Metal Cutting Question?

Re: Metal Cutting Question? *LINK*

Keith Newton

Barry, before you commit to your choice of material, let me suggest my favorite material for deck spindles is galvanized conduit. It is cheaper, faster to cut, and will paint and hold up well. When their painted black, they don't catch the eye quite as much as galvanized, but my goal is to just allow me and other to just see through, rather than have a greater obstruction that 2x2 or 2x4 does.

I also made a jig many years ago that clamps onto the 2x4s that get drilled to accept both ends of the spindles. I use a plunge router with a guide bushing, and end-mill to drill or quickly pop the holes (about 1 per second ) with no time wasted measuring and marking, other than whether to find the center and use an odd or even number so the space at both ends works out best for looks and code.

With the above method, every hole is the same depth. I do follow up by drilling on through the bottom rail to allow any water that would fill and hold water whenever it rains can drain out.

You can get some copper colored paint to use on the conduit a lot cheaper than buying ground rod also.

Otherwise, yes you can buy and use abrasive wheels on your mitersaw, but the sparks will melt any plastic parts like vacuum port, and little index viewing window making it hard to set the angles other than the detented ones. However another option might be to buy one of these carbide blades to try on your miter saw. I'm not sure the chips would be as bad as the sparks from the other, but I did notice when I dumped them from the collection basket that they were blue, so I'm sure the chips are hot.

Otherwise, you might as well go ahead and get the other saw I would have gotten, and may get yet, if I didn't have so much heavier cutting to do. I may just get the blade to try on my wood-cutting version of this saw.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqbpEMPYCmc

reciprocating saw

Jack Guzman from Maine

I think if I had that to do I would get a few new metal cutting blades for my reciprocating saw and using a bench vise to hold them cut away.---Jack

Re: Metal Cutting Question?

Don Evans

If you have an angle grinder already you also need of these, link below.

I have had one for many years but mine is a different brand. It does a great job such as you are asking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Klutch-HT-115-Angle-Grinder-Holder/dp/B003BUSL7A/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1532289283&sr=8-8&keywords=angle+grinder+accessories

Don

Wonder if that "BAD" blade would cut steel?

Barry Irby

And how long will it last?

Re: Metal Cutting Question?

William Duffield

I have one of those. It is a real PITA to assemble, but it works. It is such a pain that you won't want to remove your angle grinder from it once you've installed and adjusted it, so you might want to dedicate one grinder to be permanently mounted in it. Also, it may still be cheaper from Harbor Freight.

Re: Barry take note!

Don Evans

That's what I did Bill. In installed a 4.5" grinder in it and have NEVER removed it.

There are stops that are adjustable on it, the screw things you see on the link I gave but there is also give in the rubber on the end of them so they aren't perfect. I know you know this but this info is mostly for Barry assuming he reads it.

Don

Re: Wonder if that "BAD" blade would cut steel?

Don Evans

You'll need to purchase "cut off blades" for the grinder.

The blades that are 1/8" thick only have a small amount of cutting material on the edge. You can also buy some that are 1/4" thick and those are usable through out there diameter.

Last ones I purchased I got from Amazon and I don't have the experience with them to recommend on over the other.

Just be careful of the sparks, I only do this cutting outside and wear faceshield and respirator, pain in the arse but just do it and get her done, especially as many as you are talking about.

I would consider a local machine shop for that size job, that's a lot of rod to cut.

Don

Re: Metal Cutting Question?

John K Jordan



I want to cut up some copper clad ground rods into 32" lengths to use them as spindles in a deck rail. I need to cut 30 rods twice each, so I end up with 90 pieces. How would you do it?

If the ends will be hidden in holes I'd use the plasma cutter. The whole job would take about 10 minutes. In fact, you could clamp them flat to a piece of plywood or something and cut all 30 with one pass.

No plasma cutter, I'd use one of the metal cutting saws - reciprocating, Portaband, horiz bandsaw. Allow maybe a minute or so to set up and make each cut, assuming ground rods of the diameter I'm used to. (You forgot to include that info.)

Last choice, an abrasive wheel of some type. I have very thin (1/8" or so) abrasive wheels for my angle grinders. The diamond metal-cutting wheels for the angle grinder work well but are more expensive and only have a rim of grit instead of abrasive all the way to the core. Both of these can be found in any welding supply place or a big box store.

JKJ

Re: Metal Cutting Question?

Garthinsandiego

I used a radial arm saw to cut a similar number of pieces of angle iron (salvaged bed frame material). Used a hard stop (block of wood) to ensure consistent lengths. Should work equally well on a chop/miter saw. That steel is very hard and saw RPM is too high for metal cutting carbide blade so I used an abrasive cutoff blade. Lessons learned: Lots of sparks! Be aware that the sparks will damage (burn wood, burn drywall paper finish, burn paint on metal surfaces, etc.) anything they contact. I actually burned a small depression into the PB saw table and started a small smoldering fire in some sawdust on the floor behind the saw. Bottom line is that cutting your pieces on a miter saw with an abrasive blade should work very well. Just be careful with spark management.