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.
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.
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.
To ensure you perform the cut safely and effectively, we’ve answered some of the top questions asked about cutting metal with a circular saw. One of the main problems with using a wood cutting saw to cut through metal is the speed, as most of these saws go well beyond the recommended speed for cutting metal. To safely and efficiently cut through metal with a circular saw you’ll need to operate at a maximum no-load RPM of 5,000; otherwise, you may end up overheating the metal and cause serious harm to yourself and your power tools.
can circular saw cut metal Related Question:
Can I put a metal cutting blade on my circular saw?
Only blades and discs specified for cutting metal should be used. These professional circular saw blades are perfect for cutting through aluminium, copper, lead and other non-ferrous metals; while these diamond cutting discs will make light work of cutting through stainless steel.
Can a wood saw blade 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.
What kind of saw blade cuts metal?
Ferrous blades are ideal for cutting metals that contain iron, such as stainless steel or cast iron. Choose a non-ferrous blade when cutting softer metals, like aluminum or copper. For the best results, use a diamond blade that’s rated to cut the type of metal you are working with.
Can you saw through metal?
A standard, motorized circular saw is capable of creating straight cuts through most types of metal. The key to using a standard circular for cutting metal is to choose the proper blade for the project. In general, circular saws accept abrasive, metal cut-off discs for metalworking projects.
Can a circular saw cut aluminum?
Most grades of aluminum offer excellent work ability and weldability, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. The preferred way to cut this material is with a miter saw but a circular saw still works.
Can I cut metal with a hand saw?
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 you saw through steel?
A hacksaw can cut through sheet metal, but its shape limits the types of cuts it can make. The cuts may also be a bit rough, you won’t be able to maneuver the saw much and its blade can’t cut very deep. However, a hacksaw is great tool to have on hand to take care of simple steel-cutting tasks.
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.
How do you select a saw blade for different materials?
Typically, thicker metals, plastics or wood sections require saws with bigger blades, while hard materials require saws with larger teeth. The actual number of teeth on the work is crucial, with at least three on each section of material being worked.
Will Home Depot cut a piece of metal for me?
You Cannot Have Your Metal Cut At Home Depot Home Depot does not cut metal sheets, rods and roofing materials at the store, but you can contact your local store about cutting your metal pipes. Otherwise, you may be able to visit a local place to have your metal materials cut to your preferred size.
Can Diablo blade cut aluminum?
Diablo’s Aluminum saw blade series is ideal for corded and cordless saws when on-the-job cutting non-ferrous metals such as aluminum extrusions, copper pipe, brass plate, etc.
Can you use a steel cutting blade to cut aluminum?
Ferrous metal blades can be used for cutting all types of metal construction products including steel siding, roofing, steel studs, and other construction steel. Non-ferrous metal blades are designed for cutting products such as aluminum, aluminum trims, copper and brass.
Can you use a Mitre saw to cut metal?
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.
What is a circular saw used for?
The circular saw is perhaps the most commonly used saw today, used extensively in both professional construction projects and DIY home improvement. This power tool uses a round metal blade edged with sharp teeth to cut an array of material such as woods, metals, cement block, brick, fiberglass, plastics and slate.
