best tool for cutting steel

[chris pruteanu]

Reciprocating/sabre saw with some quality blades will cut the steel no problem, however don’t expect great accuracy of cutting wide/thick ! The blade flexes a bit !

 

[brightspark]

ask the person who is specifying to tell u what u can use seeing as though he can tell u what u cant use

 

[dannyp]

going to say is it price work or hourly on a good rate ?

 

[ukracer]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=217570038844577&id=127636727837909

Problem is they cheated...thats Aluminum...lol

 

[brightspark]

well that would be no good anyhow the power pack is petrol or diesel and they don't want noise

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I'd suspect that noise might be a feature with that [and indeed, is most of the suggestions] in the job under discussion, unless the compressor was very well 'shielded'?

 

[brightspark]

I'd suspect that noise might be a feature with that [and indeed, is most of the suggestions] in the job under discussion, unless the compressor was very well 'shielded'?

there hydraulic

 

[Screwdriver]

Diamond wire?

I think it's pretty quiet. Just a wire impregnated with diamond running in a loop like a band saw. Water cooled cold cut too.

S.

 

[Agrismith]

No I would say rip saws are exempt from hot work but again its more down to the company’s policy and they can say differently.
It’s not actually creating any sparks or taking the metal to its point of temperature where it would be a fire risk.
It’s a ripping/cutting type device.

Recip saw is defo exempt in gatwick and heathrow
What about handheld bandsaw might be slightly quiter than recip saw
Failing that nightwork or apply for hotworks they are obtainable from all airport authority just hardwork

 

[Revs1972]

Milwaukee M18 hand held bandsaw will cut up to 125 x 125. They are fairly quiet , certainly quieter than a recip saw. From the description of the material you are cutting it will be suitable. Will have to double cut the 150 deep stuff though but as it's a rip out you don't need to be accurate. Pretty quick cutting too

 

[awemawson]

I have a Duplex nibbler that EATS 6 mm plate - wouldn't do angle iron though except lengthwise. It is not too noisy

 

[Pete.]

No I would say rip saws are exempt from hot work but again its more down to the company’s policy and they can say differently.
It’s not actually creating any sparks or taking the metal to its point of temperature where it would be a fire risk.
It’s a ripping/cutting type device.

Recip saws are not hot works. Cold cut saws are not either but they are very noisy.

OP's best bet is either the portable bandsaw or a recip saw turned down very low.

 

[Hitch]

Cold cut saws are not either but they are very noisy.
.

That ones open to debate... some place we go it is, some it isnt...
There is no denying you get the odd few stray sparks from them.

 

[Pete.]

That ones open to debate... some place we go it is, some it isnt...
There is no denying you get the odd few stray sparks from them.

It is but it's accepted by the HSE as 'not hot works' and I'll tell you how I know.

There was an incident a few years ago where a major demo contractor was burning down a metal chimney. Unknown to them there was some titanium things in the chimney that caught fire and wouldn't go out. The chimney caught fire, melted then folded over nearly taking out a new pipeline of some very volatile stuff that would have caused a major (as in world news) incident if it had actually hit.

There was a huge investigation and the remedy was to do the rest of the work with non-hot-work processes. They specified recip and cold cut saws for the remainder of the demolition. I had to do a turn of work there to cover someone who was on a couple of days break.

 

[Richard.]

I would certainly class most form of saw cutting as not hot work and HSE as you say will say the same but ultimately it’s down to individual task RAMS. There are certain jobs where 1 spark can have devistating effects and the company are well within there own rights to tighten up on what is and isn’t classed as hot work. They may say a rip saw has the potential to create a spark and all precautions under the hot work permit may be necessary before using one. It should always come back to task specific RAMS because what counts for one might not count for another.

 

[Kent]

Guys,

need your help on a new tool to help me cut up some steel on site BUT I cant use hot works so no grinder, I cant even use a recip saw or circular saw due to noise so i am limited to what i can use as you can read,the steel is about 6mm from angles to plate its a rip out in an airport so public will be close so that is why,

anything you can think of i can use to help would be great,

Cheers

Baseball bat or similar Hit the safety officer over the head and then just get the job done.

 

[Richard.]

Baseball bat or similar Hit the safety officer over the head and then just get the job done.

Ha ha.
That’s one approach.
Might struggle to get paid mind

 

[WorkshopChris]

Baseball bat or similar Hit the safety officer over the head and then just get the job done.

Going back a good few years now, major shutdown works at Ford Dagenham, were having lots of ongoing problems, ultimately looking like the works would not be finished before the deadline was up.
Solution was to send the site H&S Team for a off site training course, the work was completed safely, efficiently and on time.

 

[brightspark]

I work in a few places where they don't see me doing things and turn a blind eye and jobs get done real fast what the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't greave over

 

[Kent]

Ha ha.
That’s one approach.
Might struggle to get paid mind

Could always have a whip round the guys ?!