I have some 1/8 inch steel plate I need to cut into an 8 inch by 8 inch square. I have a torch, welder, chop say and hand grinder as my only tools. I can cut it with my torch but I am not that good and my cuts are not perfectly straight and the edges of the cut piece are not so smooth.
I also need to put a clean one inch hole in the plate. What could I do for that?
Clamp a guide onto the plate for the torch head, grind smooth. Cut hole with hole saw.
Where would I get a metal cutting hole saw?
Do the wear out easyily if I have to make several holes?
I think a good hack saw would work better than a torch provided you can get a small enough piece to cut from both sides. Chop saw would probable work but I don't have much experience with them.
Hole saw. Best to use a drill press, but a slow hand drill with wood backup will work. A little oil will help you hole saw life. Remember that speed and heat will kill the saw quickly.
Does it have to be a special metal cutting hole saw or will any hole saw do?
Home Despot or any hardware store. Run slow with oil, clear chips often and it will last forever.
Does it need to be 1" or is that just chosen "because"? 13/16" unibits are the cat's meow for making holes in sheet. It's a tool you'll wonder how you ever did without.
They are available in larger sizes but not usually "off the shelf" at the home center and the price seems to jump quickly. Sooo...if 1" is just a "number", think about whether a little smaller will do the job for you.
As to cutting, depending on the shape and size of the material you are starting out with, I think it's worth just doing it with a VERY good quality high tension hacksaw. It's a little work, but probably less in the long run than grinding down a torch cut edge (and there will be some debate about that). I look at using a hacksaw a little like woodworkers look at using a good quality hand plane; It's relaxing and rewarding in itself vs. using a noisy machine to do the same thing.
Koz
It is amazing how long I've been without a hacksaw (haven't run across a half ass good one yet) cause it got ripped and I want one like my old one. I've been using my hands with new blades.
Even if I did have a hacksaw it would never have crossed my mind to use it to chop up half of the morning dumpster diving metal gate stuff. It is much more fun to piss off the neighbors and fire up the quickly saw. A little while back there was a nice chain saw in the paper for only $200 , if I wasn't broke I'd be all over that cause it would made a matching pair. The Stile QS was forced upon me for $200 a good 12 yrs. ago and has served me very well.
Won't a new blade and a chop saw go 8" ?
I'd just chalk line it up, worry about the blade thickness, lay it in the dirt and go for it. And before you knew it you'd be behind on the hole set up. Hmmm drill them all in one shot !.
If I was the OP I'd get one of those thin scary 4.5 in. extremely dangerous ferrous metal cutting disks and scribe it (on both sides if I had to) and break it. Then make up a way to hold it on a drill press. Hole saws and me don't get along , built way too many spas and never tired one on metal.
A bi-metal, or HSS saw would be a good investment. Carbon steel saws are way too easy to soften by heating, which would be a serious issue in cutting the holes time and again. The tips of the saw get over heated very easily, and fail. Be certain to keep the speed down if you're stuck with a carbon steel tool, perhaps 100 RPM, or less. As has already been stated, be sure to keep the cut lubricated (sulfur based cutting oil is a good choice) and clear the chips often, so the saw has room for more chip accumulation. The chips can't otherwise get out of the kerf once it is generated
Harold
I'm surprised that no one has suggested that you get a couple of those 1 mm thick cut off discs for the hand grinder and just cut it with that. 1/8" would be a good snack for one of those. They make a neat cut and you could probably rig a guide with a bit of angle and a couple of G clamps.
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