# 4" diameter 1018 steel



## andrewgr (Jan 10, 2021)

So, I've made a mistake.

I placed an order for some metal.  I just wanted some basics in the shop.  I got about 60 pounds of remnants in steel/aluminium/brass, and then some specific alloys.  Mostly, I ordered reasonable amounts in reasonable sizes.

But, the 4" diameter 1018 round steel... I wanted 12", but then the price to get a second foot was much less than double the cost of the first foot.  And then the next foot... well, to my great embarrassment, I wound up ordering a four foot long piece.  Woops.

It weighs far too much for me to move around on my own without a dolly, and even getting it on the dolly is hard.  I think it's like 176 pounds, and I'm not a big or strong guy.

"No problem," I said to my newbie self.  "I have a Dewalt portable band saw!  I have an 8 TPI blade for it!  I shall saw it in half, and emerge victorious!"

Well... not so much.  The saw is barely putting a scratch in it.   The teeth will be worn down to small, shapeless nubs before I get a quarter of an inch into it.  And then, I can't imagine how the blade would even continue down, surely it's going to get stuck on the walls that it's making as it cuts?

So, after you finish laughing... what would an actual, realistic cutting strategy be?  What tool do I need for this job?  I've never done any welding or used any plasma tools or anything like that, but if I know what I'm looking for, I might be able to hire someone with the proper tool to swing by my garage and cut it into pieces for me.


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## Shootymacshootface (Jan 10, 2021)

Just buy a blade made to cut that material.
Look for it at Mcmaster Carr.


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## matthewsx (Jan 10, 2021)

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You will have to rotate the piece and it will take a little while but this will get it done for less than a good bandsaw blade.

John


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## mmcmdl (Jan 10, 2021)

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						Starrett® 12" Adjustable Heavy-Duty Closed Grip Hacksaw - 197478 - Northern Safety Co., Inc.
					






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Check back next week !


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## Reddinr (Jan 10, 2021)

This Old Tony just uses a hammer and chisel or a quick karate chop.  Just takes a second or so.


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## Badabinski (Jan 10, 2021)

I have actually cut through a 4340 2.5" round bar with a hacksaw before. An hour and a half later, and I decided my very next shop purchase was going to be a horizontal bandsaw.

EDIT: I'll second what was said above, you can get dedicated blades for cutting steel. I've never used a portable bandsaw so I don't know what's available, but I've loved the Starrett blades I purchased for my horizontal.


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## Tozguy (Jan 10, 2021)

andrewgr said:


> So, I've made a mistake.
> 
> I placed an order for some metal.  I just wanted some basics in the shop.  I got about 60 pounds of remnants in steel/aluminium/brass, and then some specific alloys.  Mostly, I ordered reasonable amounts in reasonable sizes.
> 
> But, the 4" diameter 1018 round steel... I wanted 12", but





andrewgr said:


> hire someone with the proper tool to swing by my garage and cut it into pieces for me.


Since you will ultimately have to cut the pieces again in the future to specific lengths to suit different projects, it would make sense to tool up so you can cut it yourself.
This is an entry level saw as an example BUT you will get lots of useful info from members here about the cost/performance tradeoffs of different models.








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## SLK001 (Jan 10, 2021)

I would use a cut-off disk in an angle grinder.  Since your stock is 4", you'll need a 7" angle grinder, since a 4-1/2" can't reach the center.  Or, use the 4-1/2" and finish with a hacksaw.  Do THAT once and you'll rush out to get yourself a 7" grinder.


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## JimDawson (Jan 10, 2021)

Your DeWalt saw with an 8 tooth blade sounds like the correct tool.  But you need a good bi-metal blade on it.  Don't force it, just let it cut at its own speed.  I've had pretty good luck with Milwaukee portable band saw blades, maybe those will fit your DeWalt.

If this is a piece of hot rolled 1018 and it has mill scale on it, then grind off the mill scale in the cut area.  That stuff is like carbide, destroys cutting tools fast.


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## matthewsx (Jan 10, 2021)

SLK001 said:


> I would use a cut-off disk in an angle grinder.  Since your stock is 4", you'll need a 7" angle grinder, since a 4-1/2" can't reach the center.  Or, use the 4-1/2" and finish with a hacksaw.  Do THAT once and you'll rush out to get yourself a 7" grinder.


Or a horizontal bandsaw....

The 7" abrasive blades can definitely be a handful, 4 1/2" is easier to control and you can rotate the stock to get through it but the resulting cut will definitely be ugly.

The bandsaw will be good for making fairly accurate cuts that will be much easier to face on the lathe. The 4x6 horizontal saw has the advantage of not having to hold the tool the whole time the cut is being made, get a spray bottle with some cutting fluid and pull up a chair while the machine does the work.

