Making a long cut

[DHFG]

I am looking at cutting around 70 feet of 1/4" mild steel. I am weighing my options. I have time and small angle grinders, and no plasma cutter / compressor yet. The cutter / compressor are on the list but there are other things on the list as well. What would the angle grinder route look like? Length cut per wheel type and such. Has anyone cut this much at once with a grinder?

[M J D]

It's doable. If it's just straight cuts, cut about 3/4" of the way through and snap off the piece. Be sure to use decent cut discs or you may need a few dozen to do the job.

[ronsii]

Depending on the wheels some *might* get you a foot others maybe more.... you sure you don't want to get a portable drysaw??? I love my little milwaukee and it would be far more ecconomical than cutting wheels even the .85/ea. I use that would go about 2 feet... I have used at least a dozen different brands of cutoffs and they do vary all over the place and paying more doesn't equal cutting more home depot's metal demon brand works about as good as the 85 cent ones I been using for a while - blackhawk brand .045" 5 inchers.



One more thing.... the cutoff wheels do NOT like to face cut... they like it when you start on an edge and *if* you could keep it perfectly straight and not binding you'd be cutting great and it would last longer but.... it hardly ever works in the real world.. maybe if you made up some kind of jig

[Lis2323]

You only mentioned the total number of feet needing cutting. What size pieces are you cutting? 1/4” sheet or structural?

IF you go the angle grinder route buy a Lenox metal cutting wheel.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lenox-Tools-19.../dp/B01HSJ1A2M

I’m still on my first wheel. It will pay for itself in time saved by not having to change abrasive discs.

[BD1]

Have you considered a Milwaukee Metal cutting circular saw ???
I love mine and works great.


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[ljdm]

You only mentioned the total number of feet needing cutting. What size pieces are you cutting? 1/4” sheet or structural?

IF you go the angle grinder route buy a Lenox metal cutting wheel.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lenox-Tools-19.../dp/B01HSJ1A2M

I’m still on my first wheel. It will pay for itself in time saved by not having to change abrasive discs.

first sentence, first post, 70 feet 1/4 mild

[Lis2323]

first sentence, first post, 70 feet 1/4 mild

Okay thanks for clarifying. I didn’t know if it was 70 one foot wide pieces or..

In that case a metal cutting circ saw would work well as others have mentioned.


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[CAVEMANN]

I love the Lennox wheels, I've been using my the first one I bought for over a year and it's still going strong. I don't know how it would be on a 70 linear foot cut. The Lennox wheels are available from 3" to 14 or 16".

[ljdm]

Okay thanks for clarifying. I didn’t know if it was 70 one foot wide pieces or..

In that case a metal cutting circ saw would work well as others have mentioned.


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You're right, it could be one 70' cut, 10 7" cuts, etc, it is 1/4" though.

[DHFG]

you sure you don't want to get a portable drysaw???

Those are worth a look.

[John T]

Those are worth a look.

I think this would do the trick.... It's on my "wish list" on Amazon..... haven't had a real need for it yet... but I like it.

Probably wise to order ear protection also.

https://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-637...76&s=hi&sr=1-1

.

,

[DHFG]

You only mentioned the total number of feet needing cutting. What size pieces are you cutting? 1/4” sheet or structural?

We are cutting the side out of a container.

IF you go the angle grinder route buy a Lenox metal cutting wheel.

I'm reading varied reviews about those. Though, if we go the grinding route it will be a good test of one.

[djd775]

Cutting a container as in a shipping container? If so, have you verified the thickness you’re cutting? I thought container sides were more like 1/8” thick. For 70’ of 1/8”, is say you could walk through that in a couple hours with a few good Walter zip cuts. All this to say that the recommendations could be very different depending on the material thickness.


