Wightsparks
Member
- Messages
- 1,533
- Location
- Wight
I had to chop 6m lengths of 5mm x 25mm mild steel bar into 200 pieces and 25mm x 6mm bar into 80 pieces.
Didn't fancy using a grinder and after some reading on here I bought a £50 Evolution chop saw from SF http://www.screwfix.com/p/evolution-r210cms-210mm-single-bevel-compound-mitre-saw-240v/7277p just for this job.
With the blade that was in it I (effortlessly) cut 153 x 5mm bars before it needed changing. I replaced it with the Erbauer alternative blade for £11 (inc). With this blade I cut the remaining 47 bits of 5mm and the 80 lengths of 6mm - it had started to go off a bit by the end but I would imagine that the life will be about the same as the original blade if not slightly better.
Overall impressed with the thing, time taken was no more that if I was cutting wooden batten - around 6-10s/cut. The Erbauer blade was quieter but not as smooth. As others have mentioned you need serious PPE as it chucks little hot chips of metal everywhere - no bare skin at all! It leaves a nice shiny smooth cut that needs no de-burring.
Construction was OK, obviously not an industrial tool but it did the job and nothing broke on it.
Hope that helps if you are looking at the cost effectiveness of the TCT route
Didn't fancy using a grinder and after some reading on here I bought a £50 Evolution chop saw from SF http://www.screwfix.com/p/evolution-r210cms-210mm-single-bevel-compound-mitre-saw-240v/7277p just for this job.
With the blade that was in it I (effortlessly) cut 153 x 5mm bars before it needed changing. I replaced it with the Erbauer alternative blade for £11 (inc). With this blade I cut the remaining 47 bits of 5mm and the 80 lengths of 6mm - it had started to go off a bit by the end but I would imagine that the life will be about the same as the original blade if not slightly better.
Overall impressed with the thing, time taken was no more that if I was cutting wooden batten - around 6-10s/cut. The Erbauer blade was quieter but not as smooth. As others have mentioned you need serious PPE as it chucks little hot chips of metal everywhere - no bare skin at all! It leaves a nice shiny smooth cut that needs no de-burring.
Construction was OK, obviously not an industrial tool but it did the job and nothing broke on it.
Hope that helps if you are looking at the cost effectiveness of the TCT route