What is the best for cutting this stuff? 1.5" schedule 40 weld els?



or

 

definitely bandsaw if you got the right blade.

Otherwise chopsaw

 

Bandsaw keeps the material much cooler. The chop saw can heat stainless so much that it'll get about as hard as diamond... I've had it happen. For mild steel either will be fine, but the bandsaw won't through sparks all around and fill your shop with smokey grit.

 

What is the correct blade and blade speed for schedule 40 stainless steel.

Justin

 

a 10/14 combo Bi-Metal blade is best for stainless i find. dont buy cheap ones either, they dont last. Youll find a good blade runs around $25-$40

 

bout the only thing shitty about stainless, cutting it.

 

I did 2 cuts with a chop saw before i went out and got a band saw. It smells like ****, heats the metal up too much and it is not as easy to clamp the workpeice.

my personal opinion is that a chop saw is not only the wrong tool to use, but dangerous. Even a cheap bandsaw does a decent job!

 

What brand bandsaw would you guys recommend? Looks like I'll be buying one very soon.

Regards,
Justin

 

Many here get by with the Harbor Freight 4" x 6" Horizontal/Vertical bandsaw. Say what you will about it, but it cut all the tubing for my car, including the 321 stainless for the header - no problem. Do a search on it for lots of info.

 

I've used the Harbor Garbage bandsaw to build a schedule 10 manifold...from my experience, I'll never do it again.

I did go thru like 10 $15 blades though, and I'm sure it's because I was using the wrong blades. Where do you guys get good blades for these POS band saws?

The harbor garbage is hard to get a good cut on because the blade will want to walk around on you instead of cutting straight. It will take FOR EVER to make a cut too. If you are going to use the Harbor Garbage bandsaw, plan on getting a 12" disck sander while you are at it because you will need it to straighten out all the crappy cuts that 4x6 bandsaw is capable of.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2point2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I did 2 cuts with a chop saw before i went out and got a band saw. It smells like ****, heats the metal up too much and it is not as easy to clamp the workpeice.

my personal opinion is that a chop saw is not only the wrong tool to use, but dangerous. Even a cheap bandsaw does a decent job!</TD></TR></TABLE>

u have to buy a decent disk that is made just for stainless.. and never use it on steel either.


a good stainless cutting disc rips through pipe in no time.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 99_GS-T &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've used the Harbor Garbage bandsaw to build a schedule 10 manifold...from my experience, I'll never do it again.

I did go thru like 10 $15 blades though, and I'm sure it's because I was using the wrong blades. Where do you guys get good blades for these POS band saws?

The harbor garbage is hard to get a good cut on because the blade will want to walk around on you instead of cutting straight. It will take FOR EVER to make a cut too. If you are going to use the Harbor Garbage bandsaw, plan on getting a 12" disck sander while you are at it because you will need it to straighten out all the crappy cuts that 4x6 bandsaw is capable of.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Fair enough, but I have no problem with mine. I bought blades through mcmaster.com and they last a really long time. BTW I used that saw to make my headers and one blade lasted through that and much more. It cut right through the material as if it were mild steel. You have to use a good blade...

 

I have the "Delta" version of the HF bandsaw and have no real problems with it.. I have a belt sander to tweak the angles, you'll need to sand the parts to the exact right angle for 1 off manifolds anyway.. the saw cuts pretty damn strait with a sharp blade.

I snapped the blade just the other day actually.. built 90% of my STAINLESS manifold, downpipe, aluminum IC pipes and quite a bit of mild steel for a school project.

I know from experience (even on industrial bandsaws) that 'walking' is caused from a dull blade. If you buy cheap blades, expect cheap results. but the bandsaw itself does the job.

 

I would get a horizontal bandsaw. Check eBay for saws made by JET. JET does some great low cost machines and typically has a high cost model to choose from as well. Alot of JET dealers offer free shipping from the factory on all JET equipment so you don't have to worry about shipping. A truck will drop it off.

Evan

 

Sounds like I was getting screwed on the blades. The were like $15 blades for metal, but if you guys are building an entire header with a blade and I'm going thru like 5, then obviously I've got some crappy blades. I think they were 14 teeth/inch hard back carbon blades. It was just the best blades I could find locally and I figured it was just the cheap $150 bandsaw causing the problems.

Would the below linked blade be the right blade for stainless cutting then?
http://www.mcmaster.com/param/...h=812

 

Yeah, or something like this:
http://www.mcmaster.com/param/...h=783

Basically get the best one they make. At around $22 it's a cheap way to make a weenie saw cut much better. And get two. It sucks having your one and only blade fail on the weekend...

Edit: You want 2-3 teeth contacting the material at all times. That means for thin wall tubing you want lots of teeth/inch, probably more then the blade I listed above.


Modified by kb58 at 9:39 PM 10/10/2005

 

I've got the HF 14" chop saw and a band saw. No matter what you use, you need a good blade or disc. I hate the chop saw though, its loud, dangerous, messy, crappy clamp, limited in cutting things (180 mandrel bends).

 

Here are the blades i use: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=371-0404

These usally last me about 2 months of soild cutting Sch 10 & 40 SS.

 

I use a bandsaw from TSC and use the same standard blade to cut aluminum, stainless, and mild with no problems. The cuts aren't perfectly straight but just a quick touch to the grinding wheel and they're good to go.

 

chop saw all the way. I'll never go back to a bandsaw....EVER.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RTErnie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">chop saw all the way. I'll never go back to a bandsaw....EVER.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm in the position where I want to punch my chop saw in the face and looking to buy a band saw.

Can you explain how you are using your chop saw that works well for you? If I could adapt it I would keep it.

I'm sure if I spend time making proper jigs to hold piping for cutting it might help.

 

you guys using the h/f bandsaw what speed are you guys cutting stainless at?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RTErnie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">chop saw all the way. I'll never go back to a bandsaw....EVER.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm the exact opposite. No matter how wonderful a chopsaw cuts, it throws sparks and grit everywhere, gets abrasive dust in the air for you to breath, and if a blade ever breaks can be very dangerous.

Once I got the HF bandsaw I never used the chopsaw again... EVER.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RTErnie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">chop saw all the way. I'll never go back to a bandsaw....EVER.</TD></TR></TABLE>

wow. i cant belive i just read that.

i cant stand trying to cut out 1/4inch plates and **** with a chop saw... it f-ing sucks.

try cutting collectors with a chop saw. lol...

 

if you only have a chop saw,like me, you can make it work. ive done a few collectors/manifold and they turn out fine. it might not cut as fast, or as clean, but a little more work and it'll turn out fine.






use what you have. and not all of use have nice equipments.