Cutting shafts

I use a mitre saw with an abrasive cutoff wheel (which they certainly do sell at home depot) for cutting steel. (I don't know what kind of steel -- but an abrasive cutter is probably more capable than a saw, right?) It's basically the same as a metal chop saw except:

1. Chop saws are usually more powerful
2. It might have plastic sawdust removal cowlings that the metal filings will melt (learned that one the hard way)
3. You might get metal filings in all parts of the saw (and everything else in proximity, for that matter) and it might be hard to clean -- especially the turret. I wouldn't use a *nice* mitre saw for this purpose. I bought the cheapest one on hand at the time.
4. The user manual explicitly tells you not to use it on ferrous metal

-- but real men don't read that anyway.

The jigsaw will produce an uneven cut and the dremmel will take forever and a hundred blades. If you're working with metal a lot you might invest in a 5" angle grinder, which, with a cutoff disc, will also work.

chris

Padu wrote:

Hacksaw -clamp rod in vise, Proceed until arm gets tired, then switch hands.Fortunately and thank god I have a metal cutting bandsaw........

But really, hacksaw will work quickly.

Mark Padu wrote:

Abrasive wheel on your saw as suggested. Or metal cutting saber saw blade and running at slow speed with coolant to keep the blade from overheating and going dull. Or bring it down to the shop and we'll use the bandsaw.

Wayne

"Wayne Lundberg"

Thanks Wayne,

I thought about that, but I figured that since I have the miter saw, I could use it for steel too. You guys just confirmed my expectations.

Cheers

Padu

I will second Marks suggesstion of the Hacksaw. With a good quality blade, they will do a decent job on stuff like this. To me, they rank as an essential hand tool.

Good Luck, Bob

1117 is a mild free-machining steel. No problem there. Clamp in vise. Saw with hacksaw, using oil. Use Dremel tool with flat end grinding wheel to smooth end if desired.

John Nagle

Padu wrote:

"John Nagle"

Too late... got an abrasive chop saw blade and installed on my miter saw. It worked, but I couldn't get a straight cut though. But that's non important now, as it is just a provisional prototype I'm making.

Next time I'll use the hacksaw.

Thanks!

Padu

For the price, the below is pretty handy for cutting and a lot quicker than the hack saw.

44829-2VGA 14'' INDUSTRIAL CUT-OFF SAW

Forget the 42307-5VGA mini-cutoff saw. It isn't worth spit, except for maybe plastic.