Cutting 3/8 plate?

Egon · Mar 23, 2006

Go for the reciprocating saw with variable speed.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

1savoy · Mar 24, 2006

MrJimi,

Here is the one I bought, but I paid less than this. If you check the web you can find better prices. I would be tempted to buy the $99 from HB or Northern. Just my 2 cents. Metal Cutting Saw

1savoy · Mar 24, 2006

MrJimi,

Here is the link to the saws Snap On was selling. The brand I could not remeber is Evolution. If you click on the 180 Extreme or 230 X there is a very short video.

Good luck,
Russ

Saws

dsb5610 · Mar 24, 2006

Jim,

Are you making quick attach plates for the skidsteer? If so, I bought one recently for $100 that i used to build a tree/post puller. I originally asked the local welding shop if they would make me one and they suggested I call Bobcat (where I purchased mine).

dsb

gsganzer · Mar 24, 2006

Have your parts "waterjet" cut. We have lots of parts done this way. We send our plate to the cutter along with an Autocad drawing converted to .DXF They feed it into the machine and the aqua jet cuts the parts exactly as you drew them. The shapes can be extremely intricate, which might save you a number of other steps with your fabrication. It also allows you to make some things that are extremely professional looking. Here's the homesite for a "water jet cutting" trade organization water jet
There might be a link to find a company in your area, or check the yellow pages.

jmc · Mar 24, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ... that i used to build a tree/post puller.)</font>

dsb,

That sounds like an interesting project. Have you posted anything on it?

John

Highbeam · Mar 24, 2006

"Even with 3/8" plate, you will be hours and hours trying to grind through it. If you want to use a 4 1/2" grinder you better get a few cases of disks and set aside a few months."

No, no, no, it will not be fun or fast but if you're in a jamb "it" can be done within hours using a walmart 4.5" grinder and a several cheap walmart discs. My grinder is still working just fine. The cuts will not look as good as those saw pics. The borrowed hypertherm plasma cutter couldn't do the 1/2" though it was great on thinnner metal, it was not a new model.

Sometimes you have to make do with what you have and if all you have is a 4.5" grinder this is not an impossible task. There are much better tools.

MrJimi · Mar 24, 2006

I have pretty much made up my mind for now? I am still looking at other alternatives but I have be steered toward this saw
Shortened Long Link
And they have a video and its darn impressive.
Yes I am making backing plates for a skid steer and I am going to make lots of goodies like a trailer hitch receiver, boom pole, and a 3PT adapter hitch so I can use a Bush Hog 286 in front of my Case 1845C to delete some weeds and light brush! I can't wait /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Backing plates are $100 and up for 1/4" thickness and I am going with 3/8", ($220 for a 4' X 8" X 3/8" plate) I believe in some overkill /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have been quoted $25 per cut and I need 12 cuts? BINGO, saw pays for its self on first use,( saw=$263 in my hand) I like that and I have it for other projects
Keep the great ideas rolling in
Thanks
Jim /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Dargo · Mar 24, 2006

I think you've picked a winner for your immediate task at hand. I've really never used one of those metal cutting circular saws, but I've heard that they really do a great job. In the past, before I bought the equipment I now have, I've jack-legged around and wasted more time and money trying to make some metal cuts with sawsalls and the thin cutting wheels for grinders. All you'd end up doing there would not only be wasting your time, money and energy, but very possibly wasting some really expensive metal stock. It was a step up when I bought my O/A torch, but last year when I bought my HyperTherm1250 plasma cutter, that's when it flat made it fun for me. I'd bet that it really didn't even take me 30 seconds to make the cuts in the 1/2" table top with that machine. But, it did cost considerably more than your way.

You've gotta let us know how that metal cutting circular saw works. I'm really interested to hear. It looks like it will do the job nicely. Good luck!

MadDog · Mar 24, 2006

You're dead right on that, Dargo. I have a Hypertherm Powermax 1000. It's not quite as muscular as yours, but it still makes cutting plate quick and easy. So far, I have mainly used it on 3/8 and 1/2" plate, but I'll be cutting some 1" for the anchor blocks on the log splitter that I'm building.

I'll also be drilling 1 1/2" holes for the pins that go through the cylinder cross tubes. Just got a Jacobs Superchuck with Morse Taper #2 and JT4 shank to hold the annular cutters. It's going to be interesting....

SPIKER · Mar 24, 2006

I'm with others that say that get it done, my old shop would do this for less than 100 bucks, 12 cuts that is using plasma, and less if you had them all laid out already on the steel with chaulk. all it takes is laying a straight edge & slice it up.

anyhow I think those metal saws are oK for lighter stuff but not sure about anything much more than 1/4" wall material.

mark M

Stimw · Mar 24, 2006

You didn't say what sizes you are trying to come up with. You might be better off buying 3/8" flat bar. I think it comes in up to 12" widths X 20'. Just currious, who you are pricing from in Jax?

dsb5610 · Mar 25, 2006

John,

Will be putting up a post on the tree/post puller soon.

dsb

MrJimi · Mar 25, 2006

With all the different things I do, I am looking at a plasma cutter, they can cut anything, straight lines or curves etc.
Everybody needs one of these /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Looking at different models now.
Hand saw will only cut flat and straight?
Thanks
Jim /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

MrJimi · Apr 18, 2006

I went to another metal supplier and they sheared my 3/8 plate just the way I wanted it cut and Now I have some clamping and welding to do.
Thanks for all your great replies, the 5 cuts they did, came up to $48 for shop labor, I can live with that
Jim /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Pooh_Bear · Apr 18, 2006

I know I'm late posting this.
But I just experienced this with a circular saw.
Took a metal/masonary blade and mounted it in a Black+Decker circular saw.
I had a piece of 3/8 plate 23x30 inches. I needed it 23x21 inches.
I got 2 straight pieces of wood and clamped to it for a track to guide the saw.
I set the depth on the saw to just barely touch the plate and made a pass.
Then I increased the depth slightly and made another pass.
And again, and again, and again, and again, ad infinitum.
I know I made at least 50 passes across that plate.
The last few cuts the saw started making a real bad noise.
But I did manage to finish cutting the plate. Real straight cut too.
But that saw is dead. Real dead.

Let me assure anyone considering taking this route.
You don't want to do this. Or get a cheap throw-away saw like I did.

Pooh Bear

MrJimi · Apr 18, 2006

Another idea I had was to mount a sole plate and a handel on a 4 1/2 inch grinder, kinda like a small skillsaw type of thing? I am soo happy I had them sheared /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Jim

Farwell · Apr 19, 2006

Pooh Bear,
Another way would be to get a high quality saw that is made to stand the abuse and make the cut in 25 passes and still have a very good saw.
Farwell

sandman2234 · May 10, 2006

Another idea would have been to lay them out and bring it over to my house and cut it with my torch.
Let me know if you get into a bind like this again. I am on the westside of Jax, just south of 103rd Street, west of 295 a couple of miles.
David from jax