John


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## Reddinr (Jan 10, 2021)

Because I also want to spend your money, I can vouch for the Grizzly   "*G9742 - 5" x 6" 1/2 HP Metal-Cutting Bandsaw w/ Swivel Head"*
It has been reliable and is small enough to comfortably fit in my shop.  When I got it I immediately replaced the blade with a better one and put a tightly rolled up piece of rubber sheet between the motor mount and the frame to kill the motor/pulley vibration.  It has been trouble free since then.  My biggest complaint is that the vise handle is small in order to fit under the upper frame so it is hard to torque but fixable if it ever bothers me enough.  Also, a couple of jack stands are handy to buy/build to support the stock.


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## Flyinfool (Jan 10, 2021)

+1 on the horizontal / vertical band saw, Set it up and you can even walk away while the cut is happening.
Since your stock will weigh more than the saw you may need support under both ends of the stock being cut so that its weight is not twisting the saw or trying to tip it over. Make sure you are no where near the cut off piece when the saw finishes the cut, It will really hurt if it lands on your toe.


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## Dabbler (Jan 10, 2021)

-- you remind me when I had to cut a 6 3/4 " diameter 4140 round to give a foot for a friend.  even in the horizontal bandsaw, to took forever!


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## Flyinfool (Jan 10, 2021)

Yes for this cut you will want the coarsest, bi-metal, name brand blade you can get. AND a big bucket of patience. It gonna take a while.


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## andrewgr (Jan 10, 2021)

So, I'm even more of an idiot than I thought.

I woke up this morning being 99% sure what the problem was.

When I removed the blade from the packaging, I believe it was turned inside-out.  I had the blade running in the wrong direction.

Now that I look more carefully at the saw, it even has arrows showing the direction for rotation.

So, I've turned it outside-in and re-installed it.  I can't try it until my wife gets off the phone (she's a mental health counselor, and her office is right above the part of the garage I'm trying to cut in), but at some point in the next couple of hours she'll need to break for lunch.  I'll try it then, and let everyone know how it goes.

My sincere apologies for wasting everyone's time on such an inept screw up; I've never owned a bandsaw before, and this was the first time I've ever changed the blade, and it didn't even occur to me that they could be turned inside-out like that.


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## Shootymacshootface (Jan 10, 2021)

No problem dude!
Think of us more as a support group/ enablers.


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## matthewsx (Jan 10, 2021)

You are not the first to install a blade backwards, nor shall you be the last. Good luck with it....

John


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## Tozguy (Jan 10, 2021)

Good way to cut thin aluminum.


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## andrewgr (Jan 10, 2021)

Okay, the blade was backwards.  I only had about 10 minutes before my wife needed to go back into sessions again, but I was able to make visible progress.  As some of you pointed out, it's going to take a lot of patience; I'm bad at estimating, but it sure feels like it's going to be more than an hour.  I'll console myself by thinking about all the money I "saved" by buying more than I need.


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## Flyinfool (Jan 10, 2021)

Now the question is how bad did you dull the teeth while running backwards?
The same info still holds, try the coarsest tooth you can find in a quality name brand bi-metal blade.


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## andrewgr (Jan 10, 2021)

So, I went through the first 1/5"-ish in good time.  As soon as I got to a depth where the teeth were almost completely inside the cut, it stopped cutting almost completely.  (The band is 1/2" thick, and it looks like it's maybe 4-% of the way in the cut, but I can't think of a good way to measure into such a small width groove.)  There is no more steel being removed as far as I can see-- no dust on the bar itself, no dust on the saw guard, etc. 

How much weight should I be applying?  I know the stationary band saws use their own weight to cut through, but I assume they weigh a good deal more than my portable.  Should I be pressing firmly down?  Putting body weight on it?  I did press as firmly as I dared, but maybe that wasn't hard enough?  

Also, the blade seems very firm when the saw is not running-- I can't get any play on it at all, it seems to have great tension.  But when it's running, it flops both to the left and to the right when it's in the groove.  Is that normal?


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## andrewgr (Jan 10, 2021)

Flyinfool said:


> Now the question is how bad did you dull the teeth while running backwards?
> The same info still holds, try the coarsest tooth you can find in a quality name brand bi-metal blade.



I was just incorrect when I thought the teeth were being worn down.  The rounded portion of the rear of the teeth were abraded and a bit shiny, and I just took that as a proxy for overall wear, which was obviously incorrect.

I am using a bi-metal, 6 TPI blade (I said 8 earlier, but I looked it up, and it's actually 6).  It's not from a vendor with any sort of good reputation, though.  I actually couldn't find any blades that fit the dimensions of the saw that were less than 10-12 TPI, other than the one I purchased.  The saw takes a 44 7/8" x 1/2" blade; if you have any suggestions where I might find a name-brand blade with single-digit TPI, I'll give it a try.


