Cold cut saw

[Fallon]

Look into a VFD before replacing the motor. It might be cheaper. My 5hp Baldor was $400ish rebuilt & an open frame. Those sealed ones are more (don't want to fill it with iron sawdust)

 

[jbwilson]

I bought a 14" from a local welding supply store.

Was amazed by the way it cuts metal. :thumbsup:



View attachment 499709[/QUOTE]

I like your table arrangement for your bench grinder and cold saw. Presumably this is to transport the tools outside so that you don't spray hot iron filings inside your shed when cutting and grinding steel. I am going to fabricate the same design as it looks so simple, effective and cheap (unless you have a patent on it.
John

 

[newbury]

See what kind of frame the 3ph has, and what type of shaft that intersects with the saw. I have a feeling that it won't be easy to repower this, or everyone would be grabbing cheap 3ph stuff and doing that, other than using rotary converters and other methods. I could be wrong; it would be nice if it was that easy.

I'm in a long process of building a phase converter for 5 pieces of 3 phase equipment. OWWM and Practical Machinist are two excellent sources of info. However a LOT of the posters there will write how you can pick up a 10HP 3 phase used motor for well under $100. I searched for a year before I found a good one at that price.

Look into a VFD before replacing the motor. It might be cheaper. My 5hp Baldor was $400ish rebuilt & an open frame. Those sealed ones are more (don't want to fill it with iron sawdust)

VFD is often a good choice especially when you only have 1 motor to run.

 

[Xfaxman]

I bought a 14" from a local welding supply store.

Was amazed by the way it cuts metal. :thumbsup:

I like your table arrangement for your bench grinder and cold saw. Presumably this is to transport the tools outside so that you don't spray hot iron filings inside your shed when cutting and grinding steel. I am going to fabricate the same design as it looks so simple, effective and cheap (unless you have a patent on it.
John

Thanks. It is on wheels for out of the way storage. There are no hot iron filings from the saw and they fall into a small container that pulls out to dump. You can touch the cut edge right after the cut.

No patent, so copy at will. The frame came from a store that was selling hospital surplus and I put a piece of plywood on top.

I also got this Gurney there and put a 8' door on top:

 

[jbwilson]

Xfaxman - Thank you for sharing. Didn't realise that cold saws live up to their name. I have an abrasive saw that is a grass fire menace (in summer) (and more importantly, it doesn't cut accurately, especially near the end of stock pieces because of blade flex). For anyone thinking of buying an abrasive saw - I would say don't, there are a lot better options out there, including I'm sure, the cheapest cold saw one can buy. John

 

[pmsmechanic]

I bought a higher rpm 14" cold cut saw a few years ago intending to replace my 12" abrasive saw. While I love the cuts the cold cut makes there are a few things you just can't do with a cold cut so now I use both.

While the cold cut makes some awesome cuts like you can cut off a weld completely. You have to be able to somehow clamp the steel before you start to cut. The cold cut blade will not wander the way an abrasive does. If you need to cut your steel half a saw blade width shorter you can do that on a cold cut.

The cutting that an abrasive saw shines on is compound cuts. You can hold the steel by hand and cut it. In fact I don't even have the clamp on my abrasive saw any more. I wouldn't ever try that with a cold cut saw.

I bought my saw at Princess Auto. All prices in CAD. Saw was on sale for $150. I've never seen that price since. Blades are anywheres from $80- $110. I usually pay about $8 for an 12" abrasive blade. Yes I can buy cheaper ones but they don't cut as nice or last as long. NAPA "Long life for light duty work" seem to outlast any other brand I've tried. They also have less dust than most.

I'm paying slightly more for cutting with a cold cut but to me the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The biggest benefit is cold cuts and no abrasive dust or smell.

 

[handirifle]

I bought a "real" cold saw for only $100! I need to re power it as it has a 3 phase that is usually no problem but it is from Canada and runs on a real high (575) voltage that we do not have here in the US.
Any motor guru's here? I wonder if the motor could be re wound or something.
View attachment 499851

Rustyiron

What you need is a phase converter. It takes single phase power and converts it to a modified 3 phase. On motors you lose a little power but you probably would not notice.
3 Phase Converter Information Page - Phase-A-Matic

Here's a link. A good friend of mine used to work for the guy that invented them. He uses a 3 phase motor on his band saw and added a variable speed control, since it's doable with the converter.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

[gsganzer]

I bought a Makita cold saw the other day. Anxiously waiting for it to get delivered. I looked at the DeWalt, but it had the same crappy angle adjustment and clamp that my old Dewalt abrasive saw had. The Makita has a smaller blade (12" versus 14"), but the quality of the saw was so much better. I don't plan to be cutting anything too big with it anyway. I'll report back once I've used it a bit.

 

[Rustyiron]

Rustyiron

What you need is a phase converter. It takes single phase power and converts it to a modified 3 phase. On motors you lose a little power but you probably would not notice.
3 Phase Converter Information Page - Phase-A-Matic

Here's a link.

