What do you use to cut your metal out?

R

remist17

Well-Known Member
Im thinking about getting a handsaw to cut my metal. I see a bunch of used 10" craftsman on line for sale. I assume I can just get a metal blade? I have been drilling and using a hacksaw. What do you recommend to use to cut metal? Its just a hobby for me.
 
Those are probably wood cutting bandsaws. They are MUCH too fast for cutting steel, even with a metal cutting blade (if they even make a metal cutting blade in those sizes).

A hand hacksaw will work but will take some time and elbow grease. I'd look at a 4" x 6" metal cutting bandsaw from Harbor Freight. I think they could be had for around $120.

For what it's worth, I would always buy a metal cutting saw way before a wood cutting saw. You can cut wood blocks and saw scales with a metal cutting saw but you can't cut metal with a wood cutting saw. A metal saw will cut g-10, micarta, bone and antler too.

Personally, I like to use fire and a hammer. :D
 
Alot of folks use a portable band saw mounted vertically on a bench or stand. I did that for quite a while until I was able to find a used full sized metal cutting bandsaw.
 
I use a 4x6 bandsaw too, but it's pretty slow going. If you're only making an occasional blade an angle grinder with very thin cut off wheels is the way to go. I bought some on sale at Atwoods (farm and ranch store) for about $1.00 ea. and you can cut out 2 or 3 blades per disc, maybe more. If its a simple profile, even with the saw I'll still opt for the thin cutoff wheels just because its so much faster. Because of the heat, just leave a little extra meat at the cutting edge.
 
Thank you all. Currently I have been drilling holes around the design and then using a hacksaw. Not to bad but kills the arm. Tried using my other hand and well it didnt work out so well. I have several grinders and I will try the cut off wheel. I was trying to limit the sparks as I work alot in my garage. All fire related is done outside on my outside bench. I read that the Harbor Freight portable bandsaw was not that great. Any stands available for these? The 4x6 you guys are talking about are the free standing ones that have a arm that drops on top of the metal?

John: Any place you can recommend getting cheaper anvils or railroad track? i have been entertaining getting into forging but again budget will not allow it. Anvils in my area at auction go for over 300 dollars for 100# anvil.
 
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Here is my harbor freight portaband. I made the stand nothing pretty but it works. They are loud but get the jobs done, I think I paid $60 for it maybe nothing more than that.
 
Anvils these days are tough. I used to think that a dollar a pound for a decent used one was a fair price. But that doesn't happen any more. Now 3 dollars a pound seems like a great deal. People don't like to part with anvils either, even if they don't use them. I'd watch Craigslist, talk to old farmers and maybe even try to find some ferriers and see if they know of any.

I lucked out and got my two by just stumbling across them. One was owned by a friend that didn't use it and I traded him two knives for it and the other I found at a garage sale where the elderly woman didn't know what it was worth. She had $15 on it and I paid her $75 for it anyway. She was thrilled with that and so was I.

Keep your eyes open and check often because if a decent one pops up, it won't last long.
 
I bit the bullet and bought a new one at $6.00 a pound when I started. Couldn't find a good used one in a 4 state search and 2 antique tractor shows. All that I found were gold plated with history and in bad shape.

I use a Milwaukee Port a Band braced to my bench for cutting and a hot cut hardy if I'm forging.
 
Kayakersteve said:
A simple 4 1/2" angle grinder with metal cutoff discs is what I use
Click to expand...

Me too. $10 at harbor freight and will cut through anything. I think I paid $5 for a pack of cutoff discs a year ago and still haven't used them all up. Much quicker and easier than a hack saw.
 
Thank you all again! Justin, The harbor freight saw is it worth me getting one for $80 bucks? I read so many iffy reviews on how it doesn't last etc. I am cutting maybe two blades every 4 months.

John
What are your thoughts on railroad tracks as anvils? Im not using it daily maybe one or two forges a year. Mostly looking at making Tomahawks
 
I have never used a railroad track anvil. I've heard they work and have no reason to think they wouldn't. Whether they'd be ideal or not, I can't say. I used a large HEAVY chunk of steel that almost looked like a larger version of a cinder block that I got a junk yard when I first started. I was told there that it was part of a counterwieght section of the body of a crane. It worked okay. I didn't know much about forging then and that probably hindered me more than the piece of steel I was using.
 
If you use the 20% off coupon should be able to get it cheaper. They just had a 25% off coupon but I think it is over. For me it was the right choice, affordable and works. I have cut out several blanks and other things with it. Like always you bet what you pay for but right now I'm happy with it.
 
I have the Jet 4 x 6 bandsaw. It has cut a mile of steel I bet before wearing the gear box out. For $35 I rebuilt the gear box with parts available on ebay. It's the same saw that Harbor Freight sells but with a neat paint job.
The biggest thing is to buy Diemaster II blades. The one that came with the saw lasted about 30 seconds.
I made a small table for mine so I could still use it in both vertical and horizontal positions
 
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Save some coin and go with this type setup. I cut at the slowest speed blades last forever seems likephoto 1.jpg
 
Since you say you're not making dozens of knives per week, that HF portaband saw will work just fine for you. I clamped my to a board on table, then put a 6"X6"X1/4" aluminum plate for the cutting table. Works like a champ and doesn't require the commercial table like JawJacker has. Those are good tables, I'm just too cheap 'n chintzy to spend the money {g}

Ken H>
 
Im really working on a budget this year. I bought a drill press and a 1x30 belt sander new and had to really talk my way out of that with the wife. I would love to get a good saw but really cant afford a $300+ brand name. One of the reasons why I was considering a HF one. KenH if you could send me a photo of your set up? Between yours and Justins I should be able to come up with something.
 
I've got a 4x6 (Harbor Freight or something) with an aluminium plate table to replace the junk
one it came with. It really annoys me -- only use it for things that are too big for my main bandsaw,
which is a DeWalt portaband in a SWAG mounting like JawJacker uses. Mine is the smaller mounting
place that fits in the jaws of my big vise.

IMHO, the only problem with the portaband is that it can't cut more than about 5-6" without running into
the throat. This is frequently not a problem for profiling blades because cutting the curve of the edge moves
the material out of the way of the throat if you do it on the correct side of the steel.
 
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