Ok. Thanks for the speedy response. I think I have one in storage that would be perfect for repurposing. Will just need to replace the busted plastic frame with one fabbed from angle and such. It's busted up anyway, and I figure getting rid of the meltable plastic would be a good idea.

If it's plastic if might not have much in the way of a motor...

Thomas

Thanks for the info and yes EYE and EAR for sure. Beware of the "thin" HF cut off disks. They make a wonderful cut but the are burned up like pine cones in a camp fire!

A radial arm saw would be better suited than a table saw. The older Sears Craftsman ones have motors that don't seem to want to die, and are usually not too hard to find. Most woodworkers these days prefer a table saw, as that's what they see on tv shows and in magazines.

A radial arm saw would be better suited than a table saw. The older Sears Craftsman ones have motors that don't seem to want to die, and are usually not too hard to find. Most woodworkers these days prefer a table saw, as that's what they see on tv shows and in magazines.

 

Radial and miter saws designed to cut wood spin at a higher RPM than dry cut saws...very dangerous and eats up the carbide teeth on a dry cut blade.  Dry cut saws run at a slower RPM designed to cut metal.  Some folks have cut aluminum with carbide blades in a miter saw, but not ME!!!  Use metal cutting saws for metal, wood cutting saws for wood.  Be safe.

No faster than the table saws that others in this thread are suggesting people can press into service for cutting steel. My suggestion (way back at the beginning if this thread) was to use a hacksaw.

I'm suggesting that *if* one were actually considering using a table saw: that a radial arm (not a miter saw, which is something entirely different) is a better option.The motor is up high, and everything is exposed. Far less likely for the sparks to catch the thing on fire or melt something.

You're right of course that wood saws are meant for wood, and metal cutting saws are meant for metal.

I found the cut off discs at HF ended up more expensive than premium ones made by a reputable maker.  The HF one's burned up so quickly that I got very little done.  They might be OK for sheet metal but 1/4" thick + stock didn't end well for me.

 

Just a thought but if the stock is consistently too long - you might find someone with a heavy shear or industrial band saw to cut your stock down for relatively little.  

 

I love using the angle grinder for a quick answer but it's not fun to listen to for a protracted cutting operation.  

 

I've caught myself spending more time cutting "free" material down to workable size than I had for the project.

of course I have the very very old crafstmen table saw, I picked up for $20 with no motor.  It just has a pulley to a remote mounted motor, so no worries about swarf or speeds.

of course I have the very very old crafstmen table saw, I picked up for $20 with no motor.  It just has a pulley to a remote mounted motor, so no worries about swarf or speeds.

So what do you do? Rub the steel against the blade and rely on friction? :D Sorry Steve, could not help myself!

Dont knock it til you try it.   Abrasive cut-off wheels work by friction , so why not :)

Geeze louise!   So last night I made my first stab at attempting to cut the gifted flatbar....   tried 1) an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel (good brand, yes I know how to use one but the thing totally separated from it's collar after just a moment!!)   2) a jigsaw with a metal blade and 3) the dreaded hacksaw.   Combined, they managed to make a combined 1/16th inroad into the steel!    whah tha?!    Tomorrow when I fire up the forge I'm going to do a hot cut on a piece.  That should do it, but it for some really bizarre reason it doesn't, guess this stuff is going to the recycling pile.  Bummer!   I had such high hopes for it!   We'll see this weekend I guess.   

If the bar is that hard, try heating it to red and let it air cool it to take the temper out of it. Works for me and farriers rasps. I made the mistake of trying to cut them on my band saw hard, not a nice way to treat the blade.

Once they are annealed, I can cut them easily with band saw, hack saw or what ever else.

I would give the cut off wheel another shot, you may have gotten a bad wheel.  

 

Mark

Are you in/near Huntsville/Madison county? The Athens forge meet-up would be a good place to take the flatbar for advise in cutting it. Before you toss it (if you are close enough) I would like to take a crack at it for some of the steel in trade. I am in Madison County.

I'll be at the Athens Forge Council meeting tomorrow as a matter of fact, but only briefly (I'm on call this weekend, have to stay close to home).  If you're coming let me know and I'll bring some of it.  I'll be there a bit early but can't stay long.   Thanks! 

I will be at another event this weekend but maybe next time. Travis and his group are good people.

" tried 1) an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel (good brand, yes I know how to use one but the thing totally separated from it's collar after just a moment!!) "

 

Aha! The dreaded wheel separation! Turn one of the collar nuts on the disk grinder upside down so that the thin disk is pressed between two wide flats, not just at the threads like thicker disks.

I will be at another event this weekend but maybe next time. Travis and his group are good people.

 

yes they are!  Too bad about you not being there but thanks for the idea to take some with me and ask about it!

CHECK THE CARBON CONTENT!   If it's a high C steel you have *prime* trading stock as that's a great size for certain blade projects!   Do you know what it was used for in it's previous life?

 

I've been cutting RR rail and welding tanks with dewalt steel cutting disks.  I get them whenever I can find them cheap at fleamarkets and Quad-State.

ohhhh, the trading possibilities!!   I'll definitely be taking some with me tomorrow!

" tried 1) an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel (good brand, yes I know how to use one but the thing totally separated from it's collar after just a moment!!) "

 

 

Aha! The dreaded wheel separation! Turn one of the collar nuts on the disk grinder upside down so that the thin disk is pressed between two wide flats, not just at the threads like thicker disks.

 

John types faster than I take pics but....

 

 

Yep the wheel is about done and the guard is removed for pic clarity...

 

Hope it helps

 

Mark

Get Travis to spark test it at the shop. That will tell you a great deal about it.

Where is rivergazer when ya need him, for the ID of that flat bar...

You want to see "Bursty Sparks". I love that name, "Bursty Sparks" that sounds like a golden age or silver age funny book name.

Maby a side kick or cub reporter.

 

http://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com/241/the-spark-test-and-spark-testing-metals-2

Mark, X2 on what John said...

 

Check the retaining nut's position.  Some even stamp the proper orientation on the nut.  Also, a quality mfg. cutoff will be less prone to fail than the cheap ones.

 

You said you know how to use the grinder, not putting you down on that item, but sometimes we (myself included more often than not) get impatient and push the cutoff disk a bit too hard.  That will chew up and destroy a wheel pretty quickly.

Trust me, learned the "let the tool do the work" thing years ago! The cutoff wheel was the best HD had....which likely isn't saying much.

I took the steel to forge council today, they declared it mild steel, cut the other end of the piece I was trying to cut, they used a band saw and it cut easily enough. They asked what tool I tried first (the jig saw), speculated I'd managed to work harden it?