Cutting 1/8" steel plate

admin

Outside of taking it to someone with very expensive equipment, is there a viable way of making a single 8' long cut in a big sheet of 1/8" steel?  I'd like the cut to be straight, and I'd prefer not to have to move the sheet (it weighs a lot and is kind of unwieldy, even with my old Jeep).  Any ideas?
Reply:cuts like that and if you have a oxy/acet torch........I always lay it out and throw a stick of angle iron on it with some clamps about 1/8th away from my mark then run the torch along the angle.......hit it with a grinder and good to go.a plasma would work better though on the 1/8h......just my $.02If it's too . get an office jobLincoln wp225g7 Lincoln 250 idealarcFrankenstein O/A set-up Weld-tech  tig set-upLincoln sp 175 plus profax  arc gouger
Reply:What tools do you already have available?I have seen some creative ways of cutting stuff. So knowing what you have can narrow it down. Or knowing how much you want to spend might help.Our local college welding dept. would always let students bring sheet in to use the VERY large hydraulic shear. Maybe you can ask at your local college if a student could cut your sheet to specs?Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Thanks.  I've got a 10" table saw and a Freud Diablo cold-cut blade.  The RPMs of the saw are wrong for the blade by about a factor of three.  But it's one of the methods I'm considering.I don't have an Oxy-AC setup.  How much do they cost?Last edited by Jack Olsen; 04-10-2009 at 02:23 AM.
Reply:I have never used those cold cut blades. Cutting it on a table saw would be very tricky for a full sheet of 1/8 inch. Much like trying to cut a whole sheet of plywood on a tablesaw. I have done it but it sucks to do. You might try it out by setting the depth of cut to maybe 1/16 of an inch. Make your pass on the tablesaw. Then take the sheet and bend the piece off. That would probably provide a clean edge. I suggest that because it is easy to bind up a full sheet in a tablesaw. That can get ugly. Also, cutting through it might not give you the perfect edge. Or make two passes, 1/16th at a time.... but the binding still is a worry.I hope someone comes up with a better idea than I have.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:It would take you a while, but steel that thin you could cut with a good jigsaw and bi-metal blade. There used to a good video on his site of George Goehls cutting some 1/8" steel with a Bosch 1591, but I can no longer find it.You can also cut it pretty quickly with a 4 1/2 grinder with a cut-off abrasive disc in it, or one of those air powered 3" cut-off tools with an abrasive disc. I have one of the air powered ones from Harbor Freight, which is nice for cutting straight lines, since you can rest the guard on a straight edge. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47077Last edited by smyrna5; 04-10-2009 at 03:10 AM.Lincoln 175HD Miller AC/DC ThunderboltSmith AW1, Dillion (Henrob) Mark III, & Smith LittleTorch
Reply:saawzallo-a torchsmall grinder with cutoff wheel
Reply:Beg borrow or steal a plasma...and use a straightedge to guide it. An eight foot cut on 1/8" steel can be done in 66 seconds with no special skills with a Hypertherm Powermax30. Jim
Reply:I was using my 7 1/4" circular saw till I got my plasma (oh ya the saw burned up after a year of abuse I used to go through a saw a year cutting steel and concrete, as the junk grinds off the shaft and eats the bearings but it worked take it easy the blades cut about a foot per blade in the sheet!!!! YUP the plasma is the way to go....Lincoln 225 Tombstone,Miller Big 20,Hobart 180,150' Argon,A/D hobart hood 22 Ton Log splitter,79 F350 dump eats 4.75 TONS and still turns cutters,grinders,And a  Hypertherm POWERMAX 30
Reply:I/ve done it using an angle grinder,just clamp down a straight edge and grind across with 3 or 4 light passes and than you can bend it until it breaks.Does'nt take as long as you'd think.Lincoln 225 ACLincoln Mig Pak 15Lincoln Mig Pak 10Purox Oxy-Acet Outfit20 Ton PressHonda Generator
Reply:If you can move it, haul it to your local fab shop & have them shear it.  Pay them what they want, it's worth it.  With a grinder or saw, it's gonna make a heck of a racket & any neighbors you have may not like it.  Wifey/girl/boy/friend may not like hearing it either.Torch or Plasma would be the way to go if you have to cut a lot of shapes, but a single cut in a 4x8 sheet, shearing would be quickest & cleanest.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Just put an ad on Craigslist in the tools section that you need this cut by plasma and ask people with a plasma to contact you. I would respond to an ad like that and probably cut it for free. I do that for those with problems like yours. A few years ago I needed help to cut up a 330 gallon propane tank for a BBQ and a guy let me bring it to his place, he handed me the plasma torch and said, "I will be in the house drinking coffee, call me if you need help."I cut the BBQ pieces for about two hours and he charged me nothing. He just wanted to help. Guys like that are out there, you just have to ask. Don't ask for it to be free, offer to pay and get your price up front but you will be surprised how altruistic some people are.I personally would buy an angle grinder and several metal cutting blades. Lay an angle iron where you want to cut and ride the edge with the angle grinder. After several passes remove the angle and finish the cut. Put on a flap wheel and dress it up.Let us know what happens.
