Metal cutting tools: what's really the best option?

if you're sloppy with a cut off disc, most times you can clamp on a straight edge to follow if needed.

SWAG sells a kit to turn a handband into a horizontal and a vertical
 
if you're sloppy with a cut off disc, most times you can clamp on a straight edge to follow if needed.

SWAG sells a kit to turn a handband into a horizontal and a vertical

I did this.

IMG_20220219_145452_01.jpg


I started off with a jig saw, then switched to the grinder about midway through because of how slow the jigsaw was with 3/16". Once halfway through with the cutoff wheel I dropped the straight edge and went back to the saw to see if the blade would guide itself through the partial cut. Neither half of the cut was really better than the other, and it's reasonably straight when I put it up against another edge. I'm just used to perfection because at work all of our cuts are done by stuff like shears and lasers.

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All in all I can accept that the long cuts will take time and care and practice but it would be nice if the short cuts better took care of themselves, which leads me toward this bandsaw idea. I used to think I wanted a chop saw for that but I think a band would be more versatile.
 
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I did this.

View attachment 310949

I started off with a jig saw, then switched to the grinder about midway through because of how slow the jigsaw was with 3/16". Once halfway through with the cutoff wheel I dropped the straight edge and went back to the saw to see if the blade would guide itself through the partial cut. Neither half of the cut was really better than the other, and it's reasonably straight when I put it up against another edge. I'm just used to perfection because at work all of our cuts are done by stuff like shears and lasers.

View attachment 310953

All in all I can accept that the long cuts will take time and care and practice but it would be nice if the short cuts better took care of themselves, which leads me toward this bandsaw idea. I used to think I wanted a chop saw for that but I think a band would be more versatile.
My helpers have all tried using crayons to mark their cuts as well, albeit poorly. Use a carbide tipped scribe. You can hold 5 thou that way.
 
I think a lot of my hatred for the grinder is my inability to find a way to hold the damn thing where I can see where I'm cutting and not feel completely out of position, and not having a plate for it so sit on and hold it perpendicular like a circular saw. I've just never used it for precision work before...it's always just been cutting off bolts or taking edges off. I also have a lifetime of novice carpentry screwing with my expectation of how long it should take to cut something.
 
My helpers have all tried using crayons to mark their cuts as well, albeit poorly. Use a carbide tipped scribe. You can hold 5 thou that way.
This 💯 percent. I learned the trick from an old tool maker. Use a marker or dykem to mark the area your going to cut, then use a sharp scribe inside the marker to mark your line. Follow the very thin line and your cut will be much straighter than if you follow a wide grease pencil or sharpie line.
 
I've been considering a plasma cutter for quite some time. However, I've never been able to justify the expense for my own needs. Now, I've got a few more projects, like cutting axle brackets, body mounts, etc., lined up that are making me consider one again. The issue I have with a plasma cutter though is the singular purpose it performs. Since I'm not going to be cutting anything thick, or doing complicated shapes, I'm getting the sense that my want is way stronger than my need here.

That said, what are your go-to tools for cutting metal? Please be specific on brands as well. For example, I've relied on cheaper cutting discs from HF, mated to either a Dewalt corded or Ryobi cordless grinder, but the discs either seem to not last or break fairly easily. I also have a small oxygen acetylene set, which is useful for cutting and brazing. The tool I use the least would be air powered cutters. These are my least favorite, largely due to the small compressor I have.
Ellis 1600 band saw, a 6"x48" belt sander, and a drill press used to be my go-to for brackets, tabs, and all kinds of weird stuff. The Ellis can also be used as a vertical band saw with the table they have available. Cutting angles with this saw is awesome because the head swings, not the material.

For repeatable setup cutting pairs and multiples of the same part, a good band saw is the way to go.

CNC plasma is my go-to now, but that's hard to justify unless your rich or cutting a lot of something :D

Woohoo! 1st post lol.
 
Milwaukee sawzall cordless or corded , gets you a long way
• You can get a variety of blades , not only for metal

• if you end up buying a plasma cutter, do yourself a favour and buy a purpose built machine , don’t cheap out ,you’ll regret it !!!

