Cut Metal with Your Circular Saw It may not be an obvious choice, but fitted with the right blade, a circular saw is a great metal-cutting tool. In our test, it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. You can cut mild steel up to about 3/8 in. thick using a ferrous-metal-cutting blade.
Cut Metal Fast There’s nothing wrong with using a good, old-fashioned hacksaw, but there are faster, easier ways to cut metal. Cut Aluminum with Your Miter Saw Making accurate cuts on aluminum rods, tubes and angles is easy with a miter saw and a blade designed to cut nonferrous metal. Cut Metal Lath and Mesh with a Grinder Metal lath and hardware cloth can be cut with a tin snips, but there’s an easier way.
To successfully cut metal or aluminum with a circular saw you’ll ideally need a saw with a brushless motor as you’ll likely cause less wear & tear on the motor when compared to a brushed type motor. If you’re purely looking for a metal cutting circular saw, you’ll also have to consider both the saw blade and the actual saw. If you’re are a construction worker and would consider it cost-effective buying a metal cutting circular saw, you can take a look at the Makita XSC04Z which was explicitly designed as a metal cutting saw with the necessary saw blades already included.
You have a lot of factors to consider in the metal-cutting vs circular saw question-like blade speed, the blade itself, and the collection of metal shavings created by the blade. You may look at your circular saw and wonder, “Why buy a metal saw when a framing saw does the same job?”. The Milwaukee M18 Fuel 7-1/4-inch circular saw has a no-load RPM of 5,800 whereas the Milwaukee FUEL 8″ metal saw comes in at 4,000. Smaller saws fall nearly 1-1/2 inches short of a standard size 7-1/4 inch framing saw blade and cannot cut through 2-inch conduit in a single pass. The design of metal-cutting saws lets them either collect or deflect those shards better than a framing circular saw. So why use a metal cutting circular saw instead of a normal circular saw?Closed motor housing. Stick with circular saws designed for each specific task, and don’t be afraid to go for a corded metal cutting saw if a cordless model is too tough on your budget.
In another post, a reader asked why a wood-cutting circular saw cannot be used on metal. Let’s look at 2 saws – Milwaukee’s new M18 Fuel brushless metal-cutting circular saw, and their full-sized M18 Fuel brushless wood-cutting circular saw. When it comes to cutting a lot of the types of materials you would use a metal-cutting circular saw on, such as angle iron, that wood-cutting circular saw blade is going to be spinning way too fast and might not have the torque needed for fast or safe performance.
Circular saws work on the same principle as a mitre or chop saw a circular saw is not fixed to a cutting plinth; this gives complete freedom over the cutting movement to enable freehand straight and gently curved cuts to be achieved. When using a circular saw for cutting metal it is important to ensure it has an enclosed motor housing to protect the motor from damage caused by metal chips. Regularly apply cutting fluid as the saw travels the length of the cut to reduce heat and allow a clean cut.
can you use a circular saw to cut metal Related Question:
What kind of saw do you use to cut metal?
Circular Saw with Metal Cutting Blade or Metal Circular Saw Roofing, sheet metal, and corrugated metal—basically any metal that generally requires just a simple, straight cut—can be cut by a circular saw with the right blade.
Can you use a wood saw to cut metal?
While a metal-cutting saw has a collection bin to prevent metal chips from getting into the machine, a woodcutting saw isn’t designed this way. If you do decide to use a wood saw on metal, only use a 7 1/4-inch blade and preferably a worm drive blade, which provides extra torque.
How do you safely cut metal?
Cutting metal is simple with reciprocating saw paired with a metal cutting blade like the Milwaukee 6 in. 7 TPI Torch Carbide Teeth Metal Cutting SAWZALL Reciprocating Saw Blade. This blade has carbide teeth for 50X life over standard blades.
Can you turn a circular saw blade backwards to cut metal?
You can run a saw blade backwards and it cuts pretty well. However it is not at all a good idea. The two big reasons not to do this is that saw tips are much more likely to come off if the saw blade is run backwards and that the whole saw blade is much more likely to come apart if it is run backwards.
Can a hand saw cut metal?
There are hand saws for cutting wood, drywall, metal and plastic. Even though hand saw uses vary and choosing the right saw for the job is important, the basic technique for using a hand saw is the same.
Can I use my wood miter saw to cut metal?
The short answer is, yes. Provided you have a good blade, and a decent miter saw motor, you can take on quite a few small home repair or remodeling jobs involving metalwork too. For example, it’s possible to cut through rebar, even at an angle, as long as you’re sporting a blade with over 80 TPI.
Can I use a wood blade to cut aluminum?
Choosing the Right Blade for Cutting Aluminum Standard woodworking blades with carbide tips still work but require extra precautions. The tips are more likely to grab the aluminum or break off. Almost all major blade manufacturers make blades specially designed for cutting non-ferrous material.
Can you cut metal with a knife?
Using a utility knife to cut sheet metal is an easier and quicker way. This process involves whipping out this knife and scoring the facade of light-gauge metal stock. When done correctly, this can provide cleanly cut that stock off without requiring to resort to a saw or snips.
Can a Dremel cut metal?
The Dremel 15/16-Inch Heavy Duty Cut-Off Wheel is ideal for cutting, grooving and trimming all kinds of metal. It can also used on other materials, including thin wood, plastics and ceramics. This cutting disc is constructed from a hard abrasive used for slicing and cutting metal including hardened steel.
Which way should the teeth face on a circular saw?
The teeth should be cutting UPWARDS, in a clock-wise direction. You’ll also notice that when your blade is installed correctly, the teeth will be pointing upward. Remember: circular saws (as most saws) cut on the upward stroke.
How do I know if my circular saw blade is backwards?
Correct Circular Saw Blade Direction However, saw and blade manufacturers make it a little easier for you. When you look at the saw’s blade cover there’s an arrow to let you know which direction the motor turns. On the blade, there’s usually a directional arrow as well.
Can I put a metal-cutting blade on my miter saw?
Although mitre saws were traditionally used for cutting wood, with the correct blade they can make light work of cutting through steel and aluminium profiles at an angle.
Can you put a masonry blade on a miter saw?
The masonry blade is made of a hardened material such as carbide and may have diamond-encrusted cutting teeth, capable of cutting into paver materials. The blades’ cost are determined by their material, so you can find a blade to fit any budget. Install the masonry blade into your compound miter saw.
What is the difference between a compound miter saw and a miter saw?
Compound cuts include both a bevel and miter. A compound miter saw adds the ability to make bevel cuts in addition to its mitering ability. You’ll want to make sure you have this feature anytime you work with crown molding or other trim that gets installed on a wall.
