What Portable Tool For Cutting Square Steel Box Section ?

[The Coal Man]

Hi,

Would anyone please be able to advise me on what type of portable chop/mitre saw I could use for cutting square steel box section up to 75mm square with wall thinkness up to 8mm? When I used to buy metal from my local stockist, Outlook Stockholders, sadly no longer in business, they used to cut some of the metal with what looked to be a portable mitre saw with a grinding wheel and it fairly whizzed through it.

I have an Evolution mitre saw and it is OK on smaller size steel box section (30mm x 30mm x 3mm) but I think it would struggle with repeated cuts on the larger stuff?

Rgds

 

[Robotstar5]

An abrasive chop saw would do the job.

 

[The Coal Man]

An abrasive chop saw would do the job.

Thx, I will look out for a second hand one.

 

[Perry Owens]

You may already know that Outlook were taken over by Angell Welding in New Addington. They are stockholders and fabricators and would probably cut for you, though so far I haven't found their prices very competitive.

 

[Johnseat]

You may already know that Outlook were taken over by Angell Welding in New Addington. They are stockholders and fabricators and would probably cut for you, though so far I haven't found their prices very competitive.

Are we saying new owners who have put the prices up?

 

[Perry Owens]

I needed 3 x 6m lengths of 25 x 8mm mild steel flat and they quoted me £18.50+VAT per length, collected. H F Brundle did it for £8.30+VAT a length and delivered next day for £10 carriage - not a bad charge for sending a truck from Rainham, Essex to Croydon. Maybe Angell are just trying to discourage the hobby user who must be quite a nuisance to a large outfit.

 

[Screwdriver]

I seem to recall seeing a speed test on oxy-acetylene vs, 9 inch grinder on large box section. Oxy was quicker but the overall time was a lot slower due to setting up times, clean up etc. You may find a battery disk cutter/grinder is just so much quicker and easier than a chop sawfor the same reason. Remembering you have to get the full length of material onto a chop saw bed, into the vice at a given attitude etc. Hack it off with a grinder and tidy it up at your leisure I reckon. For 8mm you're gonna need a fair few disks mind.

 

[Kent]

I needed 3 x 6m lengths of 25 x 8mm mild steel flat and they quoted me £18.50+VAT per length, collected. H F Brundle did it for £8.30+VAT a length and delivered next day for £10 carriage - not a bad charge for sending a truck from Rainham, Essex to Croydon. Maybe Angell are just trying to discourage the hobby user who must be quite a nuisance to a large outfit.

That's extortionate!

 

[Kent]

I seem to recall seeing a speed test on oxy-acetylene vs, 9 inch grinder on large box section. Oxy was quicker but the overall time was a lot slower due to setting up times, clean up etc. You may find a battery disk cutter/grinder is just so much quicker and easier than a chop sawfor the same reason. Remembering you have to get the full length of material onto a chop saw bed, into the vice at a given attitude etc. Hack it off with a grinder and tidy it up at your leisure I reckon. For 8mm you're gonna need a fair few disks mind.

Beyond the scope of a battery grinder if your doing much at all. You will just flatten loads of batteries.
I use an abrasive wheel chop saw for on site accurate cuts, bottles if I have lots of lengths I just want to cut for storage or transport (bottles are a swine to transport and need time to settle after being jostled or layed down)

 

[bigegg]

If i was needing to do this regularly, id be looking as importing a milwaukee 18v fuel handheld bandsaw.

Edit: just reread. Thought you wanted something to cut up steel so it would fit in the car.

 

[Screwdriver]

Beyond the scope of a battery grinder if your doing much at all. You will just flatten loads of batteries.
I use an abrasive wheel chop saw for on site accurate cuts, bottles if I have lots of lengths I just want to cut for storage or transport (bottles are a swine to transport and need time to settle after being jostled or layed down)

Yes I guess it comes down to volume. How many cuts and how often. I wouldn't want to fetch a chop saw out of the van, set it up in someone else's workplace, drag a beam onto the saw just to make one or two cuts....

 

[Jim Davey]

Don't forget power, you'll need a suitable generator as it's a bit cheeky to say "mind if I borrow some lecky so I can deafen the girls in the office while showering the cars in the car park with sparks and holding other customers up who just want to collect their stock and go?"

 

[The Coal Man]

You may already know that Outlook were taken over by Angell Welding in New Addington. They are stockholders and fabricators and would probably cut for you, though so far I haven't found their prices very competitive.

Yes, I was aware that Angell Welding assumed the role, they had placed a sign on the fence near to the Outlook workshop when I went up there.
I have also found the Angell prices to be on the high side, particularly for small quantity purchases. It's a shame that Outlook has closed, Les was always happy to help with small purchases and have a chat at the same time.


Rgds

 

[The Coal Man]

Are we saying new owners who have put the prices up?

Outlook went into Administration so I think it may be a case of Angell Welding stepping into the void rather than having taken over Outlook?


Rgds

 

[The Coal Man]

Yes I guess it comes down to volume. How many cuts and how often. I wouldn't want to fetch a chop saw out of the van, set it up in someone else's workplace, drag a beam onto the saw just to make one or two cuts....

In the first instance it's for one or two jobs only. My plan was to buy a second hand chop saw, use it for the jobs then sell it afterwards. I found an Hitachi CC14SF listed on ebay that is possibly up to the task?

Rgds

 

[graffian]

Outlook went into Administration so I think it may be a case of Angell Welding stepping into the void rather than having taken over Outlook?

I spent all last year helping someone with his roof, and haven't been up for metal since the time Cliff had his heart attack[?]
and was in hospital, I think Les was out in the truck and John was there.

What do I do when I need a short bit of steel/ali/brass now?

 

[addjunkie]

In the past I have used a sthil saw to cut box section in the stock holders car park. All cut up to suit the trailer project, in the van and away.

Rough as you might say but it works, no power cables or battery charging required.

 

[norlander]

Have you got a Fabrications firms near you? some of them will sell you the steel cut to length, mitred if need be and cut by bandsaw sometimes, all ready to weld up.

In the past I have used a sthil saw to cut box section in the stock holders car park. All cut up to suit the trailer project, in the van and away.

Rough as you might say but it works, no power cables or battery charging required.

Good call, and I think you can hire them? or you used to be able to anyway.

 

[addjunkie]

Buy one a very handy tool. They look nice on the shelf next to the little and big brother chainsaws

 

[Robotstar5]

Reading the OP I thought he was looking for a saw to use in the workshop instead of the evolution type he currently uses, not something to chop steel to length in car parks?.