[How-To] Cleaning up a torched edge

[DavidR8]

I’m on the verge of ordering a 24” x 30” piece of 3/8” plate to replace to top on my folding Stronghand table.
The place can only torch cut it as they don’t have a shear large enough to shear it off.
I’d like to make the corners as square as possible.
I was thinking about milling the short edges but I’m at a loss on how to accurately clean up the long edges.

Any thoughts on how to accomplish this?


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[Ulma Doctor]

i'll use a well placed and clamped piece of angle iron as a fence and guide for an angle grinder

 

[Overkill19]

I get most of my metal laser cut


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[Flyinfool]

If you can mill the short side you can mill the long side, it might just take 2 setups per side instead of one.

 

[lis2323]

There’s a possibility the edge may be flame hardened from the cut and damage your cutter. Maybe.

Personally I would just purchase from a supplier with larger shear capacity.

 

[Grandpop]

I bought 2 chunks of 3/8 x 2' x 4' HRS plate to make drill press and hand tapper base plates. Both were shear cut, which means they were slightly bent. I have an Evolution circular saw, so I bought their metal cutting carbide blade and cut them down.

You do need face protection from the hot sparks, and it made a mess, but it sliced right thru them. I used a length of angle for a straight edge to guide the saw. To make the three plates I probably cut about 6' total. Blade is noticeably dull, but still going. I just sanded and filed the cut edges, as didn't care if they were true square.

I did have to fool around in the HF 20 ton press to more or less straighten them out, so burned edges may save you that hassle.

 

[francist]

Belt sander maybe? Might go through a few belts but it could get you there. If you’re ordering from a Island Plate, I bought a couple big discs from him a few years ago (30” diameter, 1/4” thick) and the edge wasn’t that bad and cleaned up ok.

-frank

 

[gr8legs]

The place can only torch cut it as they don’t have a shear large enough to shear it off.

It is a bit surprising that a supplier can't shear their product but always a possibility. That's a pretty hefty shear.

Before getting crazy about doing something myself I'd ask to see samples of stock they've flame cut. Before there were plasma cutters, lasers, water jets etc that was the common way of trimming stock too thick for a shear. Track burning. Some absolutely gorgeous edges from flame cutting and if cut to size then even if the edge was a bit flame hardened susequent grinding or milling wouldn't be required.

I recall a guy at one of the shops I hung out at ordered a circular piece of 1.5" steel plate and it was flame cut and the edge was butter smooth. Just a matter of tweaking to the correct feed speed and gas pressures.

Stu

 

[DavidR8]

Belt sander maybe? Might go through a few belts but it could get you there. If you’re ordering from a Island Plate, I bought a couple big discs from him a few years ago (30” diameter, 1/4” thick) and the edge wasn’t that bad and cleaned up ok.

-frank

Island Metal Craft actually.
I’ve not heard of Island Plate....
Edit: I’ll give them a call on Monday!


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[DavidR8]

There’s a possibility the edge may be flame hardened from the cut and damage your cutter. Maybe.

Personally I would just purchase from a supplier with larger shear capacity.

Who would you go to locally?
MSM wanted nearly $300 for the same size. Island Metal Craft was $160 plus $20 to torch cut.


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