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## Jim F (Jan 10, 2021)

They have a 6 and a 6-10 in 1/2 by .025.
BTW, your blade is junk after running backwards.









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## Flyinfool (Jan 10, 2021)

Sometimes you need to look at the teeth with a magnifying glass to see the damage done by cutting backwards. 
The blade should not be flopping around under load, there should be guides to hold it straight, the guides may not be adjusted correctly.
The blade should be tight enough to play a note when plucked.



			https://bladeserpent.com/blades.html?length=44.875&blade_width=0.5&cross_section=Rod&type=Steel&diameter=2.5-8%22&tpi%5B%5D=3&tpi%5B%5D=6&tpi%5B%5D=4&tpi%5B%5D=3%2F4


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## andrewgr (Jan 10, 2021)

Success!  I changed the blade to a 10-14 TPI blade, and it's working fairly well.  It's not flopping around, and it makes visible progress.  I went through maybe 1/2" in a few minutes.

Now that I know what it's "supposed" to feel like when the teeth are really biting, I won't make the same mistake in the future-- it's clear to me now that with the previous blade, it was simply not biting at all.  

I'll still get a better blade with fewer TPI, but in the meantime, with enough patience I can get this sawn in half and carry it out of the "car" section of the garage, into my (small) workshop.


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## Jim F (Jan 10, 2021)




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## Shootymacshootface (Jan 10, 2021)

My son put one of my brand new blades on my 4×6 horizontal bandsaw. It happen to come out of the bubble pack inside out. He ran it backwards for a while on a piece of titanium. When I showed up, told me that the saw wouldn't cut. I took the blade off and turned it around. It never cut like a new blade should have.


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## Inferno (Jan 10, 2021)

I bought this to chop steel.'
You might go through a couple blades but it will be quick.









						6 in. 5.5 Amp Cut-Off Saw
					

Amazing deals on this 6In 5.5Amp Cut-Off Saw  at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




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## f350ca (Jan 10, 2021)

When you put a new blade on the saw never run it into the old cut section. The set will have been reduced on the old blade so the kerf will be narrow. You'll ruin the new blade, removing the set when it enters the old cut.
Oh, I have a 5 or 6 feet of 4 inch shaft on the floor, I leave a sling around it to lift with the overhead crane, its too heavy to lift to get the sling around it. lol
Greg


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## Packard V8 (Jan 10, 2021)

andrewgr said:


> It weighs far too much for me to move around on my own without a dolly, and even getting it on the dolly is hard.  I think it's like 176 pounds, and I'm not a big or strong guy.


Beer can lift anything.  A sixpack of craft beer would get that moved anywhere you want it.   I once got a hot tub hauled across this end of town and set in my back yard for three cases of Coors Light.  (Big guys but with no taste in beer.)

jack vines


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## Aaron_W (Jan 10, 2021)

andrewgr said:


> So, I've made a mistake.
> 
> I placed an order for some metal.  I just wanted some basics in the shop.  I got about 60 pounds of remnants in steel/aluminium/brass, and then some specific alloys.  Mostly, I ordered reasonable amounts in reasonable sizes.
> 
> But, the 4" diameter 1018 round steel... I wanted 12", but then the price to get a second foot was much less than double the cost of the first foot.  And then the next foot... well, to my great embarrassment, I wound up ordering a four foot long piece.  Woops.


Actually you really screwed that one up, 6 feet is usually the sweet spot for savings. You need to order 2 more feet.  



Tozguy said:


> Since you will ultimately have to cut the pieces again in the future to specific lengths to suit different projects, it would make sense to tool up so you can cut it yourself.
> This is an entry level saw as an example BUT you will get lots of useful info from members here about the cost/performance tradeoffs of different models.
> 
> 
> ...



I had to cut some 1" mystery steel rod with a hacksaw, that was the beginning of the end of my thinking a hacksaw was adequate for the shop. Soon after I came up with a project that required cutting a bunch 4" square tubing, that is when the HF 4x6 bandsaw came home with me.


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## JPMacG (Jan 13, 2021)

For material over 2" I buy only what I need as I need it.  I can usually find a drop close to the needed size for a good price on eBay.  That saves having to saw large stock to length.  For smaller stock a Porta Band with a proper blade works well.  If I had room for a horizontal I would get the Harbor Freight 4x6.


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## MrWhoopee (Jan 17, 2021)

f350ca said:


> When you put a new blade on the saw never run it into the old cut section. The set will have been reduced on the old blade so the kerf will be narrow. You'll ruin the new blade, removing the set when it enters the old cut.
> 
> Greg


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