QUESTION - Cut-Off Saw/Mitre Saw

[Eugene]

Are you cutting steel or aluminum? I have an $88 Delta miter saw and when I noticed the blade listed for wood or aluminum on it I had to try it and it worked fine.

[J T]

OK, could use a mitre saw. Will be making some (a lot) of cuts of

7 7/8" wide material (1/2" plywood), and a 10" mitre saw would work for this - with a raised up, wooden base. I know, cause I measured. The cuts will all be straight across.

But, at the same time, I could use a chop saw, for some tubing cutting I will be doing.

I can't spare money for both. And, wouldn't be using either constantly; or often after these two projects are done with. So, what I'm thinking about is, getting a 14" chop saw, something along these lines.

using a metal cutting blade for metal, and a 14" wood cutting blade for my crosscuts. Yeah, I could use a saw sled, but this would be handier for me, and would be used for other projects later.

I've been studying this, and can't see any reason it wouldn't perform the task.

So, the question is: Is there in fact any reason this idea will not work? Or, any safety reasons I shouldn't do it?

But, remember, I'm not interested in "it's not the best tool for the job" type of replies; or, it doesn't have a proper safety guard - I already know all that. I'm asking because possibly someone has some info on this type of thing I'm not aware of, that would make it a "not to do" type of thing. Oh yeah, if you're gonna say it won't work, then explain just "why" it won't work.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[Al in WA]

JT, I have a Dewalt 12' 705 that I used with a 10" metal cutting blade. It worked O-K but I didn't use the Dust Collector when I cut metal pipe. I've only done this the one time and it worked for cutting several 1/2" electrical conduit for chimes. Whether it's recommended, I don't know but it worked that one time.

Need input from others on this one.

Al in WA

[patriarch]

Can you find a 14" woodcutting blade for such a saw? And at what cost and cut quality? Decent 12" blades are close to a hunnert dollars...

Blade flex at 14" would be a question, too. There are folks who think 12" saws flex too much.

Given the low cost of 10" 'chop saws', you may be able to buy the 'wood saw' for the cost of the blade for the 14" saw, and have something to peddle on eBay later...

By the way, I completely agree with you on those uuuuugly tables you posted about earlier.

Patriarch

[Prometheus]

I was looking at doing this- I already had a 10' miter saw, and figured I could just get a metal cut-off wheel for it, but when I was looking, it turned out that the arbors were just too different, and the cut-off wheel would have ground against the inside of the saw's shield. I just ended up cutting the [angle iron] steel I needed with a hacksaw- it was a lot of doing, but I really didn't need the chop saw. Another option is to get a metal die grinder, and then you could get a biscuit cutter attachment for it later on- I used one for a project some time ago, and the aftermarket attachment worked as well as any dedicated biscuit cutter, as far as I could tell.

[J T]

Sun, Oct 24, 2004, 5:36am (EDT+4) patriarch (patriarch= [e-mail]) queries: Can you find a 14" woodcutting blade for such a saw? And at what cost and cut quality?

Yup, the quality store - HF, $29.95. As As long as the cut is straight by eye, no prob.

By the way, I completely agree with you on those uuuuugly tables you posted about earlier.

But, I'm sure someone, somewhere, is gonna think they actually look good.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[J T]

Sun, Oct 24, 2004, 1:45am (EDT-1) [e-mail] (Prometheus) says: I was looking at doing this- I already had a 10' miter saw, and figured I could just get a metal cut-off wheel for it, but when I was looking, it turned out that the arbors were just too different,

The metal cutting blade, and wood cutting blade, both 1" holes, so I'm thinking would work.

I just ended up cutting the [angle iron] steel I needed with a hacksaw

I'm going to be cutting angle iron, and tubing. Several sizes of tubing, with different wall thicknesses, and a load of it. Using a hacksaw is not an option I want to go with. Altho I did see two guys cutting a railroad track in half, with a hacksaw, in Nam.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[J T]

Sat, Oct 23, 2004, 10:40pm (EDT+4) [e-mail] (Eugene) asks: Are you cutting steel or aluminum?

