Cutting 1/8th plate

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Hello All,Great forum you have here, have learned quite a lot just lurking. Figured it was time to start participating.I am in the early stages of making a tent stove. I did see one on this forum that someone made for their ice fishing shelter that looked great. So today I called my steel supplier and just about puked when I received their quote. I asked them to quote for material, 1/8" plate and the cutting to my supplied specs. In total it is 7 pcs that would make a stove with dimensions of 24Lx13Wx16L. A pretty compact stove I would say. The quote was over $150. I can buy a complete stove, everything needed for operation, for the same money. So my next thought was to buy a large enough sheet and make the cuts myself. A single sheet, 4'x4' is about $80.  My question is how to cut it. I have a 14" abrasive saw and a 4" grinder. My abrasive saw will be worthless in this application seeing that some of the cuts will be 24" long. Can I make these cuts with my 4" grinder with cutoff wheels and expect it to be straight? Pehaps clamping down a straight edge and cutting against it? Would this method produce straight cuts? One thing I have learned in the short amount of time I have been welding is straight cuts go along way with easing the assembly process.Bottom line, I want to build a stove and if I can do it for the same price of buying one or a little less, then I am game. I would much rather build one and have the satisfaction knowing I built it. Thanks,BrentLast edited by Brent13; 03-15-2007 at 05:40 PM.Reason: signature addedLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:Hi Brent,If you own a 7 1/4 Circular Saw and a pair of goggles you may wish to get a metal cutting blade for it.  http://www.bulletindustries.com/cata...p/cPath/99_144Another choice would be one of these http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94362HF often has a sale as well as a 20% coupon floating around but you'd want to wait to take advantage of that.  I have one and it will go thru 1/8 mild steel like a normal saw thru 3/8 plywood.A couple of options,Clay
Reply:Originally Posted by Brent13 My question is how to cut it. I have a 14" abrasive saw and a 4" grinder. My abrasive saw will be worthless in this application seeing that some of the cuts will be 24" long.
Reply:Ok, I do have both, a reciprocating saw and a circular saw. I forgot all about the recip-saw, and never thought I could put a metal cutting blade on my circular saw. Both fine ideas. So either of these two ideas is better than the 4" cutoff wheel method? Since I already have the recip-saw and blades I will probably go with that route. I also have plenty of straight edge scrap laying around. I think I will go forward with the purchase on 1 large sheet of 1/8th and press on. Thanks for the input....BrentLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:You could also buy some .045 zip wheels for your grinder. Set up a straight edge and you should have no problems and on 1/8th material ,if you buy good wheels, should be a piece of cake._________________Chris
Reply:I just used a 4 1/2 in grinder with a straight edge attached to the material I was cutting as a guide. Being very careful I would slowly and lightly move up and down the line I marked on the sheet along with the straight edge. As you keep moving back and forth across the sheet obviously the cut gets deeper and deeper, finally you will not need any guide as the disk will follow the trench you so carefully created earlier. Just don't try to cut all the way through in a single pass, let the grinder do the work in slow light multiple passes. I have to say though I'll have to look into this zip wheel thing that Lorenzo mentioned.
Reply:Originally Posted by Brent13Hello All,Great forum you have here, have learned quite a lot just lurking. Figured it was time to start participating.I am in the early stages of making a tent stove. I did see one on this forum that someone made for their ice fishing shelter that looked great. So today I called my steel supplier and just about puked when I received their quote. I asked them to quote for material, 1/8" plate and the cutting to my supplied specs. In total it is 7 pcs that would make a stove with dimensions of 24Lx13Wx16L. A pretty compact stove I would say. The quote was over $150. I can buy a complete stove, everything needed for operation, for the same money. So my next thought was to buy a large enough sheet and make the cuts myself. A single sheet, 4'x4' is about $80.  My question is how to cut it. I have a 14" abrasive saw and a 4" grinder. My abrasive saw will be worthless in this application seeing that some of the cuts will be 24" long. Can I make these cuts with my 4" grinder with cutoff wheels and expect it to be straight? Pehaps clamping down a straight edge and cutting against it? Would this method produce straight cuts? One thing I have learned in the short amount of time I have been welding is straight cuts go along way with easing the assembly process.Bottom line, I want to build a stove and if I can do it for the same price of buying one or a little less, then I am game. I would much rather build one and have the satisfaction knowing I built it. Thanks,Brent
Reply:I suppose it will be used for both heating and cooking. I could see throwing a skillet on top and cooking, also hope to use it for heating water. The main thought is certainly for heating though.Zip wheels? I have never heard of these, but will look into it.Thanks Again,BrentLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:Originally Posted by Brent13I suppose it will be used for both heating and cooking. I could see throwing a skillet on top and cooking, also hope to use it for heating water. The main thought is certainly for heating though.Zip wheels? I have never heard of these, but will look into it.Thanks Again,Brent
Reply:Unless you are really stuck on building the whole stove out of plate, may I suggest that you consider using part of a small salvaged barrel for the bulk of the stove.  A friend gave me parts for a stove of this design a few years ago, and it sure made sense.  Using a cut-up barrel will save some $$$ and a lot of cutting of the 1/8" plate.  The barrel was cut down the middle from end to end, tipped on its side, and plate welded across the opening, which becomes the top of the stove.