I'll contact them, but I think the 575v is the problem. That's more of a Canadian voltage from what I understand, and not available (used) here in the US. Thanks:thumbsup:

 

[aczlan]

I bought a "real" cold saw for only $100! I need to re power it as it has a 3 phase that is usually no problem but it is from Canada and runs on a real high (575) voltage that we do not have here in the US.
Any motor guru's here? I wonder if the motor could be re wound or something.
View attachment 499851

Post a picture of the data plate on the motor and someone here can probably point you to the correct replacement motor or the correct option for a phase converter/vfd.

Aaron Z

 

[Rustyiron]

Post a picture of the data plate on the motor and someone here can probably point you to the correct replacement motor or the correct option for a phase converter/vfd.

Aaron Z

This pic is not the best, and the space on the info plat for "frame" is blank. Right now the saw is wrapped up outside in a snowbank.:laughing:

 

[pmsmechanic]

I really don't think you need to change the motor. We run irrigation pivot motors at 480 volts regularly without problems. They are a 440 volt motor.

 

[Sodo]

I'm paying slightly more for cutting with a cold cut but to me the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. The biggest benefit is cold cuts and no abrasive dust or smell.

The thought of that abrasive dust on everything in the shop makes me cringe. For example sticking to the oil on my motorcycle chains. Or on every surface, waiting to fall whenever I assemble a surgically clean transmission or engine.

I run an extension cord far from the shop and use the abrasive saw OUTSIDE, because it makes clouds of dust. But I use the little 4 1/2" cutoffs in the shop often.

For anyone who buys a cold-cut saw. The cuts are so accurate you start using it like a miter box. It's really good. But for that you MUST have a good clamping system. Some of them are terrible; you can set the 90* perfect, but when you tighten the clamp it goes off 90. And the problem amplifies when you set angles, tighten the clamp and it changes a couple degrees at the 45* setting. I have the Milwaukie - it's not too bad, but it doesn't hold the angle perfect upon clamping, it moves! And the Milaulkie has a pretty good cast-steel clamp. Even so; I have to set the angle "slightly off" such that it "trues up 90*" when I tighten the clamp. And then tighten the clamp "the same" tightness every time. This is kind of a PITA. There might be a way to "fix" it, which I will someday.

Anyway, if you choose a cold-cut saw that has a "stamped steel" clamping system you won't enjoy the accurate cuts that the cold-cut saw is capable of. You will get the speed though.

 

[Rustyiron]

I really don't think you need to change the motor. We run irrigation pivot motors at 480 volts regularly without problems. They are a 440 volt motor.

I've been told that slightly over powering a motor (voltage wise) is negligible on the motor, but underpowering one is death. 575v running on 440 is a pretty big spread.

 

[stuckmotor]

So if you guys had to pick between a horizontal band saw or a cold saw which would it be? I've been wanting one but haven't bought yet because I can't decide.

I have had one of the old green Harbor Freight 4x6 metal cutting bandsaws for years and it cuts good enough for my needs. I wish you guys would quit talking about the cold saws. You're liable to make me buy one.
BTW: The Yahoo 4X6 Bandsaw Group is stacked full of tips, tricks, and mods and ways to fix those saws when needed.

 

[gsganzer]

For anyone who buys a cold-cut saw. The cuts are so accurate you start using it like a miter box. It's really good. But for that you MUST have a good clamping system. Some of them are terrible; you can set the 90* perfect, but when you tighten the clamp it goes off 90. And the problem amplifies when you set angles, tighten the clamp and it changes a couple degrees at the 45* setting. I have the Milwaukie - it's not too bad, but it doesn't hold the angle perfect upon clamping, it moves! And the Milaulkie has a pretty good cast-steel clamp. Even so; I have to set the angle "slightly off" such that it "trues up 90*" when I tighten the clamp. And then tighten the clamp "the same" tightness every time. This is kind of a PITA. There might be a way to "fix" it, which I will someday.

Anyway, if you choose a cold-cut saw that has a "stamped steel" clamping system you won't enjoy the accurate cuts that the cold-cut saw is capable of. You will get the speed though.

The Milwaukee was discontinued. Not sure why, everyone said it was a good saw. I looked at the 14" DeWalt and the 12" Makita. I ended up buying the Makita for the clamp issue that you describe. I have a Dewalt abrasive saw that's virtually identical to the Dewalt cold saw and I always felt the clamp was junk. Like you describe, it's fine for clamping at 90 degrees, but it wouldn't hold an angle worth a flip. The Makita has a really nice clamp and the 12" will still cut all the material sizes that I plan to cut.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I got the Makita 12" for the same reasons after doing the same comparisons.

 

[handirifle]

I'll contact them, but I think the 575v is the problem. That's more of a Canadian voltage from what I understand, and not available (used) here in the US. Thanks:thumbsup:

Oh missed the high voltage. Yea that is a tough one.

 

[handirifle]

As for clamping issues, would a hold down clamp added on work?

 

[DaveK OR]

A vise would work better. Harbor Freight has a couple.