Mild steel, angle iron & tubing.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[J T]

Sat, Oct 23, 2004, 6:45pm (EDT-3) [e-mail] (Al=A0in=A0WA) says: JT, I have a Dewalt 12' 705 that I used with a 10" metal cutting blade. It worked O-K but I didn't use the Dust Collector when I cut metal pipe. I've only done this the one time and it worked for cutting several 1/2" electrical conduit for chimes. Whether it's recommended, I don't know but it worked that one time. Need input from others on this one.

Thought about a mitre saw, but decided no. Figured as much metal cutting as I'm planning on, might screw up the saw somehow - or melt it. Wood cutting shouldn't hurt a chop saw. Then later, with extra $, get a mitre saw, for wood only, and make the chop saw metal only.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[bridger]

depeending how good a cut you need you might consider an in between solution. sawzall. or the generic HF copy, whatever. lots of other uses, too.

[Eugene]

Recriprocating saws can actually cut pretty fast, I've been impressed with my little one and what it can do. Those portable bandsaws have come down in price a lot, I've been tempted to pick up one myself. Been thinking about how to build some sort of miter box to hold it straight to make perfect 90 degree cuts too.

[J T]

Sun, Oct 24, 2004, 10:36am (EDT-3) [e-mail] says: depeending how good a cut you need you might consider an in between solution. sawzall. or the generic HF copy, whatever. lots of other uses, too.

Cut quality would be good enough, the pieces will be welded in place, but the speed of cutting would be too slow. If naught else, I've got a hand-held grinder that I could use to cut 'em with - but would prefer not.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[Andy Dingley]

Really bad juju to try that. It's hazardous, it's bad for the saw (abrasive rubbish gets everywhere) and it's considerably illegal to try it (YMMV). Rules for using abrasive wheels have been strict for years, and not without reason.

If you're doing aluminium, particularly thinwall extrusions, then a properly designed sawblade with negative tooth rake is cheap, safe although noisy.

I'd look at a cheap metal cutting bandsaw. These get _really_ cheap at the low end, and I've had a huge amount of use out of one, mainly cutting angle or square tube to length before welding.

What a waste ! You're in an environment with easy access to high Vdet explosives, and they didn't use them.

[Morris Dovey]

I picked up a horizontal band saw at HF for about $150 that does a good job on aluminum, brass, and mild steel. The built-in vise swivels from 45-º to 90+º and (with the help of a protractor head on the square) cuts good miters.

It might be worth the time to take a look in your local store...

[Phil Hansen]

In article , [e-mail] says... I would agree with others that a bandsaw is the way to go. Looked at one last week. Well made but the stand was flimsy (but fixable). FWIW the South African Bureau of Standards has stopped the import of all metal cutoff saws. They claim the guards are not good enough and hence the saw is dangerous.

[J T]

Mon, Oct 25, 2004, 7:04pm (EDT+6) [e-mail] (Phil=A0Hansen) sayeth: I would agree with others that a bandsaw is the way to go.

Ah, but the price.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[J T]

Sun, Oct 24, 2004, 9:08pm (EDT+4) [e-mail] (Eugene) says: Recriprocating saws can actually cut pretty fast, I've been impressed with my little one and what it can do.

That's one option

Those portable bandsaws have come down in price a lot,

Not enough for me.

And, either option would leave me with no miter saw.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[J T]

Mon, Oct 25, 2004, 1:09am (EDT+5) [e-mail] (Andy=A0Dingley) says: What a waste ! =A0 You're in an environment with easy access to high Vdet explosives, and they didn't use them.

They were Vietnamese civiians. I preferred them not getting access to high explosives.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[J T]

Sun, Oct 24, 2004, 9:32pm (EDT-1) [e-mail] (Morris=A0Dovey) says: I picked up a horizontal band saw at HF for about $150 that does a good job on aluminum, brass, and mild steel. The built-in vise swivels from

45-=BA to 90+=BA and (with the help of a protractor head on the square) cuts good miters. It might be worth the time to take a look in your local store...

Nope, if I want a dedicated saw for metal, I'll just spring for an inexpensive chop saw.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 18:19:39 -0400, [e-mail] (J T) calmly ranted:

Right, 14" cutoff saw for $36, -shipped- from Ebay vendors!