quick help needed with a metal chop saw?

[jeepjunky]

Im cutting 2"x3"x3/16 tube. I have no issue cutting the streight cuts but I have about 6 45deg cuts. any idea on how to do that? Im not sure that the saw as a piviot (left or right from center). To try to be more clear...if you are looking at the wide side \___________/
I know that my wood chop saw has a piviot to make degree cuts but not sure about the metal one Ill be using.
Thanks

 

[ibedayank]

thers a reason for the degree marking on the clamp..... and for the two nuts that hold the top part of the clamp.



oh and read the DIRECTIONS...they help greatly

 

[Jack Olsen]

I wouldn't make a habit of it, but you can put an abrasive blade on your wood chop saw. Home Depot sells 10" discs pretty cheap, if I remember. Clamp the stock down for safety.

You could also clamp on a guide and cut across the tubing with a circular saw (with an abrasive blade put on it). Another option would be to do it with a hand-held grinder. Depends on how accurate you need.

 

[therealwormey]

mine has the fence/clamp that pivots, the saw doesnt move but the angle of what i cut does,,,dont understand your dilemma,sorry cant help ya

 

[ibedayank]

if my guess is right he has a 14inch metal chopsaw where you move the upper part of the clamp to cut angles not the blade like in a compound wood miter saw

 

[jeepjunky]

thanks, I did wonder about the wood chop saw, I think ill digress though, As for the the delima I have 2- 12' sections of 2x3 that I need to cut, but for the frame I need to have 45deg cut ends. As for the directions...Im at work (24hr shift) and unable to get to the saw. Im not sure the guide clamp on the chop saw will allow for a 45deg cut on such a long piece...Im just tring to work through any issues I may have when I build the frame on the 15th; I have very limited time to go from streight tubing to a rolling frame. Im not wanting too many suprises.
I do know that I can use a sawzaw or a cut-off wheel on a grinder, but it needs to be accurate.
Thanks

 

[NUTTSGT]

Do you have a local fab shop that you could take it to and have them cut it on a horizontal bandsaw ? It may be worth a few bucks to have them cut it if you can't angle the clamp on the chop saw.

 

[mike13u]

You wont have any issues. Its pretty straight forward. The vise jaws under the blade swivel to position the work to desired angle. The only issues you will have is when the abrasive blade is used and begins to get smaller, it wont complete some of the miter cuts because of its smaller size. Show up that day with an extra blade and it will save you some time running around if you are doing lots of cuts.

Length of cuts present no problem as your mitering the end. If your not, then cut down to size with a straight cut and then make another cut to miter. The fact that the vise does or does not have a degree gauge doesnt present a problem either. The vise will move forty five degrees one way, and forty five the other. So once you hit the 'stops' in either direction you will have the cuts you need for your description above. The only degree you will need is the 'zero' for straight cuts.

Make a few practice cuts on pieces before so that you ensure that you know what your doing before you ruin any of the quality stock that you bought for the project.

 

[AussieDan]

If you only have 6 cuts to make, you can just scribe out the angle on the tube and cut it with a 4" cutoff wheel in the angle grinder.

You can almost guarantee that a regular abrasive chop saw is going to wander on anything other than a straight cut, and in my experience trying to get the clamp to hold at exactly 45 is an exercise in frustration. By the time you screw a couple up trying to get the cut-off saw dialed in you'd have them all done with the grinder.

 

[iagsxr]

The vise will move forty five degrees one way, and forty five the other. So once you hit the 'stops' in either direction you will have the cuts you need for your description above.

My stops are past 45*.

My markings aren't that accurate, I use a combination square to set the blade.

An abrasive blade will want to deflect sideways. Either feed it slow or know that you may have to touch it up with a grinder.

 

[mike13u]

My stops are past 45*.

My markings aren't that accurate, I use a combination square to set the blade.

An abrasive blade will want to deflect sideways. Either feed it slow or know that you may have to touch it up with a grinder.

Are you saying that the stops arent quality and the saw moves past 45*? I get that. Sometimes tools arent that accurate, Im just trying to explain to a new chop-saw user how they work.

