- Joined
- May 27, 2016
- Messages
- 3,479
OK - Phew! 
The skeptic warning bells were going off in my head the whole time, but just because I had seen enough 1" plate in a shipyard, and (once), some 2" plate, I pressed on. I am relieved to see the great pictures from @lis2323 , if only because they show a 2" thick table can exist. (Sorry - was that 3"??) I know 1/2" steel is considered "thin" for steel decking on ships, and our norms about "what is thick" just depends on what it's for.
I put aside for now the question about having two welding tables, one a thing of practical good design, pretty much a thing of beauty, and the other commissioned by Pluto for Hephaestus! The reaction de @Aukai is not actually OTT !
If the motivation for ordering oversize, to then cut back, is avoiding having to grind on a glass-hard edge, then I think the water-jet cut is the way to go. It is becoming standard in many places now, and does not modify the character of the metal. BUT - we get it that this way is only any good when the supplier has the kit, instead of using plasma cutting.
I am just a little in shock. @tjb Terry's kit goes for 1" thick, and he went for the whole 9 yards! Wheels and steering that would not disgrace an agri-trailer! Presumably he knew that once set down, sans wheels, it simply could not move again.
Cuttiing 3/8"
OK - so just suppose water-jet cut is not handily available from a supplier. Using loads of grinder discs would also put me off. When I discovered the (not very expensive) Evolution brand sliding mitre saw I bought had a trick blade, claimed "multi-material", would cut steel with "no heat, no burrs, and virtually no sparks" I tried it out. The heat is not zero, but there is hardly any. I was always able to hold steel bar (15mm), and it cut right through. The blade ran slower than I expected, but that was before understood the kit was for multi-material.
Only afterwards, did I read the fine print, where it says "up to 6mm". One of these (they come in 7.25" and 10" sizes), run slower, might see a crazy experiment, of loading it into the woodworking handheld Makita, and taking on some 3/8" like it was flooring ply. Yes- you do need a cheap speed control like the one I got from eBay for a different saw.
It occurs to me that even if one was abused well over the 6mm, with some care, and patience, it could give a nicely cut finish over most of the straight lines. Use a grinder on the corners. The cuts are beautiful. It does cost about $44, but maybe, if it survived a whole 3/8" table, it can keep cutting other stuff.
I suggest with all this some caution. It is something I would risk, but I completely understand why many HM members might call me out on it!
[Edit - You might have to look up why Hephaestus! ]
The skeptic warning bells were going off in my head the whole time, but just because I had seen enough 1" plate in a shipyard, and (once), some 2" plate, I pressed on. I am relieved to see the great pictures from @lis2323 , if only because they show a 2" thick table can exist. (Sorry - was that 3"??) I know 1/2" steel is considered "thin" for steel decking on ships, and our norms about "what is thick" just depends on what it's for.
I put aside for now the question about having two welding tables, one a thing of practical good design, pretty much a thing of beauty, and the other commissioned by Pluto for Hephaestus! The reaction de @Aukai is not actually OTT !
If the motivation for ordering oversize, to then cut back, is avoiding having to grind on a glass-hard edge, then I think the water-jet cut is the way to go. It is becoming standard in many places now, and does not modify the character of the metal. BUT - we get it that this way is only any good when the supplier has the kit, instead of using plasma cutting.
I am just a little in shock. @tjb Terry's kit goes for 1" thick, and he went for the whole 9 yards! Wheels and steering that would not disgrace an agri-trailer! Presumably he knew that once set down, sans wheels, it simply could not move again.
Cuttiing 3/8"
OK - so just suppose water-jet cut is not handily available from a supplier. Using loads of grinder discs would also put me off. When I discovered the (not very expensive) Evolution brand sliding mitre saw I bought had a trick blade, claimed "multi-material", would cut steel with "no heat, no burrs, and virtually no sparks" I tried it out. The heat is not zero, but there is hardly any. I was always able to hold steel bar (15mm), and it cut right through. The blade ran slower than I expected, but that was before understood the kit was for multi-material.
Only afterwards, did I read the fine print, where it says "up to 6mm". One of these (they come in 7.25" and 10" sizes), run slower, might see a crazy experiment, of loading it into the woodworking handheld Makita, and taking on some 3/8" like it was flooring ply. Yes- you do need a cheap speed control like the one I got from eBay for a different saw.
It occurs to me that even if one was abused well over the 6mm, with some care, and patience, it could give a nicely cut finish over most of the straight lines. Use a grinder on the corners. The cuts are beautiful. It does cost about $44, but maybe, if it survived a whole 3/8" table, it can keep cutting other stuff.
I suggest with all this some caution. It is something I would risk, but I completely understand why many HM members might call me out on it!
[Edit - You might have to look up why Hephaestus!
]
