# Miter Saw For Chop Saw?



## vigsgb (Jul 24, 2012)

I have a nice 10" sliding miter saw used for wood working and was wondering if I am going to totally destroy the saw if I put an abrasive wheel on the saw and chop off some round stock and rectangular tubing.

At the moment I have a hacksaw and a sawzall with a metal cutting blade.


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## Tin Falcon (Jul 24, 2012)

I have a real metal cutting band saw I use for big stuff like pipe and large diameter bar. a 4 1/2 grinder for small steel pieces and a grizzly wood cutting band saw for brass and aluminum.


Putting a abrasive blade on that wood saw not sure it is  a good idea. Me No.
Tin


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## ninefinger (Jul 24, 2012)

Its not the saw you need to worry about getting destroyed - its you.  Have you ever noticed that every single chop saw has a vice type clamp for holding the material right at the blade?  And most mitre saws have at best a screw down type clamp, usually 4 to 6" away from the blade?

When the material catches in the blade and gets pulled up off the table your're going to crap your pants if your lucky, and the blade will stop and nothing blows up. Or the blade shatters, or throws a bar of steel somewhere etc.

Use the right tool for the job - I've had a spare (free) mitre saw in my garage waiting to be used as a chop saw but once I looked at the differences I decided not to until I either made a proper vice clamp or I could get a robot to hold the material for me...

PS - I've had a sliding miter saw toss a short, round piece of wood before and I nearly did crap my pants!  I can't imagine a bar of metal!  The problem with the sliding type is if its not all the way at the back for small width pieces the blade is moving in more of an upward arc as it contacts the material (versus at the bottom of its arc as its moving backwards) and can grab the material and launch it.  

Mike


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## vigsgb (Jul 24, 2012)

ninefinger said:


> Its not the saw you need to worry about getting destroyed - its you.  Have you ever noticed that every single chop saw has a vice type clamp for holding the material right at the blade?  And most mitre saws have at best a screw down type clamp, usually 4 to 6" away from the blade?
> 
> When the material catches in the blade and gets pulled up off the table your're going to crap your pants if your lucky, and the blade will stop and nothing blows up. Or the blade shatters, or throws a bar of steel somewhere etc.
> 
> ...



Mike,

I have had a piece of PVC pipe explode cutting it on a miter saw and that made me never do that again.   I just happen to have put on my face shield that day as I had it on my head from grinding some bolts so I left it on and good thing I did.  After that pipe exploded I was checking myself as it blew off the face shield took out the overhead lights in the garage.  I will tell ya that left me changing my shorts....

I guess I am not going to take the advise of the guy who sold me the abrasive wheel and save it for the correct type of saw.  

Thanks,
Greg


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## Philipintexas (Jul 25, 2012)

I have one and routinely use it to slab off 7075 aluminum 1.5" thick by about 6" long. The carbide blade makes short work of it and has held up through many cuts and still works fine on my occasional wood projects. I also have a broken window from failing to use common sense to contain the cutoff piece. 
I have a large C-clamp that holds my work against the backing plate. I use a piece of panty-hose to cover the air inlet of the motor to keep metal chips out.


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## SteveO (Jul 25, 2012)

used my Black and Decker 10"chopsaw with an abrasive cut off blade to cut light gauge steel studs. Made a wood buck to fit in the section so could clamp really tight. Worked great, but grit from cutting locked up and damaged the rotating table. It seems the grit is embedded in the aluminum parts.

If going ahead agree clamping is paramount and be preapred to scrap the saw or only use on matal afterwards.

SteveO


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## Springbok (Jul 27, 2012)

Take it from an old engineer of over 50 years. Use the correct tool for the job, Anything else can lead to disaster for youself, job and anyone else around.
Shortcuts do not work and I could write a book on that subject. example was working in a part of the world where the temperature was around -40 (summer time) someone wanted to do some welding, but was to much in a hurry to take them into the warmup room. used
a blow torch to heat everything up, Well there was a massive hole in the permafrost and we never found him.
I know that this an extreme example but a lesson to all
Bob


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## gus (Jul 27, 2012)

Tin Falcon said:


> I have a real metal cutting band saw I use for big stuff like pipe and large diameter bar. a 4 1/2 grinder for small steel pieces and a grizzly wood cutting band saw for brass and aluminum.
> 
> 
> Putting a abrasive blade on that wood saw not sure it is  a good idea. Me No.
> Tin



Please check speed of woodsaw. Same speed must exceed permissible speed of cut-off abrasive wheel. Abrasive wheel can fragmentize and cause fatal injury.I am talking from second experience.Friend of of mine had his ceiling destroyed .


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## f350ca (Jul 27, 2012)

I agree with what everyone has said. I use carbide blades to cut SQUARE aluminum with plenty of cutting fluid, don't try round it Will spin. Also the abrasive disk you mentioned will leave dust on the slides that will destroy them.
Greg


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## ShopShoe (Jul 27, 2012)

Something not yet mentioned:

Most likely cutting with the abrasive wheel will heat up and harden the metal (steel for sure), making further machining more complicated. I have a real metal chop saw I use to cut steel angle, channel, and tubing for welded-up projects and It didn't take me long to decide I needed a bandsaw to cut metal for machining projects. Even the cheap 4x6 sold everywhere is better for pre-machining cutting.

The other thing to consider is that the cutoff blades actually produce a pretty rough and unsquare cut as they wear. If I'm cutting steel angle for welding I find myself either putting in new blades or doing an awful lot of grinding to square things up. Sometimes I even use the bandsaw for heavy tubing (at the cost of a new blade there, too) if a precision square edge is called for.

I can also echo that using a cutoff saw produces a lot of grit and I usually only use it outdoors for that reason (and what I said is verified as my sidewalk and garage apron turns orange, even after sweeping and vacuuming.)

--ShopShoe


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## Springbok (Jul 28, 2012)

In the 60s I worked for a short time in an old machine shop where everything came out of the Victorian era, as a newby to the shop I was given the task of cutting up the tubeing to what was the first stackable chairs.  
the machine was a massive thing we called it the donkey  if you have ever sat on one you will know what I mean.  BUT it was incredibly accurate and the welders loved it.  I have a horizontal metal bandsaw with a quick release vice, also can be adjusted to cut angles look at the Warco Grizzly et all; sites they all come from the same place.  in my workshop and I can put virtually anything in it safely.  
So please look after yourselves, ask if unsure, I can only speak for the UK saying join a ME club I am sure that there are wherever in the world you live.
They will help, advise and give encouragement.
Bob


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## Springbok (Jul 29, 2012)

have a look at this one
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/man-killed-oil-drum-explodes-051644119.html

Should have put water in it first  
Chop saws are ok for rough work shopshoe please read my post if you want an accurate cut first time then use the proper tool.
look after yourselves  I could talk about bandsaw blades if you like.
Old Bob


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## ShopShoe (Jul 30, 2012)

Springbok,

Just to reassure you I wrote "metal chop saw" and used wrong and generic colloquial terminology. I meant a 14-inch Dewalt abrasive cutoff saw with attached vise meant for rough-cutting steel. The issue with the cutoff discs is that they taper to slightly thicker nearer the hub and get difficult to use as they wear down to small diameters. My point was that I found a bandsaw necessary and more accurate even though I already owned the abrasive cutoff tool.

I know flaming is discouraged but I want to apologize for any confusion.

--ShopShoe


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## rake60 (Jul 30, 2012)

About 4 years ago I found a little 6" chop saw on the clearance shelves at the local Tractor Supply store.

I bought it for less than $30

Thread *HERE*

They are still out there.
I'd suggest looking for one of them.

Rick


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