Reply:I have used a 4 1/2" grinder with cut off wheel to remove 1/8" diamond plate flooring from a 20 foot van body.With a straight edge and a couple passes a 8 foot cut can be made with just over 1 blade.
Reply:Jack,Have a 7-1/4 circular saw?  With a metal blade guard, not a plastic one?If so, you can go to HomeDepot and get a 7-1/4 inch Freud steel-cutting blade for about $40 that will cut through 1/8 inch mild steel plate.  It cuts pretty cleanly, much faster and quieter and a better cut edge than an abrasive blade.Plasma is even quicker and quieter though.A jigsaw or sawzall and some metal-cutting blades will work.  So would an oxy-acetylene cutting torch.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Thanks for the suggestions.  I think the circular saw is the best way for me to go, since it's easier to use that with a straight-edge than to try to one-man a 3'x8' piece of steel over the table saw.  I just sourced a Freud Diablo steel-cutting blade on ebay for $30 delivered, which is a little cheaper than Amazon or Home Depot. I don't have much interest (yet) in Oxy-AC welding, but if I can get a used setup cheap, I guess it'd be nice for (sub-plasma-quality) cutting and also heating up stubborn bolts (and pre-heating for Mig welding?).
Reply:Jack Olsen,First off, do NOT attempt to cut this material on a table saw with a Freud cold cut blade.  That blade is not made for the RPM that a table saw operates at.  It will destroy the blade and is extremely dangerous.There have been some rediculous suggestions made here, along with a few good ones.  Some of the suggestions would lead me to believe that the poster has never tried to cut 1/8" sheet.As has been mentioned (good suggestion), plasma would be my first choice, especially if the cut edge did not have to be welded.Second choice (first if the metal is to be welded) would be to use the Milwaukee 8" Metal Cut saw with the thin metal blade.  It will cut 1/8" steel like a skilsaw cuts 1/2" plywood.  The cut edge is ready for welding and needs no additional prep.  Actually, with a good straightedge, the cut is better than what you'll get with a plasma cutter.  For long straight cuts (and I have a PM 600 and PM1250), I'll use the Milwaukee before I fire up the plasma.Third choice (and the most economical) would be to buy a cheap skilsaw for $50.00 or so (if buying from a box store buy the extended warranty also) and the Freud 7 1/4" metal cut blade ($40.00 at HD).  Use a good straightedge and wear a heavy jacket and good eye protection (full face shield recommended) and cut away.  You can expect to get several hundred feet of cut from that one blade in 1/8" material.  The saw won't last forever, but if you bought the warranty, you can exchange it when it lets the blue smoke out.  Be careful not to "force" the cut.  Let the saw do the cutting.PS.  I'd like to hire the guy who can cut an 8' sheet of 1/8" steel with 4 1/2" grinder, and get a respectable edge.If I had to make more than a half dozen or so cuts in a row, I'd just take it to the shop and have it sheared.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Just trying to put two and two together.Is this the same Jack Olsen who posts on Hobart?The Jack Olsen who's trying to cut steel on the "cheap".The guy who's looking for a sub-$100 cutoff saw.The guy who's asking about a very dangerous way to cut steel plate (table saw).The guy who posts photos of a BIG PORSCHE parked in garage.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Maybe contact a Green Veggie that has a 120v Plasma cutterEd 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:I have been cutting steel with an angle grinder for a really long time. Sometimes the good tools are not feasible for everyone and you have to make due with what you have or can afford to buy. I would bet that is the case for many people here.It appears that if you have the ability to cut a straight line with an angle grinder, there is a job just waiting for you to take it.Some can afford expensive tools and some cannot, however both can have the ability to do exceptional work.Everything is based on patience in my opinion. If you had a hacksaw blade and a LOT of time and dedication to do the job correctly, you could get the job done CORRECTLY. If you were in a hurry you would probably mess it up.You can get a Harbor Freight angle grinder around here for $18 and $6.99 for ten blades ($25) plenty to do the job. That is pretty cheap.I am a believer that if I can do it, you can do it. However I DO NOT believe in "If I can't do it neither can you."I know I am just some guy in a backyard shop and not some know it all welder with plenty of cash to buy tools, but if you use a torch, plasma or angle grinder, all you have to do it FOLLOW THE LINE.I suggest you contact Broccoli1. I know he is a really good guy.
