rookie cutting questions :)

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Hey all, Well I'm a bit new to all this and I am currently in the process of learning to fabricate at home. I've got my Lincoln sp 125 plus and an old craftsman 220 stick welder. I quickly learned that cutting steel is a lot more work than I thought. So I have a couple questions ... I'm wondering what experienced welders/Fabricators use most for cutting. I'm making brackets and such for vehicles using mostly 1/4" plate and tubing.  I have a small gas torch and an angle grinder that I've been using.  I do not have a plasma cutter nor wil be able to afford one anytime soon. I do have a 12" radial chop saw, reciprocal saw and drills as well. I just don't know what is most practical and effective.  For my other question ... can I turn my arc welder into a type of plasma cutter? I know it probably sounds dumb but it seems to make sense to me with my limited experience.  I love making and modifying things so this was the first place my mind went when I saw the price of plasma cutters.  Basically,  I'm just looking for a more efficient way to cut steel. Cutting wheels are getting expensive as I'm going through them like socks  Gas seems up there as well.  Anyway, any insight on the matter is much appreciated as I will be doing more and more as I find time. Hope to hear from some of you guys. Happy welding!!! Be well...Jonathan
Reply:You have most of the major ones already. You can add a horizontal bandsaw or portaband as another option, or a carbide dry cut type chop saw or a carbide metal blade in a circular saw. ( No before you ask, carbide metal blades don't work in abrasive chop saws. The RPMs on the saw are too high, you'll just wipe out the blade.)Each tool has an area where it excels and areas where it's a poor choice. Hardened steels don't cut well with carbide drycut or bandsaw blades. Abrasive blades or a torch is a better option. Accurate angles however are easier to do with drycut or bandsaws. Plasma excels at cutting sheet or alum and stainless. Long straight cuts a circular saw with a carbide metal blade tends to be a good option. I can keep going. I must have at least 20+ different metal cutting tools, each for a different purpose.As far as converting an arc welder to plasma, you can't do it easily. There's a lot more to it. It is possible to "cut" with some stick welders. If your machine has enough amps ( and the average home machine doesn't) you can carbon arc cut. It's a rough cutting process on average, usually used to hack off material. It can be used to remove welds however in skilled hands. You can use 6011 and crank the amps up and "burn" thru material to make rough cuts as well, but again it's mostly to sever stuff if you don't have a torch..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWYou have most of the major ones already. You can add a horizontal bandsaw or portaband as another option, or a carbide dry cut type chop saw or a carbide metal blade in a circular saw. ( No before you ask, carbide metal blades don't work in abrasive chop saws. The RPMs on the saw are too high, you'll just wipe out the blade.)Each tool has an area where it excels and areas where it's a poor choice. Hardened steels don't cut well with carbide drycut or bandsaw blades. Abrasive blades or a torch is a better option. Accurate angles however are easier to do with drycut or bandsaws. Plasma excels at cutting sheet or alum and stainless. Long straight cuts a circular saw with a carbide metal blade tends to be a good option. I can keep going. I must have at least 20+ different metal cutting tools, each for a different purpose.As far as converting an arc welder to plasma, you can't do it easily. There's a lot more to it. It is possible to "cut" with some stick welders. If your machine has enough amps ( and the average home machine doesn't) you can carbon arc cut. It's a rough cutting process on average, usually used to hack off material. It can be used to remove welds however in skilled hands. You can use 6011 and crank the amps up and "burn" thru material to make rough cuts as well, but again it's mostly to sever stuff if you don't have a torch.
