Cutting thick metal (3/8 and up) ?
- Thread starter Keeper
- Start date
T4TWO
Member
Bandsaw would be more practical and a all around good tool. Wood, Metal, Plastic etc... Some are very large and not very mobile if you're planning on doing some heavy/thick metal work.
Plasma will run you some coin for a good one. Its small and can be carried job to job. It also can handle various thickness of various metals.
IMHO the Plasma will be a lot faster than the Bandsaw. Also, because I have a Plasma and I like using it. Had to cut 3/8" SS plating once. Tried using a jig saw, cutting wheel, air tools, gas torch. But, had to borrow a friends Plasma to finish the job. Bought my own Plasma the next day and never went back to the other tools. Just my 2 cents.
Plasma will run you some coin for a good one. Its small and can be carried job to job. It also can handle various thickness of various metals.
IMHO the Plasma will be a lot faster than the Bandsaw. Also, because I have a Plasma and I like using it. Had to cut 3/8" SS plating once. Tried using a jig saw, cutting wheel, air tools, gas torch. But, had to borrow a friends Plasma to finish the job. Bought my own Plasma the next day and never went back to the other tools. Just my 2 cents.
Keeper said:
Here is pretty good band saw for the money. The blade that comes with is not worth a flip. I have one of these in the shop and use it quite a bit.
Northern Industrial Horizontal/Vertical Metal Cutting Band Saw — 4 1/2in., 3/4 HP, 120V Motor | Band Saws | Northern Tool + Equipment
Order some bi-metal blades at it will do what you want it to do. It can be used as a vertical saw, it comes with a small table.
MDANIELSON55
New Member
keeper you dont know anyone with a torch. if yu lived near me id help you for free. someone around bound to have a torch. check yer friends mike
Keeper said:
I don't think a $500 plasma cuter will cut 3/8" steel very well. If you think you will be doing other projects that will use the plasma cutter (or a torch), then it might be worth it to buy it. But if you think you are only going to build one car and that is it. Buy the brackets.
Even trying to band saw the parts out will be tough. The 3/8" thick steel is going to require a pretty stout saw. A light duty wood saw will not cut it. And a large metal saw won't do the small detail stuff well. So you will probably still end up buying some stuff. Like front batwings....
all-world1
Member
Keeper said:
I'll bet most of that $45 is the customs brokerage fee and not duty. The brokerage fees are the killer and about the only way around it is to latch on to a Canadian that has a postal drop box on the US side. I found a really good local guy in Winnipeg who runs down to North Dakota every 2 weeks, picks up everyone's shipments, pays the small duty and charges a small fee for his fuel. There are a few guys running these businesses and if you can latch on to one in your neck of the woods, you'll save a pile when ordering components from the States.
Brucer
New Member
no buddies with a bandsaw?
first thing i would probably do is look in your local area for machine shops/tool&die shops that are shutting down, and hit the auctions... you can get some nice heavy duty equipment from these auctions and cheap.
if it were me i wouldnt hesitate for a second to buy a plasma cutter..
a plasma cutter is considered an investment.. they can be expensive, but i bet you can find a used one if your patient... i found my bluepoint plasma 125 for $150 and i'll never sell it, unless i go to a bigger one.. but i really dont need any bigger, 3/16 to 1/4 is about as thick as i use, any thicker and i take it to work..
you can buy the horizontal saws that have the bandsaw option, they stand up straight and lock in place and have a small bolt on table, i used one of them for a couple years until i ran into my plasma cutter..
i can add this bit of reasoning also.. if you own a welder, buy a plasma.. simple as that..
first thing i would probably do is look in your local area for machine shops/tool&die shops that are shutting down, and hit the auctions... you can get some nice heavy duty equipment from these auctions and cheap.
if it were me i wouldnt hesitate for a second to buy a plasma cutter..
a plasma cutter is considered an investment.. they can be expensive, but i bet you can find a used one if your patient... i found my bluepoint plasma 125 for $150 and i'll never sell it, unless i go to a bigger one.. but i really dont need any bigger, 3/16 to 1/4 is about as thick as i use, any thicker and i take it to work..
you can buy the horizontal saws that have the bandsaw option, they stand up straight and lock in place and have a small bolt on table, i used one of them for a couple years until i ran into my plasma cutter..
i can add this bit of reasoning also.. if you own a welder, buy a plasma.. simple as that..
