Cutting Tubular Steel

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Welding Newbie Alert!I am looking for a simple way to make clean, straight cuts in tubular (square-section) mild steel (approx. 3/16" wall thickness). This is for a one-off project, so I don't think a chop-saw would be an economical purchase. Can you do a reasonable job with a hacksaw and perhaps some sort of metal miter-box as a guide?Thanks for any tips and links to any products!
Reply:You could fabricate a miter-type guide and just use a Sawzall, if you've got one.  If they're straight cuts, you can even put the stock in an old vise and run the Sawzall along the top of the jaws.You can buy a $20 7-1/4" metal cutting blade and use it with a hand-held circular saw (depending on the size of the tubing you're cutting).  You can also get a 10" abrasive cut-off disk from Home Depot to use it with a (power) wood miter saw, but take extra care in clamping down the material.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:harbor frieght tools are awesome!!
Reply:Thanks! Do you think this 14" HF chop-saw could do a decent job with decent metal-cutting blades? Works out around $50 with the 20% coupon...
Reply:Abrasive blade chop saws have  a tendency to distort or wonder when cutting.  I would just use a 4 1/2" cutoff wheel, mark all my cuts, then cut the 4 sides of the tube by hand.  If you take your time and make straight lines and cuts you'll be just fine.  Home Depot carries Ryobi 4 1/2" angle grinders ($30) and 4 1/2" cutoff wheels.
Reply:If this is a one time project, where you're only making a few cuts, and you don't want to spend any more money than necessary, then use a hacksaw.Use a carpenter's square or machinists square to mark a line all the way around your square tube, and then have at it.  If you don't have a good square then get some adding machine paper tape and wrap it tightly around the tube.  Line up the edges perfectly, and you'll have a perfect line perpendicular to the pipe.You don't say how many cuts you need to make or how large the tube is.  But if it's just a couple cuts, and you're not in a hurry, or going to do this again any time soon, then a hacksaw with a good blade will get the job done.  I'd buy a pack of coarse toothed hacksaw blades, to speed the work, if you go that route.  More than 3 cuts and you'll look like Popeye when you're done with the hacksaw.  In that case, maybe you'd want to buy a sawsall, 4" angle grinder, or a cheap bandsaw. Probably a junk angle grinder and some 0.045" thick cut off wheels is the cheapest power tool that'll get the job done.IF, on the other hand, you have plans to do more metal working, then buy a quality tool.  A portaband from Dewalt or Milwaukee will make short work of any tube less then 6" in diameter.  I've even cut 12" OD round pipe with a good scribed line and a portaband.  Just cut till the saw bottoms out and then roll the tube to continue the cut. Originally Posted by FerrinoWelding Newbie Alert!I am looking for a simple way to make clean, straight cuts in tubular (square-section) mild steel (approx. 3/16" wall thickness). This is for a one-off project, so I don't think a chop-saw would be an economical purchase. Can you do a reasonable job with a hacksaw and perhaps some sort of metal miter-box as a guide?Thanks for any tips and links to any products!
Reply:HF tools are inexpensive; which can be a good thing, but isn't always... Originally Posted by pyroracing85harbor frieght tools are awesome!!
Reply:When it comes to recommendations, one needs to "Consider the Source".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:A Harbor Freight (or any other brand) chop saw will not work with metal cutting blades, only abrasive disks.  The RPMs on an abrasive chop saw are too high for metal-cutting blades (the kind with teeth, just so I'm clear).  The 7-1/4" blades (oddly -- I'm not sure why) have a higher RPM rating than the 10"-14" blades (at least the ones I do have that).  But the 10"-14" blades need a saw that rotates at about 1400 RPM.Like A_Dab_Will_Do says, if it's just a few cuts, a hacksaw will work.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:So is there any issue in using an abrasive blade in a 14" diameter blade wood working power miter saw?  I see that the plastic parts on my miter saw are pitting from the metal bits, but otherwise I figured it would be safe.I am guessing that the abrasive discs will tolerate the rpms achieved by a typical (Dewalt) miter saw.  The trouble is that most of mine have the writing worn off their data plates to I don't see what RPMs I am getting.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:It will work, at least for a while.  I would think that the fine dust generated by the abrasive disks will probably shorten the life of your motor.  It's not the environment the saw was designed for.Take care to clamp the material down safely.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Thanks all! Well I decided to try a $35, 7" cutoff/chop saw which I saw discussed in this other thread:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=41580I bought the thin DeWalt 0.055" cutoff wheels, as recommended in that thread, and will see how it goes.Is there a technique to minimize warping/drifting of the wheel? Cut as slow as possible? I will be cutting tubular steel around 1-2" square and 1/8" thick.Thankyou!
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenThe 7-1/4" blades (oddly -- I'm not sure why) have a higher RPM rating than the 10"-14" blades (at least the ones I do have that).
Reply:Originally Posted by FerrinoIs there a technique to minimize warping/drifting of the wheel? Cut as slow as possible? I will be cutting tubular steel around 1-2" square and 1/8" thick.Thankyou!