[diarmaid]

Thanks for all the advice folks,

merl, as I was reading down b4 your post I was thinking that I don't want to use my mitre saw for both wood and metal, and be switching blades back and forth. Also as you say, Im not sure how it'll hold up cutting metal when it wasn't intended for that.

Im thinking I'll keep the miter for wood as it was intended in the beginning on high by Mr. DeWalt!

Anyway Im thinking a multi cutter for metal, but why can't I use it for mild steel?

[jderou]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11293

towards the end I gave a review on my experiences. I cut through lots of mild steel with this thing.

[miljnor]

when I first got into business I was just using a Hand held wood ripping circular saw for aluminum!

Its scary as hell as all the chips seam to want to hit you, and they are smoking hot! but it worked fine with a 10-20.00 home depot carbide insert blade. Of course the blades don't last nearly as long as you might expect, but It got me into the game with very little money!

[diarmaid]

Thanks for the info folks. Unless Im mistaken jderou you were cutting steel with the dry saw?

If so then that decides it. Im going to go with the Multi Cutter and maybe a horizontal bandsaw later on.
Thanks.

[merl]

diarmaid,the problem with using a chop saw, such as you have choosen, is more a matter of rmp than ridgidity.
the Dewalt would hold up to occasional use as i suggested, even in aluminum, using a carbide toothed blade from the hardware store,but compare prices for the same product from a supplier such as MSC(MSC.com) you will see that the prices for a 14" 120tooth cold saw blade are quite a bit higher.
of corse the reason for this is the cold saw blade body is made from a type of tool steel known commonly as "high speed steel" with carbide teeth brazed to it. these are used in "cold saws" that typicly run between 50-120 rpm and often have some kind of mechanical or hydraulic feed for the blade.
the surface feet per minet on a 14" blade at 120 rpm is around 435 sfm.typical sfm for carbide tooling is between 400-1000 sfm for steel.
i'm not sure what your saw runs at but i think someone said something about 1800rpm. this would give your blade a sfm of nearly 6600 sfm far too high for cutting steel (any of you router jocks cutting steel on your 30,000 rpm routers?)
my Kaltinbach cold saws run between 50-120 rpm and i only use them to cut steel tubing.
on my Willton chop saw i have a 3400 rpm direct drive motor and i cut stainless tubing with the abrasive cut off wheel and aluminum bar and flat stock with a 10" carbide tooth blade from the hardware store. the guy who runs this saw for me can cut a piece of 3/8 by 2" peice of alum as fast as he can pull the handle. this saw has a 2 hp 220volt 3 phase motor on it. your saw from Dewalt will not come so equiped.
what am i getting at ? use an abrasive cut off saw for steel or put a carbide blade on it for aluminum. befor you buy something maybe try MSC.com and compare the different kinds of machines they offer.
remember i have been doing this for nearly 30 years and when i want any kind of machine or power tool i approach it from that point of view so i hope you take my advise in the spirit it is intended and don't think i'm looking down my nose at you. i admire anyone with an idea and the gumption to do something about it.

[DSL PWR]

merl,
There are 2 separate saws at the begining of the post. The 1st is a wood saw that will work in aluminum, and the second is a purpose built multi saw.

[diarmaid]

ARgh! I think there is some confusion.
In post number 1 there are two saws:
1 is marketed as an abrasive chop saw.
2 is marketed as a dry cut metal chop saw.

Further down the posts I posted a pic of my mitre saw. This is only going to be for wood I suppose.

So:
According to merl I should buy the abrasive chop saw and fit a carbide blade for aluminium.

Simply question: Should I get the abrasive chop saw and fit a carbide blade for aluminium, or the dry cut chop saw and use an abrasive blade on it for steel? Which one will work out best with the alternative blade fitted?

merl: No problem at all. I asked for advice and am glad to receive it from your experience.

[ger21]

Remember that you can cut aluminum with your wood cutting chop saw.

The specs on the Dewalt site for the 872 say 1300rpm, and clean cuts that are cool to the touch. Lgalla says he cuts steel with it daily. A few people said to stay away from the abrasive.

Based on that info, I know what I'd buy. But it's your choice.

