Tired Of Hacksawing - Can A Slitting Saw Help Me ?

[BillWood]

Have run out of budget for any new toys this year so cannot get a bandsaw.

Am tired of hacksawing metal and have tried abrasive 14" saw and thin blades on angle grinder.

Have just made a slitting saw arbor, but I get the impression that I wont be able to cut significant thicknesses with a slitting saw - is that correct ?

I get the impression that although textbooks and safety officers in big companes would frown on the practice, many people use 3.5" carbide tipped woodsaw blades as slitting saws on milling machiines - I will try this - any known traps with doing this i.e. I'd guess 200rpm for a 3.5" carbide tipped woodsaw blade for cutting mild steel ?

 

[Eddyde]

When I was an apprentice, my mentor a master tool and die man showed me one could indeed cut and shape steel with woodworking tools. He used a router bit to mill slots and round over edges, in a mill, not in a router of course. He said while not ideal to use such tools but in a pinch....It's matter of feeds and speeds.

 

[tertiaryjim]

Watch craigs list for a portaband. They'll do a lot of work for you and can sometimes be purchased for less than 100 bucks.
I too tired of using a hack saw and after getting a portaband have hardly used the old hand saw.
Cutting steel, other than sheet metal, with wood cutting blades is not familiar to me but many cut aluminum with carbide wood blades.
I have cut through a lot of unnoticed nails and screws while chopping boards.
Just wear your safety glasses!

 

[Cobra]

200 rpm for a 3.5 inch saw in mild steel is very fast.
Be careful with the blades intended for wood, the angles are not correct for cutting steel.
You can get away with wood cutting tools on aluminum.
You will find that the 3 inch slitting saw blades from 1/32 to 1/8 are very reasonably priced.
You will also find a slitting saw a very slow means of cutting stock.

 

[joshua43214]

I also chased this in circles. For cutting stock to size, there is no real replacement for a stationary saw (band, powered hacksaw, or cold saw).
A portaband is probably the best alternative as suggested.

 

[cascao]

 

[wawoodman]

Harbor Freight has a portaband on sale for $129.

That being said, my advice is to beg or borrow the funds to get a stationary bandsaw. You know you will get one eventually (!) so why spend extra money to "make due" in the short run?

In equipping my wood shop over the past 40+ years, I have been through 4 tablesaws, 3 shapers, 5 bandsaws, etc., to finally get the quality I wanted. Think of how much money I would have saved if I had bought the right tools up front. I certainly understand that's not always possible. Still, I really recommend doing the best you can, with an eye to the future.

 

[Andre]

I've used slitting saws to rough out parts that were too awkward for the bandsaw to cut, chip evacuation is KEY.

 

[kvt]

I have been thinking of making a power hack saw, or trying to convert one of my 9 inch band saws into a metal cutting band saw.
I know I would have to slow it way down without loosing power, I was thinking something like a tread mill motor with speed controller would work for either..

 

[Kernbigo]

this is my craftsman that i converted to metal cutting, thread mill motor and my welded up metal cutting blades, works great