Metal cutting chop saw question

Bret4207

Well-known Member
I have an abrasive metal cutting saw and a metal cutting band saw. I've seen, but never been around, those chop saws that use a metal blade with carbide (I assume) teeth. I can see where they'd be nice for thinner stuff, not sure how they are thick stuff. I'm wondering if the saw itself is different from a wood cutting miter saw? I have a 10" Makita non-compound type. Is the motor speed different for the metal blades or can you use a wood cutting design for metal too? I don't know much about them obviously!
 
Cutting steel I've never had one the teeth would stay on, even cutting sheetmetal. It should work good for aluminum or softer metal.
 
The carbide blades turn slower that a wood
saw. Also the shielding is typically metal
as the chips are hot. And them clamping
system is better as the carbide saws tend
to grab.
 
A true metal cutting saw is called a "cold" saw.

It turns slow, probably 300-400 RPM.

It uses a regular high speed steel blade, not carbide, and runs with coolant.

The saw is very heavy duty, extreme torque, rigid frame. Good for simi-precision cuts.

You could get away with cutting aluminum, thin steel with a regular chop saw and a carbide metal cutting blade, but don't expect very long blade life. Depends on what you are cutting and how steady your hand.
 
Hi Steve, I have had a "Doringer Cold saw for several years and it is the most correct cutting saw I have ever saw! The blades are 12 or 14 inch and they have to be sent back to Doringer for sharpening as the teeth are of a special design. You can cut maybe 2500 or more cuts between sharpening! It will cut up to 45 degrees and anything in between. If you care to call me 505-620-3040 ,there is more I can tell you. Jim in N.M.
 
There are chop saws and then there are CHOP SAWS.

Yes they make metal low RPM chop saws made for them carbide tooth blades.

But when I think of a good metal cutting chop saw I think of...
4 or 5 HP brutes.
They take a 14 inch 1 inch arbor diamond cutting blade that spins at 4000 rpm.
You would never put a blade with teeth on one of these brutes.



cvphoto72358.png
 
I have a replacement fork on a front end loader that was cut with an Evolution brand saw. It looks just like a wood skill saw, but it s made to cut metal and it uses a blade made for those saws. The blade for the cold chop saws are around hundred each. I can't tell you where they are made but headquarters is in Iowa.
Untitled URL Link
 
This is the type of chop saw we are talking about.


cvphoto72360.png


Carbide blade, not a true cold cut saw, no coolant required. The cut metal stays cool, but the chips are hot.

I have one of these Milwaukees, it works like a charm on any think up to about 1/2x2. Thicker sections cause the blade to heat and is hard on the
carbide.



cvphoto72362.png


They also make lager hand held circular saws that work well to. I have used a carbide metal blade in my B&D worm drive wood saw. It turns a bit too
fast for metal so is hard on the blade. It did the job I needed though with only having to buy the blade and not another saw. This was before I had the
little cordless one.
 


Okay, so no, I can't make a wood cutting chop/miter saw work for metal. Thanks guys. I guess I'm going to have to look for better abrasive cutting blades though. The Dewalt jobs I've been using are nothing to write home about.
 
504 - EVOLUTION'S US headquarters is just north of I-80 at NORTHWEST BLVD and just east of the truckstops and gas stations. Easy to see from I-80.

Son bought an EVOLUTION RAGE 2 cold cut chop saw just like the one posted above, he called raving about how great it was, I bought mine that same day, Menards had them for $199.95. carbide tooth 14 inch blade, heavy cast iron base on the saw. I had a cheap imported 4x6 inch horizontal or verticle bandsaw, used the 64-1/2" blades, was used when I bought it 40 years ago, was getting wore enough it spit the blade off constantly, never did cut square. The EVOLUTION cuts clean burr-free square ready to weld cuts, cuts accurately every time, does not cut crooked like an abrasive saw will. Last thing I cut was a 2"×2" 1018 cold rolled square bar. Took about 20 seconds to cut. It cuts steel better and faster than my Delta 12" miter saw cuts soft pine wood. Yes, you need a full face shield, ear phones are a good idea too, not because of noise, but hot razor sharp chips hurt when they land in your ear. EVOLUTION says they cut steel, aluminum, wood, plastic, but should only be used a limited amount on stainless steel.
 
Stop by a local welding supply store they will be a better blade,might cost a little more, but you
will get a blade made by people who build them, not buy them with their name added.
 
My brother owns a Milwaukee corded hand held circular saw that is designed to cut only metal. The blade has teeth on it just like a
wood blade, but designed for metal. That saw will cut a 3"x3/16 piece of steel like cutting a 2x4. Those carbide blades seem like
they have to melt their way thru on any chop saw I ever used. Mark.
 

