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BruceK

BruceK

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I need to cut some 1/4-3/8" mild steel plate in a confined area in the lazarette. An angle grinder would do it, but I don`t want the flying metal sparks etc. A hacksaw would take forever,I`m think a Sawzall type tool.Would it do the job?
 
Bruce,

That thickness of mild steel is probably at the upper end of its capability but worth a shot. Probably worth having a few spare blades and take it gently
 
Brisyboy said:
Bruce,

That thickness of mild steel is probably at the upper end of its capability but worth a shot. Probably worth having a few spare blades and take it gently
Click to expand...

What George said. Slow and lots of blade changes. If access is tight, Milwaukee makes a cordless model that's called the Hackzall in their M12 family. I carry one of these on the boat. With lots of blades.
 
Make sure you clean up carefully. If you miss any steel dust and it gets wet you'll get rust spots.
 
What Peter said above is important! I hacked up a new grill grate with some expanded metal and was too hungry to clean up. The metal bits rusted overnight and required a polish and buff to get off the gel coat.
 
You want a blade where 3 teeth span the thickness of the metal if possible. You may have to saw at an angle to land 3.
 
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If you don't have a sawsall, they can be rented or had cheaply at Harbor Freight. I have a Harbor Freight, the best of 3 brands they carried. Mine has seen lots of work. In steel you're well off to buy good blades. Also at Amazon or ebay.
 
Buy lots of metal cutting blades. They wear quickly. Ear and eye protection mandatory.
 
I'd protect from the grinder sparks and use it to cut the plate. A heavy damp canvas could collect and protect from the sparks.

In college, a buddy was hired as an intern by the Aeronautical Technology department to cut a piston and cylinder from an IO-360 aviation engine in half with a hacksaw. It took him weeks but looked fantastic. I don't have that patience.
 
Will work with good quality blades. I would keep the blade lubed with cutting oil.
 
Boy! Between a Sawzall and a cutoff wheel in an angle grinder, I'd take the angle grinder any day. Faster! If you can arrange a damp towel or similar, your fears about the hot sparks will be much reduced. (Speaking as a guy with two Sawzalls and three angle grinders...)

Today's fun included wacking mild steel angle iron, 1-1/2 x 1/4", into short lengths with one leg cut shorter on each end. Very quick with an angle grinder; a little trial with a sabre saw was oh, so slow.

Pics of angle grinders at work: 1, my son cutting a fuel tank out of Revel back in July. 2, Me cutting the heating pipes out of the house in 2012.
 

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It`s two cuts about 4" long, twice, to remove 2 fittings. I have a 100mm angle grinder and cutting blades, but no sawzall, clones are readily available here. I have to protect the area in any event,I`ll think about the angle grinder option.
 
At a tag sale if you can locate a Sawsall with brushes , a uniiversal style motor , it will operate great in inverter power or smallish noisemaker power.
 
If you're using cheap blades in a Sawzall, you'll be there forever. Use Lenox blades, we typically used 618 blades to cut up oil tanks and piping when I was in the Plbg/htg business. We never used angle grinders, too much mess- the sawzall was bad enough. If you're removing old steam piping, the fittings are usually cast iron, use a 2# hammer on one side of the fitting and back the other side with an 8# sledge. One good swat and the fitting will break in pieces. EZPZ. An advantage to breaking the fittings is that the remaining thread on the pipe will usually remain intact, re-useable.
 
Carbide-tipped blades. 8^)
 
I have issued hundreds of hot work permits (any work producing sparks or flame) in industrial facilities. For grinding, requirements include removal of combustible materials, fire blankets, running water hose, fire extinguisher, continuous monitoring for flammable vapors (LEL meter), a separate person as fire watch, face shield, leather gloves and notification to the fire brigade.

Grinding in a confined space (another high hazard permit required) increases risk an additional level - add inhalation hazards, asphyxiation, entrapment. Would need forced ventilation and fresh air supplied respirator.

Our maintenance department would not even suggest grinding if the work could be done with a saw, which is not considered hot work.

Sure, industrial requirements can be considered extreme when working on your own equipment but the risks are extreme - fire, explosion, injury, fatality.
 
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DCDC said:
I have issued hundreds of hot work permits (any work producing sparks or flame) in industrial facilities. For grinding, requirements include removal of combustible materials, fire blankets, running water hose, fire extinguisher, continuous monitoring for flammable vapors (LEL meter), a separate person as fire watch, face shield, leather gloves and notification to the fire brigade.

Grinding in a confined space (another high hazard permit required) increases risk an additional level - add inhalation hazards, asphyxiation, entrapment. Would need forced ventilation and fresh air supplied respirator.

Our maintenance department would not even suggest grinding if the work could be done with a saw, which is not considered hot work.

Sure, industrial requirements can be considered extreme when working on your own equipment but the risks are extreme - fire, explosion, injury, fatality.
Click to expand...
In our Industrial law, it was often said the only safe machine was one so well equipped with safety guards it could not be used at all. We are getting close to it.
It won`t hurt to get a sawzall clone, and see if it does the job. There is a Stanley one on special on Ebay. If I still need to use the angle grinder I`ve still got the sawzall for other stuff.
 
The Home Depot Rigid one handed sawzall is one of my favorite tools.

It finished a heavy steel fuel tank and a half when I burned up 2 heavy duty ones on the first half of the first tank.

I agree about safety, but regulations are for the bottom of the food chain and with proper care, many procedures are acceptable. All work environments are harzardous if not careful.
 
BruceK said:
It won`t hurt to get a sawzall clone, and see if it does the job. There is a Stanley one on special on Ebay. If I still need to use the angle grinder I`ve still got the sawzall for other stuff.
Click to expand...

Beat me to it.
If you don't already have a Sawzall, this is a good time to buy one. I think it will do the job, although mine is a 110v one. Have been really tempted to buy a battery powered one. I'd sure like to hear how it goes, and what saw(volts) and blades you bought.
 
Ordered a corded model online. I may not get to the job for 2 weeks due to other commitments, but will report how it goes, and have my trusty angle grinder with me. I recently replaced all the fire extinguishers on the boat, what could possibly go wrong.
 
I had a similar project and used a Sawzall with Lenox blades as Maerin suggests. My cut was about 8" x 8" and took a half hour. Covered the exposed steel with Awlgrip anti-corrosion primer, then 545 primer, then topcoat. As noted, get a magnet and spend as much time cleaning up as you did cutting. The Sawzall certainly throws a lot of material around, but nothing like an angle grinder but since I haven't used a grinder for a job like the one you described, it may well be a good option.
 
I have used metal cut off wheels that attach to a drill. I buy very thin ones at Harbor Freight about 3" in diameter and around 1/8" thick or less.
Use a variable speed drill at slow speed to minimize the sparks and dust.
 
I am into my second Milwaukee sawzall...wore the first one out. For the job you describe, my choice is angle grinder with plenty of wet rags to catch flying sparks. IF you do go with the saw, you should use oil on the blade and that by itself is going to make a mess.
 
Once you get a cordless sawzall, you will be amazed at how often you use it. I'd also second the "thumbs up" for Ridgid. Lifetime guarantee on it including the batteries. That's huge.

(My saw is a Dewalt, but I have a Ridgid drill that I'm very happy with)
 
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