Cutting metal - the options.

what width bandsaw blade should I get? thinner blades can do cuts with tighter radii but they break easier if you aren't really careful. with a thicker blade you ned more relief cuts which may waste useable material, or you have to cut a rougher cutout which means more grinding and filing.
 
KrabbyKakes said:
I also use a hacksaw, but it takes a LONG time (and some sore hands).
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Buck up. It's good for you! People pay good money for such a workout. :p

Seriously though, I'd prefer an easier route sure, but I do look at it in a positive light. So long as you are smart and don't injure yourself the hack can be a benefit to your health. I tend to switch hands about halfway through whatever I'm cutting. May not be fun while you're cutting, but it provides another little opportunity to feel good about your work.

On the other hand I despise using files and certain other tools, so I understand wanting to use something else.
 
Anyone here try a sawzall with metal cutting blade? Doesn't seem like it would be very accurate, but at least as accurate as an angle grinder...maybe.
 
zaph1 said:
Never catch me with a spark thrower again
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They can be dangerous, mine sits right in front of the side door of my shop which is a slider, I open it up a foot and shoot the sparks outside, I just like the speed ;0) 20 seconds and I have a 12 inch blank ready to go
 
blindrobert said:
Anyone here try a sawzall with metal cutting blade? Doesn't seem like it would be very accurate, but at least as accurate as an angle grinder...maybe.
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A jig saw doesn't work too bad, keep the rpm's down and use a little oil, if your sawzall is variable speed it should work, my sawzall is my number 1 hardest working tool, as a carpenter and a remodeler I have cut every thing you could imagine with mine
 
I have a free standing, full size, multi speed Jet bandsaw, that cuts anything, but it's not great with thin material or curves (or choils).

I have a 14" abrasive chop saw and a few Makita angle grinders, so I can really use anything I want.

I make plenty of relief cuts with the chop saw, because I can hold the blade with both hands, and it's fast.

Then it's a simple matter of connecting the relief cuts with the abrasive saw or bandsaw.

If the chop saw is on the floor, and you're sitting on a bucket, you are almost totally protected by the shroud and plexiglass shield you are looking at the cut through. The wheel is spinning away from you too. I have Lots of tools. This is one of the safest IMHO.

If there is little curvature and thicker steel, the bandsaw is faster and produces less heat, but I pretty much forge those areas to shape.

I know it doesn't get much press, but I learned it at the knee of one of the most famous Master Bladesmiths in the country, who produces quite a few knives per month.
 
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I don't think you need to do a lot of sawing if you have a KMG on the way. You just need a way of cutting bar to length. Some Blaze belts will profile your blades in no time. The quickest way to cut stock to length is a shear. You can get a 8" Jet slitting shear that will make short work of cutting stock for about $230.

Bob
 
blindrobert said:
Anyone here try a sawzall with metal cutting blade? Doesn't seem like it would be very accurate, but at least as accurate as an angle grinder...maybe.
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I have many hours behind the wheel of a sawzall. It would never occur to me to use it for cutting out blades.

A jigsaw, possibly. Not ideally.
 
RangerBobTX said:
I don't think you need to do a lot of sawing if you have a KMG on the way. You just need a way of cutting bar to length. Some Blaze belts will profile your blades in no time. The quickest way to cut stock to length is a shear. You can get a 8" Jet slitting shear that will make short work of cutting stock for about $230.

Bob
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Thank you for posting this. I didn't know what that tool was called. Only the second time I've seen one.

Can you cut thicker steel if it's hot enough to be soft without affecting the blades?
 
I have a Dewalt porta band I bought used and a SWAG table. I like it a lot, but it is not perfect. I am using Lenox blades (10 came with the saw) and they do cut metal very well, but they are rather wide so curves cannot be too tight. In addition, the throat is not so deep so cutting a longer blade out requires some creativity. That said, I was just using a jigsaw to cut off the length and then grinding away all the extra material to find my knife shape. Holy extra dust grinding makes. Also, I use a cheap little oscillating sander for inside radius work. It works well enough for me until I get a small wheel attachment for my KMG and some wheels....in addition, having the band saw for handle work (although a bit slow for wood/micarta) has been a nice benefit. So big power tools for my little shop, in order of what I value as important would be, Grinder, drill press, porta band, oscillating sander. Keep in mind I am less than a year into this hobby and I have read countless posts that might differ from mine...but hey, that's why we come to public forums - diversity of information!
 
HF has the portaband on sale. Just picked one up yesterday with a 25% coupon I paid $62... I got tired of the hacksaw.
 
A hacksaw works surprisingly fast. The trick is to have good Lenox bi-metal blades and the right hack saw frame. You want a HIGH TENSION HACKSAW FRAME. These cost about $25 and are available at any good hardware store. The difference between them and a regular hacksaw is about the same as the difference in a KMG and a 1X30 HF grinder. They also have a much better and more ergonomic handle. I have one from Lowes that has a very comfortable rubber grip.
 
Stacy is spot on with using a high tension hacksaw frame and good quality blades. I couldn't believe the difference the high tension frame made the first time I tried one.

Here's a tip for those of you who don't like the screechy sound that the metal makes when you are cutting it with a hacksaw: Put a magnet on the stock you are cutting, you may have to try a few different spots. Having the weight of the magnet seems to disrupt the vibration pattern that generates the squeaky sound.

Ric
 
Thanks again for all the input, everyone. I bought a HF band saw on sale and welded up a metal bracket to hold it in the vise and another metal plate to give me a slightly larger working area - thought y'all (that's Texas for you all) might want to see what I rigged up.





 
I do all my roughing out on a portaband with a little clamp on table I made.
I guess everyone has one tool that scares em, for me it's band saws- I have a buddy who has about half his fingers because of working with one in a shingle mill, and my shop teacher in high school was the same way.
Portabands can certainly hurt you, but they're actually not very good at cutting flesh, unlike wood cutting bandsaws. They run really slow and the teeth just aren't that aggressive.

Murray Carter seems to do a whole lot of his roughing out freehand on a 14" chop saw, and that's a guy who makes a LOT of knives!...I've never tried it, since that's a tool where things happen really fast if stuff isn't clamped down hard. Works for him, I guess.
 
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