What I learned about cutting angle iron with a circular saw

[Don Farr]

1- Always wear extra eye protection. Safety goggles over eyeglasses is not enough. How those little hot sparky things got by the goggles and my glasses I don't know, but from here on out it's safety glasses, safety goggles and a full face shield. Those little hot sparky things go everywhere.

2- Always provide proper support for the work piece. A shaky sawhorse is not good. when the hot sparky things start flying and the sawhorse start shaking BAD things can happen.

3-And last but not least, always cover all exposed skin. Tennis shoes and a loose fitting pair of shorts is NOT proper attire for cutting angle iron. Did I mention that those little hot sparky things go EVERYWHERE?

I need to rethink this project, if Dominic can use 2X4's to support his ballast box why can't I?
I think I will return the uninjured angle iron to HD and buy some 2x4's.
I hate those little hot sparky things.

[Rob Russell]

Don,

Don't let your sparky experience dissuade you from what you want to do.

I didn't respond earlier, because my answer would have been "use your horizontal bandsaw" to cut the angle iron. I picked up one of the under $200 imports and it has already paid for itself in time and frustration savings.

If you don't want to go that route (and what I did before I got the h-b-saw), spend $5 and buy some metal cutting blades for your saber saw. They will work just fine. If you have a "sawzall", they work fine too although I think that tool is better for rough cutting to length. I found the saber saw easier to control for "neat" cuts.

Rob

[Ken Salisbury]

Hey Don -- -- maybe you should have bought a lathe with a sturdy base to start with -- like a Jet 1642 .

Just funnin with ya buddy <IMG src="http://www.oldrebelworkshop.com/smiley2.gif">

[Don Farr]

Hey Don -- -- maybe you should have bought a lathe with a sturdy base to start with -- like a Jet 1642 .

Just funnin with ya buddy <IMG src="http://www.oldrebelworkshop.com/smiley2.gif">

Well Ken, hindsight is 20/20. This thing is really bad about bouncing all over the place. If I can just make it usable for little while I will replace it in the near future. Especially if turning is as addicting as everyone says. So far for me, it has been a frustrating experience.

[Jason Roehl]

Great, I bet I'm on Don's "stuff" list now for suggesting the use of a circular saw. I've cut lots of metal with my circsaw and an abrasive blade, but I've never had quite the trouble you have.

[Bob Oswin]

I think I will return the uninjured angle iron to HD and buy some 2x4's.
I hate those little hot sparky things.

I use quite a lot of iron around my shop and have several tools to cut angle.
Among them is an old 8 inch table saw that I installed a metal cutting disk (1/1/6" thick).
I cut sheet,flat and angle all the time with this set up.
The abrasive disc's are available at any good welding supply and are about $7-8.00 each. (Zip Discs)
They are good for about 2 or 3 feet of 1/4" cutting.
You can mount them in your regular table saw but I hate cleaning up the iron filings afterward.
P.S. a good size magnet will pick up the majority.
..And a good blade cover will trap most of the sparkies!

Bob

[Don Farr]

Great, I bet I'm on Don's "stuff" list now for suggesting the use of a circular saw. I've cut lots of metal with my circsaw and an abrasive blade, but I've never had quite the trouble you have.

We're cool Jason It was just my stupidity and not preparing for everything like I should have. I was trying to make somewhat of a difficult cut for a circular saw. A 45 degree miter with a 15 degree bevel so that it would fit the legs of my cheapo lathe perfectly. I tried several of the suggestions from yesterday and the circular saw actually did the best. I probably should just rent a metal cutting miter saw like mentioned.

[Todd Burch]

Speaking of "sparkies", that reminds me of an "incidient" I has a couple weeks ago.

I set up out in back of the garage when I use my metal chop saw. I set the saw on sawhorses with a piece of ply for a tabletop. I was cutting a lot of adjustable shelf standards to length. I had been cutting for a while, and on one trip back to the saw after retrieving the next piece to cut, I smelled something unusual and also saw a faint shadow moving across the concrete - smoke! I realized something was on fire. The sparks had started a fire in some dead grass behind the shop. From my vantage point, the saw on the table was blocking my vision to the 18" diameter buring circle in the grass. I stomped it out quickly and then filled a couple buckets of water up to quench it.

