Cutting Box section. the best way to do it?

[oilcooled :)]

A 9 inch grinder and 4.5 inch grinder will make the best tradesman out of a man. Bandsaw is best, but alot of fellas that learn with bandsaws have no eye in there head.

 

[daedalusminos]

Perhaps one of these.....
Check out at 18minutes...

 

[chunkytfg]

As a background I'm an ex electrical and mechanical apprentice with London Underground who did all the usual machine shop/engineering type basic handworked and machined skills in my first year. I'm very much mechanically minded despite spending most of my time working with electrical stuff. So suffice to say I'm perfectly capable of doing cuts by hand etc but I'm very much a fan of making life as easy as possible without just paying someone to do it for me.

 

[chunkytfg]

Just for completeness, to give the OP a round picture, should we say that this type of saw is not so great on thin sheet? I mention it as in the top post, he says he comes from a woodworking background, where a circular saw will cut anything from veneer to double its full depth.

Thats fine. I'm unlikely to spend much time with thin stuff anymore. I've done my time trying to weld cars. not fun!

 

[Onoff]

Originally I'd always cut box with an angle grinder, did it for years.

Then I got an early model Evolution Rage 255mm chop saw that I would use to cut most box section. One problem with it (for wood too tbh) is it easily goes out of square or off 45 deg if you move it from one place to the other. Still close enough tbh if you're welding it up.

The other thing with them is they spray you with shrapnel with an alarming force and velocity. Sleeves, gloves and a full face shield are a must. (I'd recommend the Honeywell Bionic).

I then got an Aldi, Ferrex band saw. Pretty good tbh though I had to sort the crappy built in vice as most have who've got them. Great for 25 or 30 mm box that I cut a lot of.

Big box section, like 100x100x6 I'll still cut with an angle grinder.

Band saw quietest and least mess.

 

[Dr.Al]

Just for completeness, to give the OP a round picture, should we say that this type of saw is not so great on thin sheet? I mention it as in the top post, he says he comes from a woodworking background, where a circular saw will cut anything from veneer to double its full depth.

What do you mean by "thin sheet"? I use it to cut 0.8mm steel sheet quite often.

 

[Bornfree]

A 9" grinder is perfect for cutting box, up to 50mm just mark a line on two sides and over 50mm mark all four sides for a perfect square cut every time.

 

[Morrisman]

I'm with @Morris
I have all the tools mentioned so far for cutting steel.
All have their place but for a one off job I'd just use a 4 1/2 inch grinder and slitting discs.

The beauty of steel, unlike wood, is if the joint isn't perfect you can fill the gaps with the welder.
Fair enough you can't fill inch gaps (well you could) but in practice it's easy to get close enough with a grinder and a mm or two off won't make much difference.

As an old boilermaker once told me:
There’s no such thing as a mistake, just more welding.