Reply:I had a Milwaukee 7.25" metal saw, but we killed it cutting up 2" steel gratting.  Like 150 cuts and 15 blades on one job. Customer paid for saw and blades.  I was hoping to keep it, but it was doa at the end of the job.  But it was great for 1/8 to 1/4" plate when your cutting out in the field.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:Bob,You took my comments out of context.I also have done my fair share of cutting small pieces of steel with a 41/2" grinder.  Not the best tool to get a true edge on plate though.Check out some of the postings by the OP (here, Hobart, Miller) and you'll detect a central theme.  Looking to get by in his metalworking on the "cheap".  When I say that, I'm referring to a sub-$100 cold cut saw, cutting plate on a table saw, etc, etc.  Needs to consider the safety involved.On another board he has a thread about a "fold down table".  In said thread he shows a picture of his garage (nice setup), along with a photo of a $60K-$100K Porsche parked in it.  I wonder if he goes to Wal-Mart for tires on that ride.I agree that 1/8" plate can be cut with a 4 1/2" grinder, but it'd be about the last thing I'd choose.  The cheap skilsaw/Freud metal cut blade (all for less than $100) would be the way I'd go.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:This table is 3/16 and i took my time with an angle grinder and 1 wheel made the 5ft cut. Attached ImagesLincoln 225 ACLincoln Mig Pak 15Lincoln Mig Pak 10Purox Oxy-Acet Outfit20 Ton PressHonda Generator
Reply:Well there ya go Bensweld. The OP didn't ask for the best method to cut it, he asked for "viable" methods, and clearly like many of us he doesn't want to blow his whole budget on metal working tools (or at least not just one tool). I'd say you have shown the grinder method to be viable, and we all know its low cost. Is it the best method- only the OP can decide that for his purpose.Lincoln 175HD Miller AC/DC ThunderboltSmith AW1, Dillion (Henrob) Mark III, & Smith LittleTorch
Reply:Cutting steel plate on a woodworking tablesaw, NO!    In case that wasn't clear enough in my previous post.  Cutting 1/8 inch thick steel plate using a 7-1/4 circular saw with a Freud (or Lenox or MetalDevil or etc) carbide-tipped ferrous-cutting blade (with the appropriate RPM rating of the blade for the saw!! ), sure.  It makes a nice clean SHARP machined edge.  Use a straight-edge clamped onto the plate and guide the saw along to make a straight cut.The cut is much better than a cut made with an abrasive blade in either a circular saw (aka Skilsaw) or an abrasive cut-off disk in a grinder.And Bob, I don't know of any hacksaw with enough throat on the frame to be able to cut down the middle of a 3' x 6' steel plate.    Yes a hacksaw is a prefectly good tool to cut mild steel, if the frame can accomodate the workpiece size.  I cut bar stock and strip stock and tube stock and angle iron with a hacksaw all the time, but those pieces are not having cut-dimensions measured in feet!    I'm out of breath just thinking about trying to make a cut 3 foot long in 1/8 inch steel plate with a hacksaw.  The quality of a handheld plasma cut edge is highly dependent on the steadyness of the operator (and the machine! see recent 'field test' of some plasma cutters for some ugly melted 'cuts'), but with a little skill the cut edge can be darn good.  Not quite as sharp or clean looking as the saw cut, at least for me (so far).But the weldability of a plasma cut edge on mild steel is just fine.  Knock the dross off (if any) and weld away.  Jack,  contact Ed (the green veggie guy  ) aka Broccoli1.  