Now, I pay attention behind the saw too! Todd.

[Ken Garlock]

Don, now is the time to add to your horde of tools. You can pickup a PC "Tiger" saw for about $100 at Lowe's. I bought mine on sale for $89. I have used it to saw through 1x1/8 angle iron without sparks, it was easy.... Every shop needs a "sawzall" type saw for the fine delicate work

[Lee Schierer]

At least you didn't learn one more lesson. Those sparky things have an affinity to sawdust and can cause you whole shop to fill up with smoke. Power metal cutting should always be avoided in a wood shop.

No this has never happened to me!

[Don Farr]

Don, now is the time to add to your horde of tools. You can pickup a PC "Tiger" saw for about $100 at Lowe's. I bought mine on sale for $89. I have used it to saw through 1x1/8 angle iron without sparks, it was easy.... Every shop needs a "sawzall" type saw for the fine delicate work

Ken, I'm not familiar with a PC tiger, but if it is a sawzall type saw I tried that. I have a Dewalt cordless and a Craftsman corded model. I tried a 18 tooth and a 24 tooth blade and I couldn't get it to cut straight. I am sure I was doing something wrong.

Anyway, I think I have solved the problem. A friend of mine just loaned me a Milwaukee electric bandsaw. I think he called it a porta-band.
Thanks for everything.

[markus shaffer]

A few years ago I helped do quite a bit of work building a skatepark here. All of the ramps are surfaced with steel. Big heavy 4x12 sheets of it. Maybe 1/4 or 3/8 inch thick. That stuff was a nightmare to cut. It was during the summer so it was incredibly hot and sticky. The photo below is of myself and a couple other guys who were working on this. The ramp you see is 10 foot tall and 28 feet wide. There are several others at this park too. We were cutting that stuff with a worm drive saw and those diamond metal cutting blades. We got about 3 blades per 4 foot cut. It was so hot, we had to take turns cutting the stuff while wearing a sweatshirt. Each one of us went through a blade. we'd also have to wait 10-15 minutes for the saw to cool off so we could change the blade. As much of a nightmare as it was, that stuff is incredibly fast to skateboard on. If I ever live somewhere where I have a yard big enough for my own ramp, I'll probably go through all that trouble again.

-Markus

[Bill Ryall]

I just learned the lesson of sparky things and sawdust. (actually already knew it but was too tired to think straight). The sparky things found the pile of oak shavings behind my benchtop drill press. Apparently the sparky things also know when you leave the shop- they got a good start when I left the shop to get a cup of coffee from the house. Came back in to find my benchtop on fire.

Good news is my drill press will live to drill again and the bench will remind me to not do something sooooo stupid again.

Safety warning #1: Don't work when you are too tired to think straight

Safety warning #2: Keep a good fire extinguisher in the shop for those brain dead moments...

Bill R

[Ken Garlock]

Ken, I'm not familiar with a PC tiger, but if it is a sawzall type saw I tried that. I have a Dewalt cordless and a Craftsman corded model. I tried a 18 tooth and a 24 tooth blade and I couldn't get it to cut straight. I am sure I was doing something wrong.

Anyway, I think I have solved the problem. A friend of mine just loaned me a Milwaukee electric bandsaw. I think he called it a porta-band.
Thanks for everything.

Yes Don, the Porter Cable Tiger is their version of the Sawzall. Slip a metal cutting blade in it and go to town.... Yes, I agree that it is work to get a straight cut with one

Sounds like you have even a better soluton with the porta-band. Have fun.

[Allan Johanson]

Hey guys,

If you want to cut a lot of metal and avoid those sparks, try renting (or buying if you have spare $$$ and lots of metal) a Makita metal cutting saw (12" chop saw) with a funky carbide blade that cuts through the metal instead of abrading it away in a shower of sparks.

It's the Makita LC1230. Check it out on their website.

According to the docs (probably slightly inflated), the carbide blade lasts 50x longer than an abrasive blade and cuts 4x faster than an abrasive blade.

I bought one about 18 months ago and it's excellent. Fast, minimal mess, and you can hold onto the metal right after cutting it because it's only warm, not red hot from being abraded to death. The cuts are very clean too with very minimal bits to clean up on the "exit" side of the metal.

Cheers,

Allan