Stainless sheet

[MigTig]

Araghh I have to cut a big sheet of Stainless for a kitchen Tig welding project.
I cant find any ultra thin 4'' discs, and im not sure if my Nibbler would handle 1mm Stainless. Anyone know what the best way to go about this is? I would otherwise have to wait 4 weeks untill my Plasma cutter funds are sorted.

I need an accurate cut, the tools I have are a Jigsaw, Bandsaw, 4'' grinder, Falcon Nibbler, and my teeth.


Cheers once again, I only a fairly tight timeline to get this done.. maybe a week or so before I get moaned at

 

[Justme]

large shear cutters are better & cheap too.

 

[Hitch]

Buy a 4.5" or 5" grinder.

 

[MigTig]

Got some (hand) sheers. Could give them a go..
I will eventually get a new grinder, but already blown my savings on the new TIG etc.. so il need to save up a little
Mind, Grinders are getting pretty cheap now.

Thanks

 

[Alex]

For sheet definetly the band saw, make sure the blade is good for steel i.e. HSS or Bi-Metal. Carbon steel blade will blunt instantly on ferrous metal.

Also the band saw will only cut straight if the blade is not blunt.

Sawing in my opinion is much better than abrasive cutting. You also have the fence to keep the cut straight.

 

[Hitch]

an 8x4 of 1mm ss might be a bit cumbersum for a bandsaw?

 

[marknotgeorge]

If you've got a big Asda near you, they've got grinders for a tenner. No guarantees on quality, of course, but for that price it's worth a gamble.

 

[Justme]

If its an 8x4 & its for your sample / trial packs get it done on a shear press at the suppliers.

Justme

 

[Hitch]

Im not the one who wants to cut it. Its not a problem for me!

Guillotene.

 

[Alex]

1mm SS will be a breeze for a bandsaw with a Bi-metal blade as long as the motor is not low power.

If you want a clean cut its either

CNC

Water Jet

Saw

Laser

and some others


Abrasive will not give a clean cut.

 

[Drains]

Jigsaw and metal cutting blade. It'll be fine on 1mm, but as it's stainless, keep the blade speed slowish, travel nice and easy, no pendulum action, and lots of lube. Piece of cake.

I'd spend a tenner on a throwaway 4.5 inch grinder myself, but either will work. The vibration on the jigsaw can be a bit unpleasant.

No no, i'm wrong. Buy a laser!!!

 

[MigTig]

an 8x4 of 1mm ss might be a bit cumbersum for a bandsaw?

Too true, we have a wood bandsaw, but I would have no chance fitting it through. I need about a square meter section, plus some strips. Its for the back of a gas cooker, to sheild a wall from hot frying oil and mess. (Its a wooden cabin).
Thanks for your replies, I will update my grinder shortly.

Well, I have had to make a quick fix for the angle grinder (hope you dont laugh at me ) This will run against a batton held down on the stainless sheet with clamps, while I cut it with this Stainless Grade discs. I found some, finally!

So this was my quick fix. Threaded rod, nuts, an oak batton with two nuts inside it. This is adjustable, holds firm.. and its all I have discs on the way

 

[Alex]

I would be cautious with the jigsaw, it may wander and not give a straight cut even when resting against a fence.

Using a jigsaw I would go VERY slow about an inch every 30 seconds.

Use lots of coolant as aswell.

 

[Drains]

Why the guide Migtig? Is it to run along a fence? If so, I like it!

 

[MigTig]

Yup, I will lay a batton on the Stainless, and then simply go slowly. Should (in theory) give me a nice straight cut.

I will take some photos when I do it, see how it works out.
Its a poor mans large sheet metal cutter.

Darn that stainless cost an arm and a leg though (company paid) turns out its 1.2mm, £85 a sheet, better not screw up

 

[Hitch]

1mm SS will be a breeze for a bandsaw with a Bi-metal blade as long as the motor is not low power.




Abrasive will not give a clean cut.

I disagree, a thin disc not pushed will give as clean a cut as a bandsaw.

A lot of it will come down to the quality of the disc- crap disc=crap cut.

 

[Alex]

I find that abrasives tend to get the metal quite hot and give an inferior cut

 

[Haze]

if its just 1mm id cut it with a hack saw

 

[Alex]

Only prob with the hacksaw is when you get to the limit of the blade hanger/tensioner and you cant cut any further.

 

[Leanne1979]

Hi all
I have abit of a question, and its something i have wondered about for a while (maybe the answer is obvious) but How come you can buy these benchtop wood cutting bandsaws for like £60 but when you look at a metal cutting bandsaw they

a) look totally different (they are horizontal instead of an upright bench version)
b) Are alot more money

How come you cannot buy one of those upright woodcutting bandsaws and just buy like a metal cutting blade for it?? It just seems a perfect siimple solution for cutting say simple box section, round section, sheet etc etc. I mean you can buy metal cutting blades for your jigsaw, why not in a simple band version?

Maybe im missing something obvious here
Leanne xx