I have to cut some 4" square steel tubing. I have a nice mitre saw. Is there a reason I can't stick a chop-saw blade in there to make a few cuts? Is a chop saw all that different?
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Jan. 17, 2012 9:20 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork
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Jan. 17, 2012 9:26 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork
The quick answer seems to be yes, except the hot-metal bits flying off will melt the plastic shrouds.
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Jan. 17, 2012 9:29 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork
Not to derail your multi-use plan... but I effed up a nice circular saw doing that. A HF 14" chop saw with a 20% coupon is your $70 Huckleberry.
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Jan. 17, 2012 9:31 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork
Not to mention the mess it makes, and how it wears the motor nicely.
Seriously, it's a good way to make a nice mitersaw into a junky one. Sorta like cutting bricks with a circular saw.
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Jan. 17, 2012 9:51 a.m. motomoron HalfDork
It works fine with a miter saw you don't care about.
The best answer is: Troll craigslist for a horizontal bandsaw.
I got a little Jet 4x6 a few years ago and that marked the end of my 14" abrasive saw's career. My recent purchase of the assets of a complete machine shop upgraded me to a 7x10" older Enco horizontal w/ hydraulic downfeed. 4" square steel is like a miter saw cutting 2x4s.
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Jan. 17, 2012 10:01 a.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
I use a 10" Ryobi miter saw with an abrasive blade. I've cut 4" square 11ga carbon steel tubing with it, no problem at all. Like butter. I've cut enough 304 stainless with it to build space frames for 2 cars.
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Jan. 17, 2012 10:22 a.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
A miter saw will certainly do it, but I prefer to keep my wood and metal cutting machines separate. For that reason I bought a HF 14" chop saw for ~$70.
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Jan. 17, 2012 6:28 p.m. 93gsxturbo HalfDork
As was said, if its the only mitre saw you have, I wouldnt do it. A 2nd mitre saw dedicated to metal would work great though. I have a DeWalt 14" chop saw and I love it.
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Jan. 18, 2012 6:56 a.m. tr8todd Reader
Just make sure the rpms of the saw are not higher than the max rpms the abrasive blade can handle.