Some pipe fence builders cut oil field drill stem with Evolution toothed saws. YouTube has lots of videos on building the pipe fences.
 
I have one of the Evolution saws with the
carbide teeth. I bought it to build a
flat bed out of 2x3 3/16 tubing. So far,
I have used 3, 24 foot sticks of tubing.
It cuts as well now as it did on cut one.
You definitely need ear protection,
though, that blade is loud cutting.
 
Ive had my Evolution saw for 3 years now. Not a ton of use but Ive done some bigger projects with it and cut a lot of heavy steel. Its just now needing a new blade. Still cuts but slower. Have never once lost a tooth, never even heard of it til now. My neighbor has one as well and runs a small fab shop. When his Evolution blade wore out he bought a Diablo blade thinking it would be better. But its considerably thinner, so it cuts faster but it wore out extremely fast. Point being, stick to thicker blades like the Evolution if youre looking for max blade life.
 
(quoted from post at 11:23:37 01/23/21) I have an abrasive metal cutting saw and a metal cutting band saw. I've seen, but never been around, those chop saws that use a metal blade with carbide (I assume) teeth. I can see where they'd be nice for thinner stuff, not sure how they are thick stuff. I'm wondering if the saw itself is different from a wood cutting miter saw? I have a 10" Makita non-compound type. Is the motor speed different for the metal blades or can you use a wood cutting design for metal too? I don't know much about them obviously!

I've had one of the Milwaukee hand held circular saws meant for metal for 4-5 years now. I have cut up to 1"X8" mild steel stock effortlessly, will make a cut through 1/4" plate like cutting a sheet of plywood. Key is not to crowd it and keep it cutting straight; if not straight it tends to screw up the carbide teeth by dragging them on the trailing edge of the blade. Blades run about $50 but for me they seem to last a lot longer than one would think they would. I'm guessing that I will get close to 100 lineal feet of cut through 1/4" - 3/8" stock out of each blade.
 
(quoted from post at 09:57:14 02/06/21)
(quoted from post at 11:23:37 01/23/21) I have an abrasive metal cutting saw and a metal cutting band saw. I've seen, but never been around, those chop saws that use a metal blade with carbide (I assume) teeth. I can see where they'd be nice for thinner stuff, not sure how they are thick stuff. I'm wondering if the saw itself is different from a wood cutting miter saw? I have a 10" Makita non-compound type. Is the motor speed different for the metal blades or can you use a wood cutting design for metal too? I don't know much about them obviously!

I've had one of the Milwaukee hand held circular saws meant for metal for 4-5 years now. I have cut up to 1"X8" mild steel stock effortlessly, will make a cut through 1/4" plate like cutting a sheet of plywood. Key is not to crowd it and keep it cutting straight; if not straight it tends to screw up the carbide teeth by dragging them on the trailing edge of the blade. Blades run about $50 but for me they seem to last a lot longer than one would think they would. I'm guessing that I will get close to 100 lineal feet of cut through 1/4" - 3/8" stock out of each blade.

Thanks for the info! We're going to have to meet up one of these days. Is that your yellow McConnell (?) for sale or the neighbors? I remember seeing it t Thayers I thought.
 
Hi Bret, The McConnell is Mike Thayers; FWIW, Mike was/is brutal on machinery. Used stuff hard and never did do much in the way of maintenance or repair until whatever it was completely failed, then it was back to the dealer.
I am just up past the Amish sawmill, on the same side of the road (3470 on the mailbox), can't see me from 11, driveway is a mile long, lined with spruce down near the road.
 
(quoted from post at 14:08:22 02/07/21) Hi Bret, The McConnell is Mike Thayers; FWIW, Mike was/is brutal on machinery. Used stuff hard and never did do much in the way of maintenance or repair until whatever it was completely failed, then it was back to the dealer.
I am just up past the Amish sawmill, on the same side of the road (3470 on the mailbox), can't see me from 11, driveway is a mile long, lined with spruce down near the road.

Okay, I wasn't sure just where you were at. I worked with Mikes brother IIRC. There were a couple of those McConnells or whatever they are in the area. A couple steps down from a TYM/Nortrax or even a Belarus from what I could tell.



Auction time is coming, assuming The Powers That Be don't shut it all down again. Maybe we can shake hands someday, or at least do that elbow bump thing they tell us is safer! ;)
 
Rick Harriman sold the mcConnells for a short time when he had the trailer business just down past the Silver Leaf. Pretty basic Chicom units as near as I could tell. :(
 

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