Clean cut on 1" steel.

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I've just bought a piece of 2' by 4' steel 1" thick to build a welding table with.  It was cut from a 4 by 8 piece and 3 edges, the two 2' ones and the 4' end, are fine but the other 4' edge is a little ragged and I'd like to clean it up.  My question is; what is the best way to cut it.  In my limited experience as a hobby welder I haven't cut anything that thick yet.  I have a 4" grinder with a zip wheel, a skill saw with a similar wheel, a jig saw with a metal blade and a HVAC torch with a cutting handle.I don't think the 4" grinder or the jig saw would cut it and I'm not that good with a cutting torch yet; I want a good clean cut.  Would the skill saw do it?Any help appreciated.  Lincoln Pro Mig 180Everlast PowerARC 200
Reply:Don't believe any of those options would work. Only thing I can think of short of a large Torch if you don't have access to one is to just grind it as best as you can with you little grinder. But that's going to take a while if it's even remotley rough. As for actually making a cut, that's going to take a torch I believe.
Reply:I bought my fab table top from a local (Houston) steel supplier.  They used a CNC O/A torch....came out perfect...including the 2" radius corners.You might check around your area and see if any of the shops have this capability.  I don't think you're going to get a nice edge w/ the tools you described. Attached ImagesMiller 211 w/ spool gunMiller Dynasty 200DXLongevity 60i IGBT plasmaO/A w/ crappy chinese torch/gaugesSouth Bend 10K latheGrizzly 4029 10x54 millGrizzly 7x12 hor bandsawangle grnders, bench grnder, bench belt sndr7.5 hp 80gal cmprsor
Reply:Originally Posted by BTDI bought my fab table top from a local (Houston) steel supplier.  They used a CNC O/A torch....came out perfect...including the 2" radius corners.You might check around your area and see if any of the shops have this capability.  I don't think you're going to get a nice edge w/ the tools you described.
Reply:almost any torch will cut 1", why not try it? you might make it with the tip you have , 1" aint that much for oxacet...check your tipmanufacturers literature and see what yer tip is rated for, if its close  go a little higher with the pressures and give it a shot..
Reply:dont expect to get cuts like btd posted..that is incredible..
Reply:Not incredable for a steel supplier I have seen edges like that on 4inch thick plate but they have a $350,000 set up. If you take it to a fab shop with a heavy duty plamsa it will not look that good with out at least 5 grinding wheels and acouple of hours. But I think that would be your best bet is to make acouple of calls and get acouple of prices. Most shops don't like to cut peoples steel that they already have (they don't get the mark up)  but im sure some one will do it. To cut it will a angle grinder would take days and you would go through more wheels and probably grinders then what it would cost you to get it professionally done.Vantage 300 kubota ,miller 304 xmt ,lincoln ln 25 pro , ranger 305 G, plenty of other tools of the trade to make the sparks fly.
Reply:Thanks for the input; I know a welding shop that should be able to do it for me. When I posted this I figured that's what I would end up doing, just wanted to make sure.  Thanks again!Lincoln Pro Mig 180Everlast PowerARC 200
Reply:Why do you have to CUT it? I'm assuming you had the supplier cut the plate to the desired dimension, just the quality of the cut is less than aesthetically pleasing.If that is the case, I would say smooth it out with your 4" grinder and be done with it.You get some schmuck out there with a hand torch and a piece of angle iron as a guide, you're liable to end up worse than you started. Just clean it up with a grinder and go with it.What does a hobby welder need a 1" table top for anyway? My primary table at work is a 3/8" surface that sees one ton assemblies, 10-12 hours a day without issue...
Reply:The effort and $$ to haul it off for a pretty cut could go to more useful things, like partial pay for a 9" grinder. (DeWalt makes some excellent ones nowadays. They are reasonable and hold up under student abuse.) Alternately, just get a box of 4.5" rocks and have at it more slowly.You are gonna have to get proficient at grinding anyway. We start our students out grinding bevels on their 1/2" plate V-groove coupons with a 9" grinder. When they master grinding, THEN we hand them the torch-beveled coupons.
Reply:Scribe a nice straight line on the bad edge.  Then mount it to the front side of the table.  Any time you get bored in the future, take a grinder to it.  Eventually it will be pretty.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Originally Posted by ncfhWhy do you have to CUT it? I'm assuming you had the supplier cut the plate to the desired dimension, just the quality of the cut is less than aesthetically pleasing.If that is the case, I would say smooth it out with your 4" grinder and be done with it.You get some schmuck out there with a hand torch and a piece of angle iron as a guide, you're liable to end up worse than you started. Just clean it up with a grinder and go with it.What does a hobby welder need a 1" table top for anyway? My primary table at work is a 3/8" surface that sees one ton assemblies, 10-12 hours a day without issue...
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallThe effort and $$ to haul it off for a pretty cut could go to more useful things, like partial pay for a 9" grinder. (DeWalt makes some excellent ones nowadays. They are reasonable and hold up under student abuse.) Alternately, just get a box of 4.5" rocks and have at it more slowly.You are gonna have to get proficient at grinding anyway. We start our students out grinding bevels on their 1/2" plate V-groove coupons with a 9" grinder. When they master grinding, THEN we hand them the torch-beveled coupons.