Welding Tips and Tricks

Before I start building I am carefully checking that I have everything I need. I've just examined my circular saw and the motor is mounted on the left as I hold it with my right hand, the space between the motor housing and the base of the saw is only 3/8" and it overhangs base meaning it can't be used against a clamped edge (unless it's less than 3/8") because of the motor. I could, of course, saw from the other side! but I find it more comfortable with my left hand on the clamped side, or am I being silly?

So it's looking like I'm going to have to get a new saw. What would you recommend? Another mains saw a cordless saw or a table saw? You can pick up table saws and cordless saws for around £150, but they are basic models.

The second question, is it worth investing in a replacement blade from the one supplied with the saw, will it make any difference to a novice like myself?

Thanks.

What material are you cutting? Generally any wood cutting appliance spins way too fast to cut metal.

I would almost never use a wood saw like that for metal. It prob won't do a very good job and it's dangerous. Kick back, holding the saw,... As the other post stated, wood saw goes way too fast for metal cutting.

Get a decent horizontal band saw. Harbor freight has a 'ok' one for a decent price. You can find decent ones used on Craigslist etc. I have a HF one, it's served me well. I'd really like to know how it would feel with a better saw. Grizzly...

Band saws to me are easier and less racket than a chop saw.

Either way, buy a new better aftermarket blade. Read and watch videos on alignment.

IMHO lose the wood saw idea.

STKR

Depending on what you want to cut (ie: aluminum sheet, iron pipe, etc) would depend on what I would recommend.
It was pricey but I bought the portable band saw (ELLIS MODEL 1600 MITRE BANDSAW : https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ELLIS-MODE ... ondition=3 ). Very nice model where you can stand it up and use it for an upright band saw OR as a horizontal band saw as well. For sheet metal, I bought a Milwaukee 7.5" (?) electric, hand held metal saw. I also bought from Eastwood the small 4" electric metal saw and I was impressed with this small saw (only thing from Eastwood I was impressed with so far). Stay away from the Harbor Freight cheaper band saws, I bought one and brought it back 2 days later, at that point is when I decided to spend the extra $ for the better band saw. Only my opinion and likely only worth 2 cents.

RPat wrote:I also bought from Eastwood the small 4" electric metal saw and I was impressed with this small saw (only thing from Eastwood I was impressed with so far).

That looks like a nifty little saw. I wonder how it compares to those saws with the counter-rotating blades.

Very good question. I'm not sure........... But it's now the only saw I use for cutting aluminum sheet. When their black friday sale came around I even bought 10 spare blades for it. Also not a bad price for this small saw even when it's not on sale.

Oscar wrote:

RPat wrote:I also bought from Eastwood the small 4" electric metal saw and I was impressed with this small saw (only thing from Eastwood I was impressed with so far).

That looks like a nifty little saw. I wonder how it compares to those saws with the counter-rotating blades.

Like a russian bear bomber?

Yea I suppose, lol. Supposed to be zero-kick black with the counter rotating blade cutters.

We had 3 of those dual counter rotating bladed saws at work... they didn't last a day. Trying to cut 1/4 aluminum tread plate.
Now we do have a tendency to take the lifetime guarentee as a challenge accepted, but one would think that durability should last more thatn 8 hour shift. The 2 minutes I ran one of them it did cut smooth, but you had to run it slow. That was about 7-8 years ago, so my memory may be more than a bit shady. But I do know they didn't last a full day each.

The have a big ellis bandsaw at the metal shop down the road from me. That thing is awesome, highly recommend if you have big pockets.

I recently aquired one of these...

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/ ... ws/6370-20


we use them at work occasionally, but not consistantly. I love these for cutting plate and heavy tubing. Have already made a bevel adapter.

Mac's Crew wrote:I recently aquired one of these...

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/ ... ws/6370-20


we use them at work occasionally, but not consistantly. I love these for cutting plate and heavy tubing. Have already made a bevel adapter.

Looks like a good tool, would be interested to see your bevel adapter

LtBadd wrote:

Mac's Crew wrote:I recently aquired one of these...

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/ ... ws/6370-20


we use them at work occasionally, but not consistantly. I love these for cutting plate and heavy tubing. Have already made a bevel adapter.

Looks like a good tool, would be interested to see your bevel adapter

I have the cordless version of that saw, I'd like to see that adapter as well

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I'll take a picture when I head back out to my shop... but it works out as a degreed plate that bolts to the shoe.

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Ok gotcha. So just a set angle, not adjustable?

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Right a single angle. I chose 30° and I know it isn't a perfect 30° but it works well for a bevel hasn't got a bunch of chemical impurities worked into it. Mainly because it is a version of a drycut saw. So I just have to grind back an inch or so to remove rust and whatever else is there.

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https://evolutionpowertools.com/us/steel/evosaw180.php

http://www.mkmorse.com/circular

These both will bevel up to 45 degrees. And both offer a 7.25 and 9 in blade models.

I know Milwaukee has a proven saw but if your really looking for beveling then these are you best option. Makita and skillsaw brands also make metal cutting circular saws.

And about my earlier post. They do make metal cutting blades for wood circular saws, but it’s limited on thickness. More designed for metal conduit and other thin walled pipe.

Double posted fixed via phone

As promised...

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Ganera wrote:So it's looking like I'm going to have to get a new saw. What would you recommend? Another mains saw a cordless saw or a table saw? You can pick up table saws and cordless saws for around £150, but they are basic models.

Well, the OP posted 2 messages to this forum, the original in this thread being over 1 month ago and the only one before that being more than 2-1/2 years ago. His profile says he's located in Santa Cruz, CA but he references the cost of a saw being in English pounds.

Homemade wrote:What material are you cutting?

And this is the 2nd post of this thread which is the key question for the OP. What are you building? Is it shop, a house, a raised bed planter, cutting board, wooden spoon, chainsaw carving, welding table, 10-ton gantry crane?

Since the OP has only posted 2 messages to this forum, I don't expect he's in the right forum, or even that he'll respond. I think he's gone at this point. Just my opinion, but a welding forum is not the place to ask about what type of table saw and/or circular saw you should buy... And not to be a pessimist, but he is asking about wood cutting tools in a metal cutting forum.

That said, this is not to imply that others are not getting value from this thread...just saying...

Cheers,
Alan

I've notice a few times that people join just to post links to reviews on some item, usually listed in the post or in their signature. There was another one last week, for some reason they are the only ones that post "themselves" in their avatar pic like their driver's license or something like that . They never return, so they are just likely "spamming" for hits on some webpage or whatever.

I think this is one of those cases Oscar!