TheAntiBoyd
Member
Make sure you get a good set of Bi-Metal holesaws as well. Patience is free. And Ive made some pretty trick parts with a jig saw, a small Dewalt grinder (which I still have) some hand files and long cold winter months. Ive used the arc welder trick. Its messy and your layout on that sheet of 3/8ths is tight in some places, maybe too tight for an O/A torch, but you can work it down. Note that you dont have to hack that stuff out in one pass either. You definitely need some cutting oil, regardless of what youre cutting with. Id break that sheet down into smaller chunks and whittle em out with the arc welder, and trim em down with the jig-saw and OIL this time and dress them with a grinder and a hand file. Buy some good carbide blades in a fairly fine tooth. cut out one piece, start on your second, stop in the middle, grind on your first piece to let the jigsaw cool down and wash rinse repeat. Once you get the shape close, you can nibble it down pretty easy; one step at a time.
Maybe one of your cannuck buddies out there could rough out the more complicated parts for some beer and let you work it down at your leisure.
PS Central Tractor (Farm and Family Supply) here in the states has the Hobart Handler 140 MIG on sale. This is the same as a Miller and its a wonderful welder for the price. You need a welder of some sort, Id recommend this one (dont get a wire feed welder you cant add shielding gas to. Theyre too light duty and the welds arent "great"), and see if you can find an old arc welder. Also, theres got to be a gas welding set in your paper fairly reasonably priced. Anyone out there got an old set of torches and regulators theyre not using??
Keep picking away at it...you'll get it. This part of the build is where your sense of pride and appreciation comes from.
Word to the wise; I havent started my T yet, and theres not a man alive who has the right to criticize you for not fabbing your own brackets. Thats like saying since my dad has a 5axis machine at work, why dont I whittle my own pistons or connecting rods out. Sometimes you just have to draw the line somewhere, no one here would think less of you for buying GOOD QUALITY brackets.
Id look at those welders series brackets if you cant get to cutting your own, or having RPM sneak them across the line
Maybe one of your cannuck buddies out there could rough out the more complicated parts for some beer and let you work it down at your leisure.
PS Central Tractor (Farm and Family Supply) here in the states has the Hobart Handler 140 MIG on sale. This is the same as a Miller and its a wonderful welder for the price. You need a welder of some sort, Id recommend this one (dont get a wire feed welder you cant add shielding gas to. Theyre too light duty and the welds arent "great"), and see if you can find an old arc welder. Also, theres got to be a gas welding set in your paper fairly reasonably priced. Anyone out there got an old set of torches and regulators theyre not using??
Keep picking away at it...you'll get it. This part of the build is where your sense of pride and appreciation comes from.
Word to the wise; I havent started my T yet, and theres not a man alive who has the right to criticize you for not fabbing your own brackets. Thats like saying since my dad has a 5axis machine at work, why dont I whittle my own pistons or connecting rods out. Sometimes you just have to draw the line somewhere, no one here would think less of you for buying GOOD QUALITY brackets.
Id look at those welders series brackets if you cant get to cutting your own, or having RPM sneak them across the line
Keeper
Active Member
I will give them a shot. If I can cut them I will, if not I will farm out the work. I have more time then anything right now so if it takes a while to cut them its no big deal :rofl:
It just gives me an excuse to play in the garage! (well that and buy more tools)
As for them being to close to cut, I have some extra room on the end there, that was just the initial layout to see how much I could squeeze out of that steel.
It just gives me an excuse to play in the garage! (well that and buy more tools)
As for them being to close to cut, I have some extra room on the end there, that was just the initial layout to see how much I could squeeze out of that steel.
Keeper
Active Member
WooHoo some success. It seems a little cutting oil (or mineral oil in this case) goes along way in keeping the blades alive. Though my poor jigsaw isn't so happy. I can rough cut 1.5 brackets then it sort of over heats!!
Here is the first. It still needs some TLC but its purty close :rofl:
1st is the bracket
2nd pic is the garage, that the frame on the floor, and my tank of a snow blower!
Here is the first. It still needs some TLC but its purty close :rofl:
1st is the bracket
2nd pic is the garage, that the frame on the floor, and my tank of a snow blower!
TheAntiBoyd
Member
Lookin good man. I hope that jigsaw is not very expensive...LOL youre gonna kill it one day, but its worth it
all-world1
Member
Kerosene or Propane?Keeper said:
I need something for this deep freeze. It's -15 right now.
Telman2
Active Member
all-world1 said:Kerosene or Propane?
I need something for this deep freeze. It's -15 right now.
It's propane, you can see the hose, regulator and part of the tank at the bottom of the picture.
Check out their web site for information and dealers http://www.mrheater.com/
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