Bridge I-Beam cutting.

Deere Dude · Nov 17, 2018

I am in the beginning stages of building a 12x24' bridge across a gully. I have 6 8" 20' I-beams I need to make 24' long.

That means I need to cut another one into 4' sections.

I don't have a torch, bandsaw, plasma cutter or anything fancy. I do have 4-1/2" grinders and chop saws and a couple hundred HF 1/16" abrasive discs for the handhelds.

My question is, would it maybe better to use 4-1/2" abrasives or get diamond discs. I am sure diamonds discs would last longer, but how much longer. If a lot better then I will run down to Home Depot Monday and get a couple or a few. They are about $13 each. I am sure they would be safer from the shattering aspect.

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Any other ideas about cutting other than the ones mentioned would be helpful. I need the cuts to be fairly straight because I need to butt weld them. I will weld a plate on the sides of the joints also.

4570Man · Nov 17, 2018

I always run the diamond disk because they don’t explode. They last pretty good. I’d say they come close to the claimed 30 times life span.

bcp · Nov 17, 2018

Build a 20 foot bridge, instead...

with a short approach span on each end, if needed.

Bruce

groundcover · Nov 17, 2018

Hire a mobile welding guy to do it !

newbury · Nov 17, 2018

Reads like an excuse to buy Harbor Freight Tools Coupon Database - Free coupons, 25 percent off coupons, toolbox coupons - 10 AMP DEEP CUT VARIABLE SPEED BAND SAW KIT for $100. And maybe a swag table.

CADplans · Nov 17, 2018

Come visit me,, I will cut them for you,,,

or, pay a local fab shop to make the cut,, they can make 4 cuts in 20 minutes total,,,

This is 4 pieces of 1X8 solid steel bar, my saw can cut them all in less than 5 minutes,,

Oldpath05 · Nov 17, 2018

I wasn't impressed with this diamond demo>>Lenox MetalMax 4.5" Cut-off Wheel Review & Comparison, Lenox VS Dewalt - YouTube

Big Barn · Nov 17, 2018

Find someone with a plasma cutter or cutting torch. Bandsaw would be way too slow for me.

Depending on web thickness, 8” I beam should only take a minute or two for each cut.
Here’s a pic of plasma cutting 24” I beam for my welding table legs. Probably took me about 5 minutes per cut.