I need some advice from those who do metalworking, specifically involving lightgauge steel. I've done a lot of work with aluminum but my non-ferrous experience is mostly limited to stuff like black iron pipe and electrical conduit.
I have an on-going need to cut some small steel channels (1", 22 ga) to length. I've been using a hacksaw, which works okay, but it's a little slow and requires some care to get a straight cut since the thin material has a tendency to flex and chatter. It also takes a fair amount of filing to clean up the ragged edges of the cut. So, I'm looking for a better way.
Metal-cutting blade in a jig saw? I have an older jig saw that I could dedicate to this job. Will a 24t blade give me a smooth cut that won't need a lot of cleanup afterwards? Will it be hard to hold the cut straight?
Ferrous-metal blade in a miter saw? I'd be willing to buy an inexpensive MS ($80-100) for this job; I cut these channels one at a time, so even a 7-1/4" model is plenty big. An MS should give the straightest cut most easily, but how smooth would it be?
Abrasive cutoff saw? I know nothing about these. Overkill for this application?
Other?
I have an on-going need to cut some small steel channels (1", 22 ga) to length. I've been using a hacksaw, which works okay, but it's a little slow and requires some care to get a straight cut since the thin material has a tendency to flex and chatter. It also takes a fair amount of filing to clean up the ragged edges of the cut. So, I'm looking for a better way.
Metal-cutting blade in a jig saw? I have an older jig saw that I could dedicate to this job. Will a 24t blade give me a smooth cut that won't need a lot of cleanup afterwards? Will it be hard to hold the cut straight?
Ferrous-metal blade in a miter saw? I'd be willing to buy an inexpensive MS ($80-100) for this job; I cut these channels one at a time, so even a 7-1/4" model is plenty big. An MS should give the straightest cut most easily, but how smooth would it be?
Abrasive cutoff saw? I know nothing about these. Overkill for this application?
Other?
Comment