A decent saw should do those cuts very easily and the chop saws that I have seen are set up to make 45's and 90's and you turn the work if you need cut angle facing different direction.

The OP needs the cuts described/pictured in first post on steel stock. He is useing the correct tool. Although I would agree there are now better methods and technology has produced better saws. For those cuts on the material he needs, a chop-saw has been and still is the most commonly used method. It will make those cuts all-day, everyday.

The accuracy is going to depend on him and him getting used to the saw. They can cut accurate if you take your time. As IAGSXR mentions, take your time on the cut and dont force the blade down or it will wander.

Good luck. Post pictures of the project after.

 

[CAOS]

Double check that your length of material you are going to cut is level with the base of the saw horizontally. I always double check with a torpedo level. As said above double check the angle with a speed square or a tri square.

People always tend to try and force the blade of a chop saw/zip cut. DON'T. Let the blade/disc do the the work, in the end your cut will be straighter and you wont waste the chop saw blade/zip cut blade.

Making nice weld joints is kind of like painting a car, its all in the prep time. Cutting and painting are the easy parts.

 

[spooler41]

Jeep, I've got 2 14" chop saws, both have swivel clamps that are adjustable to + 45*. I've cut a ton of 2x3 sq. tube with them, never had a problem with blade wander. I do support the tube ends that are off the saw bed and I also check the adjustable clamp side with a speed square, make sure it's tight and cut slowly until you have a bit of depth cut in the tube.

Good luck with your project, .....Jack

 

[jeepjunky]

Thanks all! Ive spent some time today looking at chop saw, I now see the adjuster on it to make the 45deg cut. Never noticed that before. When I bought the steel, they offered to make all the cuts I need (at $5.00 per cut) I need 7. Ive seen chop saws on craigslist for 50. seems like buying a saw makes more sence. I would prefer to have a band saw but thats even more $$$.
Again Im going in on tuesday to cut and weld my new frame, and I can use the saw at the shop. Im just Im just trying to elimenate any possible issues. After all my luck is usually BAD!
Thanks for all the help

 

[SWells]

Maximize the accuracy of your angle by not going too fast, let the blade do the cutting (not you forcing it down). Abrasive blades have a tendency to flex/wander when forced.

 

[SWells]

Oh yeah, don't fully trust the markings on the saw. I usually verify with an angle finder for cuts that demand more accuracy.

 

[iagsxr]

Depending on what you're building, since your using 3/16" wall, you may not want to cut the joints to points.

Maybe leave the outside wall square so that when you fit two pieces together it forms a 90* you can run a bead down.

Adjust your measurements accordingly.

Here's the last miter-cut thing I've built, a framework to mount pegboard in my garage. 3/4" x 1 1/2" 14ga

You have to keep in mind that the corners can slide together longitudinally and it won't seem like much but if you're not paying attention it will get the whole thing out of square.

Same thing with controlling your heat when you weld it together. The tubing you're using is heavy enough heat will be less of an issue, but work around when you weld it off.

Lost the pics of just the framework mounted on the wall. Where it was going it had to be near perfect. It came out within a 1/16" of being nuts on, which I dare anyone to do better w/o a surface plate to fixture to. So it can be done.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Jeepjunky, what are you making?

 

[jeepjunky]

Ladder frame for a 47jeep CJ2a

 

[rickb801]

How about a sketch of the frame you are wanting to make?

 

[ibedayank]

that scares me.....hope you can weld metal better than you can cut it.
remember its not just your life your putting at risk by welding up a frame for a jeep
unless you can pass an xray test on tube you should NOT do this.
If you do please do not come to tennessee with that death trap

 

[Jack Olsen]

Are you looking to fabricate the entire frame piece?

That's not going to be a simple job. I know there are a lot of safety geeks online, but how many years of welding experience do you have? How do you plan to do the bending?

I've been welding for several years, and I would not attempt frame work. I also don't see where there would be 45° cuts in this assembly.

 

[ibedayank]

Jack...45s on the body mounts would work