Metal Cutting Saws

[skypig]

Hi experts.

Something I’ve wanted for a long time.

Thinking of buying a “DeWALT 355MM 2200W Cold Cut-Off Saw“ for Xmas. (Nearly A$900)

It claims it is “ designed for cutting ferrous & non-ferrous metals without producing sparks or heat”

Sounds like what I want. I’d like to cut alloy and steel.

However, past research indicted that Steel needed slow speed (Some “lubricated” saws run under 100rpm I think), while Al required a faster speed.

The DeWalt runs at 1300rpm, comes with a 66 tooth blade.

Comments/Info.

[sleepy]

I have an old cold saw, think it's an Omes and it runs quite slow with a coolant supply. The difference with this more modern saw is the Tungsten Carbide blade which is happy to cut at 4 time the speed of the old High Speed steel blade. From the youtube I watched you will still get red hot chips/swarf coming off it but it looked a lot less damaging than the sparks that come off an abrasive cut saw.
If I was in the market for a new cut off saw I would probably think about one of those or similar. There is a Evolution brand out there that get a good review as the base is much more sturdy. 

[Momus]

Buy the Bosch equivalent at well under half the price.

If you want a true do-all machine you really need a horizontal band saw.

The chop saws are ok for rhs and aluminium but not really suitable for solid, harder round steel.

I use a 300mm Brobo cold saw with a fine tool steel cutter for RHS and sometimes cut ally plate and bar with a coarser blade.

For fast work in Al. I'd use a high speed chop saw with a triple chip blade and if cutting steel RHS swap with a narrow abrasive blade. This will work very well for docking timber.


For steel bar in larger diameters horizontal, cooled, band saw is the go.

[skypig]

Thanks very much. The info is appreciated.
It’s looking like a horizontal band saw will be “the go”, but a bit big for my bulging shed.
New shed in the works.