jimtyp
1st Class Member
Centennial, CO
Conductor
Posts:657
Send Message
 | | 07/30/2008 2:52 PM |
| I have a 10" table saw and was wondering if I could use it to cut thin metal ~.032". I need to cut strips of 1/2" to 1" wide and about 3' long.
If so what blade would you recommend?
Also, what about cutting thin steel about the same thickness, ~.032" Would it require a different blade since steel is considered ferrous? | |
livin' la vida loco | |
|
altterrain
silver spring, md
Foreman
Posts:387
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 3:06 PM |
| You can use a carbide tipped blade to cut thin soft metal (brass, aluminum) but it makes a big mess (think metal shavings everywhere!). I have used my miter saw but I wheel it outdoors and put a big tarp around it. You can buy big abrasive metal cutting discs in the home depot but they make the metal very hot as they cut, especially hard steel. I'm not sure how successful you would be trying to cut thin strips of steel.
-Brian | |
Presidents of
| |
|
Dwight Ennis
Moderator
Milpitas, CA
Engineer
Posts:1388
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 3:46 PM |
| Personally, I don't know if I'd want to try that on a 10" table saw regardless of the blade. 0.032" is pretty thin, and if that fast-spinning blade catches it, God knows what could happen. It could rip it out of your hand or shoot it out of the saw in a heartbeat. I'd be too afraid of serious injury. Besides, even if you could cut it, I doubt it would come out very well, and would probably be bent up with mucho burrs all along the edges.
My recommendation would be to (a) use a shear, (b) find someone with a shear willing to cut it for you, or (c) buy it already cut to width. Perhaps a local sheet metal company would be willing to cut you a few strips for little or no cost. Either way, your fingers, eyes, and hands are worth the extra expense.
MHO.  | |
Dwight Ennis
Milpitas, CA
SA #21
http://www.SantaCruzLumberCo.com
 | |
|
gary Armitstead
1st Class Member
Burbank, CA
Foreman
Posts:394
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 5:03 PM |
| I sure wouldn't do it! | |
Gary Armitstead
Los Angeles Live Steamers
SA #4449 | |
|
Road Foreman
1st Class Member
Ashland, Kansas
Foreman
Posts:177
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 5:57 PM |
| Check out the local HVAC companys or the local schools with metal shops.. A shear is much safer..
BulletBob | |
Bob Burton | |
|
calenelson
Non-Paying Member
Foreman
Posts:372
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 6:32 PM |
| | I use my table saw to cut my picture frame mouldngs...wood and metal...with a blade made for the industry. | |
‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King I tell you. | |
|
Allegheny
Brakeman
Posts:33
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 6:45 PM |
| I'd have to echo the above - cutting thin sheet metal on a table saw would be very dangerous.
37 and 52" jump shears are very common and there are models that can handle 16 gauge (.060") or thinner steel without problem all day long. Once you get the back gauge set up properly, you could cut 192 1/2" wide strips out of an 8' piece of sheet stock in less than half an hour. Any HVAC shop should be able to handle such a job.
Brian | | | |
|
SteveC
Moderator
Conductor
Posts:797
Send Message
| | 07/30/2008 10:56 PM |
| Posted By jimtyp on 07/30/2008 2:52 PM
I have a 10" table saw and was wondering if I could use it to cut thin metal ~.032". I need to cut strips of 1/2" to 1" wide and about 3' long. «snip...» While I've only seen this done on nonferrous material, to make things as safe as possible, the metal sheet stock is usually sandwiched between two sheets of sacrificial wood.
The other thing you might wish to consider is, what with the current price of brass, and using a table saw to cut the strips. You're going to waste approxmiately 3/16" (or more, depending) on each pass because of the sawblade kerf, which you won't have when cutting it on a shear. Depending on just how many strips you have to cut that could amount to a fair amount of wasted brass (read as $$$).
Edit Update: One thing that I forgot to mention was, that a zero-clearence throat plate is always a good idea, espescially with the thin material. | | | |
|
dbodnar
1st Class Member
Brakeman
Posts:29
Send Message
| | 07/31/2008 7:20 AM |
| I have had good luck cutting sheet metal with an old paper cutter - the guillotine type that schools once used - it has a 24" blade and still cuts like a champ! If you can't find one of the old ones Harbor Freight sells a lighter duty unit that might work for you.
dave | | | |
|
MasonsDad
1st Class Member
Beautiful San Antonio Texas
Brakeman
Posts:74
Send Message
| | 07/31/2008 5:56 PM |
| how many strips do you need? I have a shear and am in San Antonio TX but would be more than happy to cut you some
| |
Ben.. californian by birth, TEXAN BY CHOICE!!
Proud Member of SAGRES | |
|
rkapuaala
1st Class Member
OZ
Foreman
Posts:451
Send Message
| | 08/01/2008 11:14 AM |
| I've cut brass up to 1/4" thick on a table saw,,, an old 10" delta contractors saw,,, just fine. But as others have mentioned, considering the cost of brass, I would look into borrowing a shear or a paper cutter. I've cut thin sheets of brass and steel on a paper cutter with no harm to the blade. It sure caused trouble with my wife though.
I have a shear now, and there is no comparision between that and the other alternatives when it comes to cutting metal,,, how ever, it is limited in the thickness it can cut.
Changed slightly by Peter Bunce as moderator, re language. | |
I keep forgetting we're not in Kansas! | |
|
jimtyp
1st Class Member
Centennial, CO
Conductor
Posts:657
Send Message
| | 08/06/2008 9:57 AM |
| Thanks for the info gents! I remember trying to cut some thin brass metal (.032") on chop saw once and it was a bad experience, lucky I didn't put an eye out or worse.
What about using a tile cutter, a wet saw?
I'll look for shears that will cut up to 36" long via Google but do you have any sources or specific tools you'd recommend?
Ben, thanks for the offer to cut the metal, you are most kind, but I have a lot to cut. Or if I was closer to San Antonio I would drive over :-) I think the shipping back and forth would be prohibitive. | |
livin' la vida loco | |
|
MasonsDad
1st Class Member
Beautiful San Antonio Texas
Brakeman
Posts:74
Send Message
| | 08/06/2008 5:37 PM |
| Jim
I was just sitting here thinking (that could be dangerous) and I remembered that one time we used a carpenters knife to cut some aluminum sheet .062 or 16 ga. and also some brass sheeting aswell.
Looking at my most recent Harbor Frieght add that came in today they also have a " Sheet metal Fabrication kit" for $79.99 for the 12 inch throat and 112.99 for the 18 inch throat and they both include 7 mandrels of which one of them is designed to cut up and including 18 guage, hope this helps, Take care Amigo | |
Ben.. californian by birth, TEXAN BY CHOICE!!
Proud Member of SAGRES | |
|
Mike Reilley
1st Class Member
Escondido, Ca
Foreman
Posts:437
Send Message
| | 08/06/2008 11:02 PM |
| | Use a band saw...it will work fine if you have a metal cutting blade. | |
 | |
|
jimtyp
1st Class Member
Centennial, CO
Conductor
Posts:657
Send Message
| | 08/12/2008 5:07 PM |
| | What band saw would folks recommend? I'm looking at cutting up a sheets of 36" x 36" of mild steel, 22 gauge, into strips of 1/2" wide to 1" wide. | |
livin' la vida loco | |
|