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Date:         Fri, 2 May 2014 13:12:47 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: LVC: Cutting Metal (sheet, plate, box, tube)
Comments: To: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAB2Rwfh_GSB_wsKagiupxNLj7TCiRuTucT_pQEpwZotfuoNFkA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Neil,

A band saw sure is nice. A wide blade and a narrower one, even on a woodworking band saw does almost 75% of your aluminum cutting. Baked speed might be an issue if you want to cut steel, but you could make it work.

A cheap chop saw, yes I'm looking at you canadian tire, with a neg rake carbide toothed blade is perfect for the rest of the aluminum cutting.

If you do a lot of steel, then a dry cut saw works well. Princess auto has one that has lasted pretty well in our shop. Throws chips, as does the aforementioned CT chop saw, but it is a lot less messy than an abrasive cut off saw.

Don't worry about shears. You can't afford the ones that you want :)

And heavy steel cutting? Your oxy acteylene cutting torch is the boss.

All other cuts are probably best left to waterjet or laser cutting (or plasma).

Alistair

> On May 2, 2014, at 9:46 AM, Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote: > > Hi all. > > Finally signed a lease for a new Vanagon "shop" space. Reasonably > sized: 21' x 18' x 8.x' high garage. I'm allowed to MIG weld, cut > metal, but ventilation may be an issue. > A cut-off wheel in angle grinder throws a lot of dust. > > Do budget oriented metal shears generally last long enough for NON > commercial use? > eg: http://www.kmstools.com/magnum-12-hand-shear-3035 > The thickest metal I work with so far, is 1/8" though I wonder if a > shear like that would actually cut it. > What about cutting 1.5" or 2" box steel? > > I don't have an O2-acetylene set up. > > Would a band saw suffice for cutting sheet, plate, box and tube material > but not throw as much dust as a cut-off wheel? > Other tool suggestions are welcome! I would not run a compressor. > > I don't foresee a lot of fabrication. And since 110 VAC to garage is > on a shared breaker, this may negate any real future fabrication work > beyond cutting and tacking parts in place. Still. It would be fun to > learn of things like intake manifold alterations, copying diesel > vanagon carriers, etc. > > Thanks much, > > Neil. > > > > -- > Neil n > > Blog: tubaneil.blogspot.ca > > '88 Westy http://tinyurl.com/c8rlw6p > > '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ > > Vanagon VAG *Gas* inline-VR Engine Swap Group: > > http://tinyurl.com/d7gd5ej


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