Triton SCA001 Steel Cutter

[Mike Campbell]

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with this saw. I am starting to get into metal working since buying an old jeep to restore. A friend of mine has a Triton router and loves it. I am looking at any alternatives to buying the traditional cutoff saws. Everything that I am going to cut will be small enough for the Triton machine, so no need for a bigger cut.

Thanks
Mike

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Looks like over kill.

I use my Worm drive skill saw for nearly every thing. I just buy metal abrasive blades by the 10 pack and that will cut half inch steel flat stock as nice as you please. I also use my old TS with a 10" abrasive metal blade. Works great. And I've used a 10" abrasive blade in my 30 year old Makita Chop saw. It gives me very clean angled cuts.

If you don't want to dirty up your nice circular saw just get a cheap one with plenty of power. The only down side is sparks. They fly everywhere but it's no biggie after you've done it a few times.
In the alternative you can use water to cool the cut. I've used a garden hose to keep spring steel from dis-tempering when cutting it that way. If I were doing a lot of it I might use a coolant mist but for mild steel I don't really care about heat.

[Eric DeSilva]

I looked at this one and the major issues I had with it are: the lack of adjustability (think it does 90* and 45*, but nothing else); and Triton's long term health. I love my Triton router, but where Triton is financially doesn't inspire me.

I ended up buying this one instead:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...word=evolution

It is a dry cut saw for less than the 14" abrasive saws. Then again, it is only 7.25", so it isn't going to cut 4" square steel stock. So far I'm quite happy with mine, although I've heard some complaints about dry cut blade longevity (not restricted to Evo). On that basis, I also bought a second blade. All I've used it for so far is 1.25" x 1.25" 0.125" steel angle. But, makes great cuts in that.

PS. To Cliff's point, I thought about using my wood saws, but didn't like the idea of lots of sparks near sawdust or metal debris near precision tools (I would not use abrasive metal working tools anywhere near machinery you want to remain precision). TCT cuts don't generate sparks (or the mess) of abrasive saws, but the bits that do come off are little chunks that are arguably far more perilous to bare feet (although, given that the debris is metal and not abrasive residue, I keep wondering if a big magnet is the best clean up device for this stuff). At the end of the day, it may just depend upon how much cutting you are doing and how much space you have. I do my woodworking in the basement and have the garage for my new experimentation in metal and welding (new owner of oxy-acetylene rig and Millermatic 211). Given that I'm learning, I'm figuring on generating a lot of debris. Now, if I can only find a cheap bandsaw that I can gear down and put a bimetal blade on...

[Mike Campbell]

Thanks for info. I think I am going to get a Horizontal/Vertical Metal cutting band saw. I don't know why I did not think of this before asking about the Triton. I am looking at a Clarke 4.5" saw. Any thoughts? It looks to be the same as the Grizzly and I can get it locally from Tractor Supply, so I don't have to pay the $75 shipping charge.

[Rod Sheridan]

I own one of the Chaiwanese horizontal metal bandsaw, they work well for what you pay for them.

Obviously they're not up to cutting 4" round stock, however angle, flat bar pipe etc are fine.

Regards, Rod.

[Eric DeSilva]

The $200 4x6 bandsaws seem like the $400 mini-mills--quasi-standard, and all made by the same factory in China.

Just like the $400 mills, there seems to be a modding subculture for 'em too:

http://tinyisland.com/4x6bsFAQ.html
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Bandsaw/Bandsaw.htm

Been thinkin' about one too, but also debating gearing down a used 14" delta or something.

[Michael Flores]

Jet makes a nice metal cutting bandsaw for around $400 and we use it all day at work to make work benches. Remember there is a sale at your local woodcraft this weekend for 20% off all jet products

[Robert foster]

Stu has a video blog of his testinf the triton.

bob

[Tom Veatch]

Thanks for info. I think I am going to get a Horizontal/Vertical Metal cutting band saw....

Like Eric said, almost all those little 4x6 bandsaws look to be clones of each other. I can't verify they are "all from the same factory", but it certainly wouldn't surprise me. I have the Jet incarnation and, while I doubt it would be a good purchase for a production shop, for the hobbiest and fairly small part sizes, it should do the job. I'm not sure mine is the same model as Michael mentioned (mine was a little over $200 locally a couple of years ago), but I'm pleased with its perfromance

[Charles Lent]

We're using a Milwaukee metal cutting circular saw. It has a carbide toothed 8" blade and cuts 1/2" sheet steel at about the same speed that my smaller circular saw cuts 1" MDF. The amazing thing about it is that it leaves almost no burr on the metal and the pieces aren't too hot to pick up immediately after the cut is completed. Since buying this saw, nothing gets cut with a friction blade around here anymore. I always hated breathing the dust and the pieces were always too hot to pick up without using pliers or insulated gloves. Cutting sheet steel with a circular saw takes some getting used to, but it's the best way that we've found to do it. Oh, the Milwaukee 8" blades are about $55 each, so don't pinch the cut or you will be loosing carbide and then spending another $55 on a new blade. We just found some 7" metal cutting blades at Harbor Freight that seem promising, and they are less than $20 each. Don't try using them in a standard wood cutting circular saw though. These blades have to turn slower than the wood saws, about 3500 rpm. You really need a special slower speed saw for these blades.

Charley

[John Coloccia]

Thanks for info. I think I am going to get a Horizontal/Vertical Metal cutting band saw. I don't know why I did not think of this before asking about the Triton. I am looking at a Clarke 4.5" saw. Any thoughts? It looks to be the same as the Grizzly and I can get it locally from Tractor Supply, so I don't have to pay the $75 shipping charge.

+1 I've done a lot of metal work. A bandsaw, hack saw, small belt/disc sander and some good files will go a LONG way. The only thing I ever use my cutoff saw for is if I have to make a lot of cuts in very small stock. In other words, I hardly ever use it. I just have a crappy Harbor Freight cutoff saw that I picked up for $20, I think, dedicated to this sort of stuff.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

PS. To Cliff's point, I thought about using my wood saws, but didn't like the idea of lots of sparks near sawdust or metal debris near precision tools (I would not use abrasive metal working tools anywhere near machinery you want to remain precision).

And the dust will tear up your component parts. My old TS is my sacrificial lamb in this regard. But then it is a 36 year old Craftsman contractor saw that I bought new and beat the daylights out of.

How does that "



Evolution Rage Chop Saw Specialty Blade - Steel Cutting "Carbide blade work on Steel? Can you cut 1/2 inch or thicker?

Does the blade rotate slowly?

[Eric DeSilva]

Ah, you have an extra TS. That helps!

Yes, on the evolution saw, the blade RPM is slower than a normal chopsaw--runs 3500 RPM no load. (Doesn't translate into "quieter" at all, however.) The one I've got is the multipurpose blade, not the steel specific blade. I've just used it to cut 1/8" angle, haven't tried anything as beefy as 1/2". It says its optimized for 6mm...