You're both in LA.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:We are Cool. Just get a little twisted when I feel challenged.I meant to use the hacksaw blade without a frame, I said it would take a LONG time. Just trying to make a point, it can be done. Not necessarily the easiest or best way, but it can be done.I understand about the guy having a nice shop and fancy car and all that. Seems like he could spend a few bucks that he apparently has to do the job safely and correctly. Maybe he got the toys by doing things on the cheap.  However, on the cheap has not gotten me much but a lot of work done and people haggling over prices. $20 apparently is too much to build anything around here but they will spend $100 going to Six Flags.Surprised nobody said saws all, sazall or recipricating saw however you like to say it. Much more power than a jig saw for a little more money. If you plan to keep on working with metal you'll need one and there handy for so many other jobs.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:I do everything on the cheap, if it's possible and time-effective.  I paid $3,500 for that Porsche five years ago (back when American muscle car prices were getting really out of hand).  But the car I bought didn't even have a drivetrain.  I've made the car a lot more capable, and put a lot more money into it since then.  But honestly?  I hope I didn't spend a dime more than was necessary.  There's a lot of Home Depot inside that car -- but it's got a shelf of trophies from beating much more expensive racing projects.The context for this thread is important.  I wasn't asking for opinions on the absolute best way to cut steel.  I'm not setting up a shop to cut sheet steel.  I have one 8' long cut to make in some 1/8" plate steel.  It's entirely possible that I might never need to cut another piece of sheet steel again in my life.  So buying a plasma cutter is probably not the best option in my situation.I've looked into an inexpensive Oxy-AC setup.  It would have other benefits other than cutting sheet steel.  I might still do it.  But for one cut, I think a lot of guys here agree that the Freud blade on a circular saw is relatively safe and would be relatively effective.  If I ever do have more sheet steel to cut, one day, that first blade will probably still have enough of an edge to be useful.  I really appreciate the input I've gotten on this question -- and also on the welding table and the fence I'm planning.  The guys in this community have been great in their tolerance for a total non-professional like me.  I write fiction for a living, and I know from personal experience that it can be frustrating when somebody shows up in your sandbox with a lot of ideas about reinventing how things are done, wanting to explain all of this to someone who does that job every single day, year after year.  I hope I haven't frustrated the pros and the serious hobbyists too much with my cluelessness.
Reply:if i had no tools and had to ake 1 cut, i would get someone to cut it for me, craigs list or local shop.
Reply:I guess the most important thing is whatever way you choose to cut it just be safe and be aware of whats going on.I know I would feel bad if the next thread you wrote was that you lost a finger or an eye....So just be safe.If it's too . get an office jobLincoln wp225g7 Lincoln 250 idealarcFrankenstein O/A set-up Weld-tech  tig set-upLincoln sp 175 plus profax  arc gouger
Reply:Go to your local Home Depot about an hour before closing on a Saturday or Sunday evening and rent a PAW
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseAnd Bob, I don't know of any hacksaw with enough throat on the frame to be able to cut down the middle of a 3' x 6' steel plate.
Reply:Don't even think about using a torch.  Bannana time, big timeGrinder with a cutoff wheel, maybe..........  Need to spend time scoring it acurately in order to have a groove for the cut to followMechanical saws......maybeJust hitch up your undies, and take it to be sheared.BTW.... 1/8 is not considered plate as far as I know.  It's sheet metal.  I think plate starts at 3/16 and above."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:You're right.  It's sheet, not plate.
