Best portable tool to cut this metal with?

Slacker

Slacker

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Need to make seven cuts total.
Prefer to make square cuts but can trim it if they look wonky.

Portaband, gotta come in from each side, might need to finish the middle of the cut with sawzall. 10" x 7 cuts is a lot of time on a portaband.

14" metal chop saw, the work "clamp" won't fit metal this wide?
Removable?

Don't have a cutting torch and the cuts are too rough. This will be used interior so trying to keep the cuts decent looking.
Can a cutting torch cut this clean enough to keep a square-ish cut?

20181014_134542.jpg 20181014_134606.jpg
 
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Plasma cutter would be my choice, borrowed if possible. Clamp a guide down and let it rip.

Either that or just borrow somebody with real torch skills, I have seen some guys cut stuff like that so clean it looked like a laser hit it.
 
Hate to say it but for a clean cut on that an angle grinder is the best option... and a LOT of discs... and time.

A sawzall would work but would probably cost $50 in blades. That's not an easy task.
 
Sawzall with "extreme" metal blade from lowes. home depot sales a heavy metal blade also but I cant remember what they call it. I have over 15 years in commercial demo with all the others options out that is your best. the other option is a 14" quickie saw with a steel cutting blade but slower than a Sawzall and a lot of sparks, have a fire extinguisher handy
 
Slacker said:
Need to make seven cuts total.
Prefer to make square cuts but can trim it if they look wonky.

Portaband, gotta come in from each side, might need to finish the middle of the cut with sawzall. 10" x 7 cuts is a lot of time on a portaband.

14" metal chop saw, the work "clamp" won't fit metal this wide?
Removable?

Don't have a cutting torch and the cuts are too rough. This will be used interior so trying to keep the cuts decent looking.
Can a cutting torch cut this clean enough to keep a square-ish cut?

View attachment 79950 View attachment 79951
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If you could get it to my work, I'll be glad to cut it for ya.
S Elm St Greensboro.
 
Can’t use a chop saw and go in from both sides?

Sawzall, carbine blade to get it in the pickup, then take the pieces to @BASIL since he offered.
 
You have any more of that steel? I have been looking for some pieces like that for a while.

You don't need to clamp the whole piece in the cutoff saw, just one side of the channel. Turn the piece upside down.
Or use a gas powered cutoff saw; hard to make this square, but will certainly cut and give a smooth finish.
 
Portaband would be pretty easy to cut that with
 
Worm drive circular saw and a Diablo metal cutting blade will go thru that just a little slower than wood and if you clamp a guide on near perfect.

Glasses, plus face shield. Gloves for the glowing hot shards and the razor edges. Leathers wouldn't be a bad idea.

A torch, a guide, and someone with marginal skills should be able to cut it only needing a little dress up from a grinder.
 
Stihl or Husky 14” cutoff saw with a structural steel blade. Where face shield and welding jacket. I have a brand new one.

Edit: that looks like 1/2” steel or more so the blade would actually need to be for structural steel such as a Stihl SB80 blade. Too thick for abrasive.
 
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OLD SCHOOL!

images
 
My EVO saw would work great on that. I know you've already got a solution but you would have been welcome to borrow it. It'll cut that steel with virtually no sparks and you can pick the steel up with your bare hands right after the cut is finished. It also leaves a very nice burr free finish.

Just wear eye and ear protection and a good heavy welder's jacket. Ear protection is definitely a must with this saw. It is ear piercing when cutting steel, but is blazing fast.

IMG_20181016_164750122.jpg
 
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Beef15 said:
Worm drive circular saw and a Diablo metal cutting blade will go thru that just a little slower than wood and if you clamp a guide on near perfect.

Glasses, plus face shield. Gloves for the glowing hot shards and the razor edges. Leathers wouldn't be a bad idea.

A torch, a guide, and someone with marginal skills should be able to cut it only needing a little dress up from a grinder.
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Just take a regular saw blade and turn it backwards.

It will make a helluva racket but it’ll do the trick.
 
Scsmith42 said:
Unfortunately my 14" abrasive metal saw only will do 8" wide.

Why don't you bring it with you when we work on your plate rack? My Ellis band saw will give you a near perfect cut in that.
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Yeah I always tell the wife my 12 will only do 5 and a half.
 
Best options.

1. Plasma cutter
2. Torch
3. 8-10amp 4.5” angle grinder

These would be temp cuts then get it to a mill and clean cut it.

This will be cake compared to the time I cut 8-1-1. I cut a 2” diameter 8-1-1 titanium piece once and it took over a hour with a 10amp cutoff wheel.
 
@Slacker If you don't mind me asking, where did that steel come from or originate? What was it originally used for?
 
Qball said:
@Slacker If you don't mind me asking, where did that steel come from or originate? What was it originally used for?
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It is used in roof construction.
I was gifted it about 10 years ago.
I have 4 sticks @ 12-14 foot long.
I will use two sticks on this project.
The other two will be used to build a bridge across a creek on my property.
 
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Slicer wheel on a 4 1/2 grinder just leave a little long and grind it back straight if you need to. Just do not try to force it and I usually score a straight line to follow with the wheel first . If you try to force it they eat wheels and makes more ragged cut.Handy little tool once you get use to using them. Wear eye protection though. Or you can take it by Scotts another good option.
 
@Slacker Not to beat a dead horse but here's a good video of the saw I have. I haven't cut an I-beam with it. However, I have cut a solid chrome moly 2 inch trailer hitch mount with it. It went through it like a knife through soft butter.


 
JimP42 said:
Now that’s a saw!
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It really works great. I've used it alot cutting mild steel for my son to practice welding on. I have three separate blades for it. One for steel, one for stainless steel, and one for aluminum.

I used the stainless saw blade recently to make cuts into marine grade stainless steel 2" tubing that I made into handrails for my deck. This saw was great for that purpose. No burrs needed to be ground off like you would have to do with an abrasive chop saw. Those things are dangerous in my opinion.
 
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