Reply:A wood bandsaw generally runs at too high an RPM to use metal blades on steel. You really want a dedicated horizontal or vertical bandsaw for metal. HF sells one that many guys are using. It's not the greatest, but with some tweaking, most get good results.http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-...saw-93762.htmlhttp://www.homedepot.com/webapp/cata...gry=Search+AllMany wood tools can be used for alum. Routers, table saws, even a vertical wood band saw, but they are borderline on speed many times. Jigsaws will also work both on alum and steel with the right blades. Sanders can be used on just about any material with the right sand paper.Lowes and Depot sell ferous metal cutting circular saw blades.http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...3#.UTaSLDfhcm4There have been tons of "how do I cut this..." sort of threads here. Tons and tons to read on this subject. Some times it helps if you use Google or some other search engine and type in "weldingweb" plus key words that might pop up in the topic " drycut saw, abrasive saw, jig saw..." and then go thru what threads it pulls up and see if any cover what you need..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I use a grinder with cutoff wheel for smaller stuff. For straight(ish) lines in sheetmetal, I use a circular saw with an abrasive blade.  I also have the harbor freight bandsaw that I like for accurate cuts, but it is slow.  Other than the slow cutting speed, it is awesome.  If you consider getting one, make sure you print or cut out a 20% off coupon. Recently I bought a [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Power-Tools-RAGE3-Multipurpose/dp/B0030M2TCC"]Rage 3[/ame] saw when Menards had them going for $150 and it has been awesome.  I use it instead of a chopsaw and am happy with it so far, but have only had it for a couple of weeks.Harbor Freight Inverter 130 amp DC stick/tig (sold, really!)Lincoln Square Wave Tig 175 AC/DC stick/Tig
Reply:Thanks guys. Ill do some more research.  My radial saw reads an rpm of 3450 if Im seeing correctly and the band saw says 1725 rpm. I've also got a napa reinforced depressed center wheel which I don't understand . It says 24 grit 9x1/4". These are old craftsman saws that I inherited so I don't know what they were intended for. But like I said ill keep searching and hopefully I can figure out what exactly I have and need.  I can't spend money on new equipment at the moment so I kinda gotta work with what I have. So far I'm gathering that the circular saw is most suited for metal cutting in comparison to my other saws. Also, an angle grinder with a cutting wheel seems to be one way to go for a lot of the cutting ill be doing. Thanks again for all the help! It means tons to me  Let me do my homework so I'm not waisting your time with questions that have already been answered here.
Reply:Sorry guys. The wife really got to me tonight. So if I seems cross I apologize.  You guys are great and I'm so very glad to be here. Bless you all!!!Jonathan
Reply:Still glad to hear more though LOL
Reply:Where do you ;I've?I have a rage saw, Dewalt chop saw, Harbor freight bandsaw and a Port a band.I highly recommend the Port a Band- pricey but well worth it- try CL for a used one.I hardly ever touch the other saws now.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Where do you ;I've?I have a rage saw, Dewalt chop saw, Harbor freight bandsaw and a Port a band.I highly recommend the Port a Band- pricey but well worth it- try CL for a used one.I hardly ever touch the other saws now.
Reply:Ok. I'm not too savvy on computers and I'm just tired/frustrated with searching.  Would someone be so kind as to tell me the ideal rpms for cutting with band, chop and circular saws  ?? Thanks in advance!Oh. I'm cutting mostly 1/4" mild steel plate and tubing Jonathan
Reply:Originally Posted by soulwelderOk. I'm not too savvy on computers and I'm just tired/frustrated with searching.  Would someone be so kind as to tell me the ideal rpms for cutting with band, chop and circular saws  ?? Thanks in advance!Oh. I'm cutting mostly 1/4" mild steel plate and tubing Jonathan
Reply:Wood chop saws and abrasive metal saws run at 3800 rpms roughly. Dry cut carbide chop saws run at 1300 rpm, or about 1/3 the speed.My wood bandsaw has 2 speeds 1620 fpm ( feet per minute) and 3340 fpm. My portaband  runs at 100-350 fpm. That HF horizontal bandsaw runs at 80, 120 and 200 fpm..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Thanks guys! That really puts it into perspective for me. From 100's to 1000's (rpm) is a huge difference!  Looks like ill be using my angle grinder for everything for a while which is fine. Someday ill be able  to afford some equipment but for now I have to start at the bottom.  Thanks for all the encouragement!  Be blessed....Jonathan
Reply:http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/3653061816.htmlhttp://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/tls/3659215474.htmlthe HF 4x6 is now 249.00 newEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/3653061816.htmlhttp://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/tls/3659215474.htmlthe HF 4x6 is now 249.00 new