Metal cutting with a miter saw?

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
I noticed yesterday I could get a metal-cutting circular saw blade that looks like it'd also fiit my miter saw. This seems like it's be a much easier way to cut pieces of flat stock, tubing, etc. I don't plan to do anything real thick (e.g. 1/4" or bigger), prob 3/16 at most, morel ikely 1/8" and under.
My miter saw is nothing fancy, a $180 Delta deal.
Is thsi feasible/safe? Obviously making the cut slow is the key.

Wanted to ask before I do something stupid.....
 
I would just go ahead & get a chop saw
 
I think it would work. Just go slow and wear eye protection cause crap's gonna go everywhere.
 
I think the biggest thing with those is the motor RPMs. Make sure your saw isn't to many RPMs for the blade. The other thing I would consider is that those new style blades produce lots of metal 'chips' thats also how the heat it expelled so make sure they can exit the saw.. Plastic stuff may not last long..
 
I used an old trash 10" mitre saw for a while and it worked, but it melted the plastic parts on the saw. I also hated using a 10" blade because it wore down faster. And 12" saws aren't cheap. I now have a dewalt chop saw and its much better to use.
 
According to some buds from Southern Jeeps... the biggest issue is getting the work clamped/affixed to the saw! Supposedly it works great, but when (NOT if) the work come loose... described by them "a come to Jesus moment"

They threw it away (literally!) and went back to the chopsaw...

Why no get a cutoff blade for the miter saw?... Much less needed to keep the work down...
 
Caver Dave said:
Why no get a cutoff blade for the miter saw?... Much less needed to keep the work down...
Click to expand...

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. The blades I'm talking about are "metal cuttoff" and would just replacet he saw blade on the miter. Is that what you're describing?

yager said:
I think the biggest thing with those is the motor RPMs. Make sure your saw isn't to many RPMs for the blade. The other thing I would consider is that those new style blades produce lots of metal 'chips' thats also how the heat it expelled so make sure they can exit the saw.. Plastic stuff may not last long..
Click to expand...

Looks like the saw is mostly aluminum with plastic coverings on things like the motor housing etc.
It's a 5000 rpm saw, the cutoff wheels I saw said max was ~8000... that was my first thought too. I'd bet a scrollsaw would be too fast.
I hear ya on the flying bits though.... my shop bench backs against framing/insulation for an interior wall, so that'll definitely have to be addresed.

Right now I'm using a 4" cutoff wheel in a (cheap HF) grinder and holding the work in a vice. That cuts wonderfully, but it's hard to get a nice, clean straight cut that way. if I just thad the same thing but on a fixed arm so that it'd always swiing down straight it'd do the job. That's what made me think of the miter saw.

Other that the lack of swinging/pivoting, what's the functional difference between a chop and miter saw? I have made jigs for my miter before to make it easier to hold certain odd-shaped objects in place.
 
if your going to pony up for a chop saw, you might want to consider a band saw, they are about the same price as a quality chop saw, but are more accurate, and create less mess. But storage can be a problem.
 
sorry i was speeking of the new style metal 'chip' saws that spit out hot chips vs generating sparks and dust..

Yes i agree get a band saw, i have one, had it for 5 years now, much better than the abrasive blades, i buy good lenox blades and they last a good while..
 
Yes, it will work. However, I did it on my saw and now the laser lineup doesn't work (burnt) and the plastic part that the blade slides through on full chop is melted a little. So, remove that piece of plastic if you have it and remove the laser if there is one. I would also remove the sawdust catch bag cause it will burn a hole in it.
 
RatLabGuy said:
I'm not sure exactly what you mean. The blades I'm talking about are "metal cuttoff" and would just replacet he saw blade on the miter. Is that what you're describing?
Click to expand...

That isn't what your first post said...


I noticed yesterday I could get a metal-cutting circular saw blade that looks like it'd also fiit my miter saw
Click to expand...

For the record, a circular SAW blade is just that... looks similar to the one your cutting wood with, but made specifically for metal... (search for Morse "Metal Devil" blades). Those are what I thought you meant...

Now, cutoff or chopsaw wheels are abrasive and usually referred to as such... not "blade"
 
Sorry for the confusion. I guess I wasn't really thinking about the difference. I was just thinking about what I'm using in my grinder but bigger.
 
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