How accurate are dry cut saws

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I am thinking about getting a dry cut saw. How accurate are the cuts on these saws (miter & straight cuts)? I am thinking of getting a Milwaukee 6190-20. Kind of getting tired of using the torch & grinder.
Reply:Hey puengue...I have the Milwuakee dry cut saw and I absolutely love it. It has the sturdiest base of all of the dry cut's on the market and the cut quality is excellent.The clamp is decent, it holds firm but can be knocked out of adjustment if you don't pay attention when tightening.I always set the angle against a protractor and the miter cuts come out perfect everytime. One small burr to knock off on the backside of the cut but the edge is nice and straight.- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:What sort of feedback are you looking for here? I think that my Milwaukee 6190-20 is more accurate than any abrasive chop saw I've used. In my estimation, it's not quite as accurate as my Delta 36-255L 12" miter saw, however. Not that either of those statements tells you much in absolute terms. If I setup a 45-degree cut with my Starrett combination square, I can line the resulting pieces up to create a 90-degree joint that mates perfectly and is as accurate as any of my tools can measure. If I cut four pieces to make an entire square, all of the individual angles are accurate but it's likely that the length of one of the pieces will be a bit off causing a slight gap at one of the inside corners. This is an area where the Delta woodworking saw beats the pants off the Milwaukee: the dual lasers allow you to see exactly where the saw kerf will be, which makes cutting parts to length very easy. That said, the dry cut saw is much better than the Ridgid and Makita abrasive chop saws I've used. With those tools, I was lucky to get a 45-degree cut that was accurate from top to bottom or from one piece to the next...Disclaimer: the abrasive chop saws I've used were all well-used tools that didn't belong to me. A brand-new or well-maintained chop saw might perform significantly better than the ones I've used.
Reply:I have the DeWalt DW872 carbide Multi-Cutter and the DW871 abrasive chop saw.  Both are excellent.I hear great things about the Milwaukees and Makitas as well.The carbide cuts faster and will cut much thinner sections off of the stock, but both will cut very accurate miters.  In fact, the carbide will need to have the clamp much tighter on a miter as it will grab and try to pull the piece into the blade more aggressively than an abrasive will.
Reply:Thanks for the replies. Great info here. I have an old Makita chop saw (bought back in '90) that I have been using with a 5/32 abrasive cut off wheel & the cuts are off,& I'm not forcing it. Adding to the problem is the base is kind of flimsy. I will definately get the Milwaukee.
Reply:That's a thick wheel for general chop saw use!I use a 3/32" for most work, and never more than a 7/64".The word "old" may be the key word in your sentence, though, because a quality chop saw cuts very straight when it's not forced too much, and they will actually take a lot of forcing on a straight (non-mitered) cut.
Reply:MAC702 I may be mistaken,I'd have to check. I have used the 3/32 abrasive wheel & find them hard to use & dangerous. Hard to start the cut & the wheel wobbles until it's about 1/4 down the cut which scares me.
Reply:I ordered a Milwaukee Dry Cut Saw recieved it yesterday. Cut a couple of pipes to build a stand. Here are pics of the saw & the pipes that I had cut. Smooth,fast & are more accurate than my old abrasive chop saw. Thanks for the the advise. Attached Images
Reply:Glad to see that you like it puengue.When you need to replace the blade, look into "Avenger" blades. They are relatively inexpensive and cut well. I get mine through Max Tool.Here is a link to their website with the blades. I use part # AV14120Avenger Carbide Blades- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Thanks,I'll checkout the website.
Reply:does anyone know how maxtools deal works on the 4.5 grinders. it says to buy 1 get one free."Retreat hell, were just fighting in the other direction"Miller Trailblazer 302, Extreme 12 VS, Dimension 400, Spectrum 375, HF 251D-1, Milermatic 251 w/ spoolgun  Hypertherm 1000Lincoln sp 1702000 F-450 to haul it
Reply:which ones are you talking about backuproller?Bosch, DeWalt, ??http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:dewalt. on the small 7 amp 4.5 grinders you buy one free and get one free."Retreat hell, were just fighting in the other direction"Miller Trailblazer 302, Extreme 12 VS, Dimension 400, Spectrum 375, HF 251D-1, Milermatic 251 w/ spoolgun  Hypertherm 1000Lincoln sp 1702000 F-450 to haul it
Reply:Whoa....I've got to be honest.. I never even knew such a saw existed! I have the Rigid CM1450 Shop saw which I thought was the greatest thing ever. At the shop I used to work at they had a wet-saw which worked wonders, but they cost the big bucks. So this saw(BTW sorry for the thread-jack of sorts), anyways, so this saw cuts steel quickly, without burrs, and without a lubricant? How long do one of these blades generally last?
Reply:The manufacturer will tell you that blades will last for 1000 or more cuts before they need sharpening, and each blade can be sharpened several times. I think Dewalt claims that you can get up to 5000 cuts out of their blade! In practice, it sounds like the blades are somewhat delicate; try to cut the wrong kind of metal and you'll destroy the blade before it gets to the bottom of the cut! So I guess the blade lasts for 1000 careful cuts... or one bad one
Reply:so if thats the case, what IS safe to cut? I'm assuming aluminum and mild steel are fine, but stainless is out? That sorta thing? I looked at the specs, but they didn't mention it anywhere
Reply:I think there are different blades for certain metals.
Reply:Originally Posted by Shaggz00so if thats the case, what IS safe to cut? I'm assuming aluminum and mild steel are fine, but stainless is out? That sorta thing? I looked at the specs, but they didn't mention it anywhere
Reply:How much less mess, in terms of dust and abraisives, does a "dry cut" saw produce?
Reply:Hmm, I thought he was talking about a chop saw, not a cold cut. John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:I have been researching these saws and there are blades made for specific materials, i.e. Mild Steel , Aluminum, Stainless Steel.As for the dust, well if the saw were stationary you could mount a large electromagnet behind the exhaust port to catch the chips !!!  I am new to this, cheated and put a cutoff blade on a Delta 10" miter saw. It works OK.Bought a DeWalt 14" chop saw, didn't like it so I took it back. A Milwaukee Dry-Cut saw is in my future.Yesterday I did buy a Milwaukee Portable Band Saw , slightly used at a flea market from a tool dealer. Cost me $100 and cuts angle and square tubing as if it were butter!   LOLLast edited by harcosparky; 10-23-2006 at 03:56 PM.
Reply:I couldn't live without an abrasive AND a carbide saw.  Well, actually, I'd take the abrasive if I could only have one because it will do so much more.But when it comes to steel tubing or angle, etc. (when NOT bundled), the carbide is just the tool for the job.  Fast, accurate, less cleanup and distortion.  Just as loud if not louder, though.