Multisplit woodsplitter wedge design, metal thickness

[muddstopper]

I cut about 20 feet of double bevel on 1 inch stainless one night on overtime in about 4 hours using a 6 inch grinder and zip wheels

I bought a #3 tip for my torch today to sharpen my wedges. I like the look of saw cuts and milling, but I aint got the patience to grind a 30degree bevel on both sides on 20ft of anything. Spent almost 4 hrs today with the big bandsaw sawing 1x8 in plate to make cylinder mounts. I dont know what kind of steel I had, certainly not A36 but it sure didnt want to cut. Made one cut in a 2.5in shaft I thought was just chrome plated. Took 2.5 hrs. Going to take a magnet to it tomorrow cause I now think it might have been stainless. My blade was worn out before I started this cut, but I didnt want to put on a new blade before cutting the shaft figureing it would be hard and mess up a new blade. I did install a new blade before cutting the plate. I have to bore 12- 2.5in holes in that plate using a holesaw. I aint looking forward to it after seeing how long it took to cut with the bandsaw.

 

[firemanmike69]

I bought a #3 tip for my torch today to sharpen my wedges. I like the look of saw cuts and milling, but I aint got the patience to grind a 30degree bevel on both sides on 20ft of anything. Spent almost 4 hrs today with the big bandsaw sawing 1x8 in plate to make cylinder mounts. I dont know what kind of steel I had, certainly not A36 but it sure didnt want to cut. Made one cut in a 2.5in shaft I thought was just chrome plated. Took 2.5 hrs. Going to take a magnet to it tomorrow cause I now think it might have been stainless. My blade was worn out before I started this cut, but I didnt want to put on a new blade before cutting the shaft figureing it would be hard and mess up a new blade. I did install a new blade before cutting the plate. I have to bore 12- 2.5in holes in that plate using a holesaw. I aint looking forward to it after seeing how long it took to cut with the bandsaw.

Why not just cut everything with the torch ?

 

[BukitCase]

If it IS stainless, the O/A torch is about the WORST thing you can do - I found that out the hard way years ago when I tried to cut stainless rod with the torch - man, what a mess...

A plasma will cut pretty much anything that's conductive, but unfortunately ya can't just buy a bigger tip like O/A, bigger plaz's cost quite a bit more than a copper tip

Hopefully the stuff you need to cut is just a different steel and not stainless... Steve

 

[muddstopper]

Why not just cut everything with the torch ?

Because I traded for that big 8x13in bandsaw thats supposed to save me some work. It usually does pretty good, but normally I use it on pieces of angle, tube or shafts, seldom have 1x8 inch plate of unknow orgin. Your right in thinking the torch would have been a lot faster. I have a plasma for most cutting and it would have cut the 1in stuff, but not as clean or fast as the oxy/acet.

Steve, I have had that piece of shaft for years just waiting to find a use for it. Not a speck of rust on it, mirror finish. I thought it was just a chrome rod and once the bandsaw got thru the chrome it would cut pretty easy. What ever it is, its hard all the way thru. I am going to use it to make pins for the base of the cylinders, its a perfect fit. I have 2 pieces about 4ft long each and planned on turning two pins down to 2in for the rod end of the cyl. I might chuck it up in the lathe to see how it cuts, but if its stainless, I might abandon that ideal.

 

[BukitCase]

I know it's a PITA to change blades, but is it possible you just had too fine a blade on the saw? I've done that ("just one cut, how much difference can it make?")

You probably already have this info, but for those who dont -

The Spark Test and Spark Testing Metals | Scrap Metal Junkie

That page has a lot more info than just pix, and it's about $80,000 cheaper than the LAST chromatograph I worked on (although I gotta admit, there's something pretty cool about setting a piece of metal in a machine, pushing a button and getting a readout that says, "Ti - 92%, Al - 6%, V = 4%" )

This looks like a modernized version of what we used, but in true "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" tradition, nobody wants to tell you how much without getting your life history -

SPECTROTEST Portable Metal Analyzer from SPECTRO Analytical Instruments : Quote, RFQ, Price and Buy

Kinda doubt that any "home shop" has one, other than maybe Jay Leno :laughing: ...Steve

 

[muddstopper]

Maybe to fine a blade, 14tpi is what was on the saw when I got it and it came with 2 replacement blades, also 14tpi.

 

[deanwerden]

2 teeth on the thickness is the rule of thumb. go with a more aggressive pitch and set

 

[deanwerden]

We had a handheld pmi gun at the last shop I worked at. It was 80 grand but worth it's weight in gold

 

[muddstopper]

I just talked to my machinist buddy awhile ago. He said the same thing. Said he used a 6-8tpi on his saw, but used a 12tpi on his saw for thin metal

 

[CNC Dan]

I know it's a PITA to change blades, but is it possible you just had too fine a blade on the saw? I've done that ("just one cut, how much difference can it make?")

You probably already have this info, but for those who dont -

The Spark Test and Spark Testing Metals | Scrap Metal Junkie

That page has a lot more info than just pix, and it's about $80,000 cheaper than the LAST chromatograph I worked on (although I gotta admit, there's something pretty cool about setting a piece of metal in a machine, pushing a button and getting a readout that says, "Ti - 92%, Al - 6%, V = 4%" )

This looks like a modernized version of what we used, but in true "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" tradition, nobody wants to tell you how much without getting your life history -

SPECTROTEST Portable Metal Analyzer from SPECTRO Analytical Instruments : Quote, RFQ, Price and Buy

Kinda doubt that any "home shop" has one, other than maybe Jay Leno :laughing: ...Steve

Our scrap guy has one.
$50,000.00 to start.