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[ronsii]

AHHHHH, container cutting..... this will be hard on any physical cutter, blades will bind so will discs plasma or waterjet would be the best(and cheapest) route. more than likely will be corten steel and it will be under tension in all sorts of ways the lennox diamond disc metal blades won't be quick but at least ou won't break them after the first few feet... they are pretty tough but they do dull right quick... not to say they won't still cut but it takes a lot more energy and they kind of plow through the metal instead of chipping off tons of tiny little particles. This kind of cut with a dry saw will be particularly interesting to say the least... you'll probably kill a lot of blades quick I would not go this route.

[DHFG]

Cutting a container as in a shipping container? If so, have you verified the thickness you’re cutting? I thought container sides were more like 1/8” thick. For 70’ of 1/8”, is say you could walk through that in a couple hours with a few good Walter zip cuts. All this to say that the recommendations could be very different depending on the material thickness.


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1/8" seems more reasonable, I overestimated to be prepared.

[MinnesotaDave]

For the gun turret project, I cut all the straight cuts in 1/4" sheet with a 30 yr old skill saw and one diablo metal cutting blade from home depot.

https://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.ph...unt&highlight=

I used a straight edge, only pushed hard enough to make nice chips, cut beautifully.

[DHFG]

AHHHHH, container cutting..... this will be hard on any physical cutter, blades will bind so will discs plasma or waterjet would be the best(and cheapest) route. more than likely will be corten steel and it will be under tension in all sorts of ways the lennox diamond disc metal blades won't be quick but at least ou won't break them after the first few feet... they are pretty tough but they do dull right quick... not to say they won't still cut but it takes a lot more energy and they kind of plow through the metal instead of chipping off tons of tiny little particles. This kind of cut with a dry saw will be particularly interesting to say the least... you'll probably kill a lot of blades quick I would not go this route.

The container is painted, not sure if corten gets painted. Manufactured in May. Built for one use then scrapping or selling.

Interesting is right.

[Bls repair]

With all the ups and downs and ins and outs a sawsall would be good to have on hand.

[Lis2323]

For a container my guess would be that a cutting disc on a 7-9” grinder would work well.

[CrookedRoads]

We cut a hole in the side of a container for a set of doors last spring using this portable cut off saw, we tacked on some flat bar for guides so it went pretty smooth, I would have used the smaller carbide saw for the vertical cuts if I had remembered that it was on the truck. Most rental centers have portable cut off saws available either in gas or electric.

[ronsii]

With all the ups and downs and ins and outs a sawsall would be good to have on hand.

A sawzall and ear plugs would probably work pretty decent... oh and a pack of blades

All the corten containers I see are painted and the make up the majority of what I see at the port and warehouses.

[Broccoli1]

I used a Sawsall/recpricating saw.

the walls are thin.

Put a couple whirly bird vents in one.

Easy peasy.

I cut the two 24" holes in about 20 mins. Been awhile so not sure on exact time but I do remember it was fairly quick.

As Ronsli mentioned, ear plugs and a pack of blades.

[ronsii]

One other thing about using a sawzall.... do NOT use a harbor freight sawzall!!!! The first time I used one of their 'heavy duty' corded ones on sheet metal(barrel) it went about 2 inches then a loud BUUUZZZZPPPPP!!!!! some gears definitely had an issue with the torque from the motor... so I took it back and exchanged it... the next one didn't even make it an inch!!! So I said screw it and just used zip discs

[jimcolt]

Maybe a foot or two of cut (if you are slow and careful) . Ear protection, eye protection, etc. You could buy a Powermax45 xp plasma and cut the entire 70 feet (plus a few more 70 feets) much faster, quieter, safer on one nozzle (about $4). Then you will have a tool that can be used for a decade or more on other jobs? Just bringing that up.

I am looking at cutting around 70 feet of 1/4" mild steel. I am weighing my options. I have time and small angle grinders, and no plasma cutter / compressor yet. The cutter / compressor are on the list but there are other things on the list as well. What would the angle grinder route look like? Length cut per wheel type and such. Has anyone cut this much at once with a grinder?

[MinnesotaDave]

If I were to do it with a Sawzall, I'd try the new carbide ones and see how they do