Cutting Disassembling Steel Grate

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Long time reader, Great people here!Thanks in advance for any help you can give meI have a 48 x 48 steel bar grate that has 2 sides of 1/4 bars with 3/16 bar sandwiched between to join them

I'm trying to remove the bars from one side and reorient them on the other sideThe goal is to make the openings smaller and lighten it a bitI've tried a cutting wheel, recip saw, and plasma torch. All of which have their upside and down sides in time and consumablesI realize that this may just be the nature of the beast, but I just feel like I'm missing something obviousIf anyone has any experience with grates, maybe you could give me some suggestionsThanks!
Reply:Buy more material (1/4" rod is cheap), cut more bars and weld them on the other side.On second thought, just make a new one - way faster

Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:^^^Dave has a good idea there^^^Unfortunately there in really no easy way to do what your doing the way your doing it or an easier way to do it.Lincoln 330 MPXModified TombstoneLincoln Activ8X / LN-25X-TVTMagnum PRO 250LX GT Spool Gun¼ Ton of Torches OFC-A / OFG-ASMAW FCAW GMAW
Reply:That's what I thought, just didn't want to overlook something obvious
Reply:Yup.. Make a new one.www.tjsperformance.comDynasty 300 DXHTP 240HTP Microcut 380Hyperthem 85JD2 Hyd Bender and HF Hyd Ring Roller all in one =(Frankenbender)Bpt. Mill/DRO4' x 8' CNC Plasma TableInstagram: tjsperformanceYT: TJS Welding and Fabrication
Reply:I just keep thinking about the wire pipe cutters but I've never seen one done in a portableSomething like a portable band sawAnyway, thanks again to all
Reply:

Originally Posted by mreinsmith

I just keep thinking about the wire pipe cutters but I've never seen one done in a portable  Something like a portable band saw
Reply:What will be its use.  It it must be used then i would use a thin cutoff wheel.  Cut vee notch at the weld.  Seem like as much work as removing them in pieces.It has not been my experience that making grating is easy.  Fixturing, spacing, checking , rechecking, bending distorted bars,  then discovering you were 1/8 inch off and the last bar shows the difference.
Reply:I have several of these, so at the moment I am making a equipment storage cart and shelvesI also wanted to make a plasma cutting table (although the powder coating burning off might be a an issue with that)Cutting off the bars around the perimeter is fairly easyThat should give me enough to make add to the grid, for the rest I'm just going to cut them off to save weightI am going to try the V Cuts because that might actually help lining them up when reweldingI had an old stick welder that I donated to a friend of a friend. I'm kicking myself now because it had an attachment for "fusing/melting" bars together (I forget what they call that process)That would have been helpful DOH!