[dragoneye]

try looking at the triton site in the uk i used an abrasive prior to purchasing the triton metal saw it has a device that clamps the metal each side of the metal with an enclosed blade and has a box at the rear which collects all the sparks.
the day i purchased this my old chop saw was redundant and never cut a correct angle ,where has the triton has no mess is very safe to use cuts square every time dos not have heat transfer it costs in OZ $290 which is around 115 pounds sterling you only buy triton once as they never break they will even buy them back or trade up as better products become available,
if you have never seen this company you will like what you see

[diarmaid]

Ok thanks for the advice all.
I know what Im going to do now.

dragoneye, that saw is quite impressive, and not bad value either, but its capacity is too small, aswell as it would limit me in the angles of my cuts.

[jderou]

Thanks for the info folks. Unless Im mistaken jderou you were cutting steel with the dry saw?

If so then that decides it. Im going to go with the Multi Cutter and maybe a horizontal bandsaw later on.
Thanks.

Yes, with the Dewalt multi-cutter. I cut aluminum with it too.
I got a horizontal bandsaw since this post and I actually use it most of the time (unless I am in a hurry). The bandsaw is quieter, and chips don't hit you. But its also much, much slower, and the quality of cut isn't as nice.

[diarmaid]

Great! Thanks jderou, just what I am glad to hear.

Im going with the DeWalt aswell because ever since I bought my DW power planer with incredible chip collection I buy very little from other manufacturers. Also had to use the DW service agent after I planed a few nails and the after sales service was excellent.

Anyway...L8rs.

[BIGRAGU]

Hello DIARMAID,
It sounds to me that for the kind of cutting that you are looking to do it would be tough to beat a dry cut saw. I have sold approx. 60 of these units over the past 2 years. We have had excellent results with these saws as well as the blades. The brand that I sell is Evolution. It seems to be a well built unit. As far as the blades they are resharpenable several times, the local shop that sharpens them charges about $25.00. They make several blades for steel, thin steel,aluminum, wood and so on. I personally have one of these saws in my home fab shop and use the regular steel blade for everything. I have put many, many hours on this saw on the first sharpening of the blade and it is still cutting good. We have been selling this saw with a steel blade for $479.00. When you do need a replacement blade it runs about $89.00. One thing to keep in mind is that a cold saw and a dry cut saw are two totally different things. A cold saw uses a high speed steel blade at very low R.P.M. where as a dry cut saw uses a carbide tipped blade at about 1900 R.P.M.. There are definately advantages to the dry cut over an abrasive saw such as a much more accurate cut (no blade wandering), no smoke, very few sparks, and virtually no heat. I have had my dry cut saw for over 1-1/2 years and havent had my chop saw out since. Good Luck.

[mxpro32]

I got an abrasive wheel at my local welding shop that is made for aluminum. the blade cuts through aluminum much faster than the standard blade cuts through steel, and it only costs 8 bucks and is lasting forever (with occasional shop use). I also discovered that it slices through cast-iron like butter, whereas the standard abrasive wheel all but refused to cut CI.

[Kipper]

has a box at the rear which collects all the sparks.

I sent my apprentice to get me a bag of sparks once....He never did bring em!!.....turned out it was the dizzy so I needed em too

[Lionclaw]

Is there any reason why I shouldn't put an abrasive disc on a miter saw? I want a chop saw for metal cutting, but I'm trying to figure out if my miter saw can handle that task.

[thkoutsidthebox]

I think some people do that. You probably want to check and compare the discs stated rpm to what the mitre saw will run it at.....

[kentavv]

If you are using a miter saw do you have a way to clamp the stock down? I use a sliding compound miter saw for cutting aluminum and it works great but I would feel a lot better having a postive clamping mechanism.

[elogicca]

I had a chop saw, makes a lot of dust and those bladesd go really quick, changed to a bandsaw best buy ever except if you break your last blade, good luck on finding a blade on a saturday :P

[SCHootie]

Go to the Hobart Weld Talk forum and do a search. They had a link to by one of the carbide metal cutting blades for around $40. I think it is Bullet Industries that is selling the blade.