What do you guys use to cut 1/8 and 3/16 plate steel? I am going to make some tube fenders and need to cut the plate to bolt to the existing fenders. Would a jig saw with a good metal blade work? I know a plasma cutter is the best way but I dont have $1000 to fork out?

 

honestly, a circular saw with a metal cutting disc is your best bet.

and get a good angle grinder.

Its slow, noisy and dirty but it does the job when you don't have anything else.

 

If you have a steady hand an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel works pretty well also.

 

Reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade works too.

 

WHy not just trace the patternand take it to a local place that has a plasma table or a water jet. The work will be 1000x time cleaner/faster. Not sure of what the prices are in your area, but in my area they are reasonable.

 

Yeah a jigsaw with ALOT of good metal blades will do the job and a 4.5 angle grinder for making long strait cuts works very well I had a plasma cutter and really only used it for cutting brackets off axle tubes lol I like the grinder and saw alot better I guess in just old school lol

 

Definitely an angle grinder. same took can cut and finish steel plate, tube, or dow.

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I agree it may just be cheaper to have someone cut it than buying a couple hundred bucks worth of blades and grinding wheels.

 

Angle Grinder and lots of Harbor Freight Cutoff discs. I use my Sawzall when I'm out of blades and a jig saw for corners on sheet metal or thin plate. We have a Plasma cutter at work but to mark it and take it in has always been to much of a pain and to time wasting for me.

 

Idk about habor freight wheels... I have had too many blow up on me. Dewalt or other more expensive wheels are the only ones I will use. They won't blow up as easy and last longer. I say its worth the extra $

 

I can agree both ways. I've used hundreds of both. I've used harbor freights discs for light and medium duty grinding and cutting and never had one blow. Love some dewalt discs tho

 

+1 on the angle grinder. And it might just be me, but I find that the Harbor Freight cutoff discs actually cut better than the ones I can buy at Lowes/Home Depot and they cost 1/2 as much. I have never had one fly apart on me either, and I have been through 50+ of them. What I have had come apart are the wire wheel/cups. Those wire pieces HURT when they fly off at 200mph and stick in your skin.

 

angle grinder. get an extra piece of steel and clamps to use as a guide and then cut a shallow "ditch" in the plate with the angle grinder. Remove the guide and go to town.

As for what wheels to buy, it really doesn't matter. I prefer DeWalt, but it's preference. No matter who makes the wheel, if you put lateral stress on it while cutting it'll fly apart. As far as going through a ton, that only happens when you try to cut through the steel to quickly (also a reason for them flying apart). Take it slow and let the wheel do the work. I an angle grinder and chop saw to cut all my bumper pieces and only used 3 cut off wheels for the angle grinder. It's all about patience and doing it right.

 

We use these at work:
http://www.heavydutystore.com/walter...-pr-63806.html

They cut faster and last longer than anything else I've been able to get my hands on so far.

+2 to letting the cutting wheel do the work, if you force it through the cut they wear down really quickly.

 

Get a Port-A-Ban Bansaw if your goin to be doing any straight or angle cuts on pipe or plate they work amazing and they're rather cheap from Harbor Freight tools I should be picking one up soon you can even buy a bracket that makes it work like a horizontal bansaw for a cheap price