Reply:Originally Posted by cnywelderHaha.  This just reminded me of a story my dad told me:He was sent down to Mexico to oversee the installation of some process control equipment in a plant.To install a gauge, he needs a 3" hole cut in a panel.So what did they do?Step one:A worker gets the only drill in the plant an twists wires together for an extension cord.  He drills a small hole.Step two:Worker spends the rest of the day with a hacksaw blade wrapped in tape making the hole the right size.
Reply:Not getting on your case Sam, but it is easy to take the wrinkles out of a piece of torch cut 1/8" or even 14 guage for that matter.
Reply:I'd have to agree with ya oldtimerIf it's too . get an office jobLincoln wp225g7 Lincoln 250 idealarcFrankenstein O/A set-up Weld-tech  tig set-upLincoln sp 175 plus profax  arc gouger
Reply:Man some of you guys are pretty critical of a guy trying to do something on the cheap just because he has a Porsche!Not everybody needs pro-level tools, this guy is no exception. A circular saw with the appropriate blade will work, make a clean cut and not completely break the bank.Option 2, one I used a few times before buying my own, was to RENT a plasma cutter. Cost me $35 for a weekend. Which is probably close to what a good metal cutting blade will cost you for a circular saw. It makes more sense if you need to make more than one cut, but what the heck. Cheap and easy.
Reply:Originally Posted by smyrna5It would take you a while, but steel that thin you could cut with a good jigsaw and bi-metal blade. There used to a good video on his site of George Goehls cutting some 1/8" steel with a Bosch 1591, but I can no longer find it.You can also cut it pretty quickly with a 4 1/2 grinder with a cut-off abrasive disc in it, or one of those air powered 3" cut-off tools with an abrasive disc. I have one of the air powered ones from Harbor Freight, which is nice for cutting straight lines, since you can rest the guard on a straight edge. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47077
Reply:Just curious, what would a piece cost already cut to size?  This may be an option for someone who never knows if he will needto use the  purchased tool again.Charlie
Reply:Originally Posted by 59halfstepJust curious, what would a piece cost already cut to size?  This may be an option for someone who never knows if he will needto use the  purchased tool again.
Reply:Just break out your burning buggyDisclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenJust the steel sheet quotes close to $200 at onlinemetals.com. I don't know what the charge would be for the delivery.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenJust the steel sheet quotes close to $200 at onlinemetals.com. I don't know what the charge would be for the delivery.
Reply:Jack, if you do choose to use the saw, remember to protect your hearing well too. I expect you know that, but my post count isn't rising fast enough lately so I figured that was a good excuse for one.
Reply:How does the burning buggy know when to stop?
Reply:by eye or when it runs out of track and falls on the ground......lol ha ha ha ,but seriously you have to watch it the whole way and make adjustments as you go to make aperfect cut and when it gets to the end you shut it off....they are really cool to use and they make a good bevel cut too....wish I had oneIf it's too . get an office jobLincoln wp225g7 Lincoln 250 idealarcFrankenstein O/A set-up Weld-tech  tig set-upLincoln sp 175 plus profax  arc gouger
Reply:My steel supplier has never charged me for cuts or shears.Tim Beeker.
Reply:I have to agree with a few folks buy it to size at your location steel yard. Some do it for free, some 25 cents and  other 50 cents. Sure beats spending money that you could save for something else.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldtimerNot getting on your case Sam, but it is easy to take the wrinkles out of a piece of torch cut 1/8" or even 14 guage for that matter.
Reply:If I was Porsh dude I would fully get one a them circular saw blade thingies! Seems like a really crisp way to operate. I mean for like 40 benjamins you have a choice unit with duplicable outcomes. Whatever. And besides, the sheila's dig power tools!!  That's like sheila 101.Cheers metal mangler brethren.Lincoln PowerMig 180cVictor O/ABandaids and aspirinI don't know what I don't know!?