dust up. Those sparks are hot, too. So hot, that one landing on my glass perscription safety glasses left a pit in the surface. You need to wear heavy jeans and boots, and stay out of the direct path of the sparks. They can light cardboard and newspaper in an instant.

Second, they can only cut ferrous meterial. Try to cut aluminum, and they load up the wheel. This can be dangerous, because a loaded up wheel doesn't cut very well, and the first instinct is to press harder. That can shatter a wheel; not good at all.

Last, mine is a 14" HF model. While it works pretty well for 1" tubing, it isn't very well balanced. It vibrates and rattles. Scares the hell out of me. The abrasive wheels are made in Russia of all places.

 

[Maryak]

So hot, that one landing on my glass perscription safety glasses left a pit in the surface.

Try non prescription safety glasses over your ordinary glasses, or a full face shield, works for me and not so expensive.

You need to wear heavy jeans and boots, and stay out of the direct path of the sparks. They can light cardboard and newspaper in an instant.

Better still a leather welders apron; and always wear your safety boots in the shop - leather ones with the steel toe caps.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[T70MkIII]

Second, they can only cut ferrous meterial. Try to cut aluminum, and they load up the wheel. This can be dangerous, because a loaded up wheel doesn't cut very well, and the first instinct is to press harder. That can shatter a wheel; not good at all.

Thanks for the heads-up. I haven't tried Al with it yet, but was planning to. Balance is good on mine - will cut 100x100x3 ERW nicely, although not perfectly square towards the bottom of the cut.

 

[Kermit]

They are tough little saws for the cost.
This was my first one.

It was 20 years old when I bought it 2ed hand for $25 from a
classified ad. I bought a new one last year and gave the old one
to my brother-in-law. He's still using it.

Rick

The only stock I'm cutting right now is wood for the Lathe workbench,
AND speaking of benches, I notice you have the same 2x6 and 4x4 setup underneath the benches in your shop pic Rake!

NICE, ;D

Back to splitting straight logs into crooked lumber.

I've cut it twice and it's STILL too short!
Kermit

 

[joeby]

For the guys using "chop saws" for cutting up stock; I've parted off a lot of pieces on a surface grinder with cutoff wheels and one thing I've noticed a few co-workers doing with them is "babying" the wheel. I believe they thought they were cutting down on heat; but I think they were creating more. The wheels are not unlike regular grinding wheels, they were made to break down to expose fresh grit and if you're not cutting fast enough to break it down, it loads up and heats your work.

If these wheels aren't cutting straight, some of it is the result of the sides of the wheel glazing from deep cuts. They also tend to wear a taper on the sides. A quick look will tell you if this is happening. I take a dressing stick and dress the wheel down some to keep the corners square and stay ahead of the tapering. We normally part off .010" oversize and if the side of the wheel is glazed, it will crowd over to the other, ruining the part.

Just a few thoughts.

Kevin

 

[BobWarfield]

I'm a big fan of the DeWalt Multicutter in lieu of chop saws:

Milwaukee makes a similar one. They use a carbide tipped blade that is geared down to run a little more slowly than a regular saw so they will last. These things go through aluminum like butter, and cut steel very well too. The cut is very clean, there are no sparks, and its even a bit quieter than an abrasive chop saw, though still not as quiet as the little bandsaws.

After I bought my multicutter, the little bandsaw languished unused until I built a table for it and started using it upright:

A sturdier stand at a height that's comfortable is important for that.

Right now, I'd like to get a much larger vertical bandsaw.

BTW, Rick, here's one you may like given your Marvel. Go to my web page here and search "Bar Feeder":

http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCBlogSep2008.htm

Pix and a movie of a guy that built an automatic feeder for a 4x6 so it could crank out lots of parts. It's pretty simple, and I thought it was so cool!

I don't have a need to make all those parts, but it is amazing what the little saws can do.

Best,

BW

 

[Kermit]

There are an increasing number of manufactures making those 7 1/4 circular saw blades with diamond or carbide grit coatings that work on metals. While they aren't great with real thick material they are a Dream when cutting 3/8 or 1/4 thick angle iron or its equivalent.
It also means you do not have to invest in another piece of equipment. Just 30-40 dollars for a blade for your saw.

For the guys using "chop saws" for cutting up stock; I've parted off a lot of pieces on a surface grinder with cutoff wheels and one thing I've noticed a few co-workers doing with them is "babying" the wheel. I believe they thought they were cutting down on heat; but I think they were creating more.

I was cutting some stainless pipe and I found if I let up on the feed pressure it would not feed AT ALL, just sit there and turn a bright cherry red. I was forced to feed it at the correct speed. (304 I think, I got it for free and used them in a sodium hydroxide electrolysizer I have yet to complete for lack of a power source with enough low voltage amps)

Blah blah blah, I've had to much coffee this morning
Kermit

 

[rake60]

Bob that is the first automatic bar feeder I have ever seen on a 4 X 6.
Great toys!

Rick

 

[BobWarfield]

I was cutting some stainless pipe and I found if I let up on the feed pressure it would not feed AT ALL, just sit there and turn a bright cherry red. I was forced to feed it at the correct speed. (304 I think, I got it for free and used them in a sodium hydroxide electrolysizer I have yet to complete for lack of a power source with enough low voltage amps)

Kermit, welcome to the wonderful world of work hardening. When cutting stainless, you want to make real sure to keep feeding hard almost no matter what. It's a real pain when it work hardens. I was recently cutting some panels for my CNC out of some "mystery metal". It must have been stainless, because it work hardened before I knew it and I was breaking all kinds of cutters.

I hate when that happens! :big:

Cheers,

BW

 

[gunboatbay]

For those of you with a shop space problem, the Harbor Freight hand held variable speed bandsaw (0n-sale occasionally for $59) will do a passable job, especially if a bracket is made:

 

[steamer]

Great thinking!

Dave

 

[Loose nut]

If you can't do it any other way then get a cheap HF 4 1/2" angle grinder with a "Zip Cut" wheel on it, I have cut 2" bar with one, a rough cut to be sure but in a pinch it does the job, just do it out side. Love my bandsaw though.