Reply:1/8 inch mild steel plate?Use a sawzall with a decent metal-cutting blade.  Or you can use a carbide-tipped metal-cutting circular saw blade in a, you guessed it, a plain old circular saw (use one with metal guards, hot metal chips or sparks are not so good on low-end saws with plastic guards).  The Bullet blades seem nice, haven't used any yet.  They are on my 'buy some' list.  The MetalDevil blades are nice, per a friend.  I have used a Freud 7 1/4 inch carbide-tipped ferrous metal cutting blade in my circular saw to cut 1/8 inch steel plate, almost like a warm knife through butter.  Waaaaaay better cut and waaaay easier than using an abrasive blade or cut-off wheel.  Pay attention to the recommended rpm ranges (different blades have different MAX rpm limits) and to the material thickness limits.
Reply:I cut the 16ga sheet steel that I used for the sides of my table with a sabre saw/metal blade and clamped angle for a guide, came out perfect.  Kinda noisy though!.  Your saw shouldn't have any trouble with that 11ga.That aint heat lightning in the neighborhood tonight...
Reply:I just got back with my 4x4' piece of steel. The cutting may begin this evening. I will keep you all posted with my results. I hope to start a thread with pictures in the Welding Projects Forum, that is if everything goes well enough.Thanks,BrentLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:http://www.airgas.com/browse/product...&WT.svl=229409Here is a link to what I mean when I say zip wheels. As always, everyone has a different name for them... slice wheels, cut off, zip.... as long as they work right._________________Chris
Reply:Alright, cutting is underway. I got both of the side pieces cut out tonight. Maybe 30 minutes total time and used 2 cutoff wheels, the Norton brand, about $2.70 at Home Depot. I cut a total of 64" to get the two side pieces done. They came out very well, and look to be within less than a 16th of an inch to eachother. Should be able to clean them right up with the grinder. I used a piece of 1/4" angle iron as a straight edge to cut against that really kept the cuts pretty true. It does take quite a bit of time to make this length of cut with this tool, but it is a whole lot cheaper than what the steel supplier wanted to charge. My three cuts tonight would have cost me $30 for the supplier to cut. I figure my time is work the cost of two cutoff wheels. Thanks again for the tips, I appreciate the help. I am off to Home Depot tomorrow for more wheels.BrentLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:If you have a Harbor Freight in your area, they have some good prices on cutting wheels.  They run $9.99 for 10 wheels normally but I try to snatch some up when they go down to about $6 for a ten pack which they frequently do.  I can cut about 20 inches of 3/16 plate with a single wheel using these.  This would mean about 30 inches per wheel for 1/8" material which is similar to what you are getting with the Nortons.I also have some cutting wheels for my 7" grinder which works well for cutting.  You just have to have a VERY good grip on the grinder and make sure your piece is securely clamped down prior to cutting.  Could be very dangerous if this tool got away from you so be careful.
Reply:[QUOTE=lorenzo]You could also buy some .045 zip wheels for your grinder. Set up a straight edge and you should have no problems and on 1/8th material ,if you buy good wheels, should be a piece of cake.[/QUOTE.045's are the only way to cut the thin stuff. I use 6" Carborendum's and they cut like a charm.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."