•Get HYPERTHERM / power max 30 or if you expect lots of rust power max 45

Just my 2 bits
 
Ellis 1600 band saw, a 6"x48" belt sander, and a drill press used to be my go-to for brackets, tabs, and all kinds of weird stuff. The Ellis can also be used as a vertical band saw with the table they have available. Cutting angles with this saw is awesome because the head swings, not the material.

For repeatable setup cutting pairs and multiples of the same part, a good band saw is the way to go.

CNC plasma is my go-to now, but that's hard to justify unless your rich or cutting a lot of something :D

Woohoo! 1st post lol.
Congrats on first post.

What type of CNC plaz are you running?
 
Milwaukee sawzall cordless or corded , gets you a long way
• You can get a variety of blades , not only for metal

• if you end up buying a plasma cutter, do yourself a favour and buy a purpose built machine , don’t cheap out ,you’ll regret it !!!

•Get HYPERTHERM / power max 30 or if you expect lots of rust power max 45

Just my 2 bits
I have a Hypertherm Powermax 45XP with both 75 and 15 degree torch leads. I can't say enough good things about it.
 
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Thanks 😃 Arclight Dynamics with a Hypertherm PM65.
Scott makes some great machines. I’m on the fence to upgrade to the Linux OS. I built mine using CandCnc controller like arc light was using 10 years ago.
 
I've never shopped for band saws but I found what appears to be a Canadian company called King. They make what looks to my untrained eye like some nice big expensive stuff, like horizontals.

They also sell this.

View attachment 310903

I might have gone for it already except that it looks suspiciously like Harbor Freights Bauer model, but is twice the price. I don't know what differences might exist internally, but I did find a YT video that confirms the Bauers lack of accommodation for attachment to the stand.

View attachment 310904

My metal cutting options currently consist of a Sawzall, a jigsaw, and a 4.5 angle grinder. They're ok but getting a good straight cut is time consuming.

there's also these brands that I know nothing about, that look enough different from the King/Bauer that I don't think they're the same, but look enough like one another that they might share some parts...or given that Anbull checks out to a company out of China, it maybe a ripoff of the Scheppach.

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This one isn't an option because it takes a 220V 50Hz power supply; it's about 50/50 whether the website is in English or German.

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Then there's this option, which is a little more spendy but made in the US and looks higher quality, meant for a Milwaukee portaband.

1645805127453.png
 
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Scott makes some great machines. I’m on the fence to upgrade to the Linux OS. I built mine using CandCnc controller like arc light was using 10 years ago.
They build solid machines and have stellar tech support. My table was built in 2016 and was the first one out the door with the Linux OS.
 
How do you like the os? How are you nesting? Sheet cam?
Its solid. No issues. But I dont really have anything to compare it to. The machine has no internet connection and I draw everything in my office and take it out on a flash drive.

I nest in Sheetcam. Have played with Pro Nest and some other nesting software, but I can always get better yield doing it manually in Sheetcam.
 
Its solid. No issues. But I dont really have anything to compare it to. The machine has no internet connection and I draw everything in my office and take it out on a flash drive.

I nest in Sheetcam. Have played with Pro Nest and some other nesting software, but I can always get better yield doing it manually in Sheetcam.
I subscribed to pro nest for a few months. It was not intuitive for me. I run full sheets/plates of 1/2”-1” most of the time. Some gauge material but mostly heavy AR plate. My nesting needs to be tight due to material costs. I’m nervous jumping ship to pro nest or sheetcam. We-cim is what I’m using. It was really expensive and support became a problem. It is still functioning but the algorithm has lost its ability to do tight nesting. I have to bump manually which is really time consuming. Another problem with pro nest was the oxy/fuel support. Anything over 5/8 and I use oxy lp.

I’m an old dog not wanting to learn new tricks lol.
 
I subscribed to pro nest for a few months. It was not intuitive for me. I run full sheets/plates of 1/2”-1” most of the time. Some gauge material but mostly heavy AR plate. My nesting needs to be tight due to material costs. I’m nervous jumping ship to pro nest or sheetcam. We-cim is what I’m using. It was really expensive and support became a problem. It is still functioning but the algorithm has lost its ability to do tight nesting. I have to bump manually which is really time consuming. Another problem with pro nest was the oxy/fuel support. Anything over 5/8 and I use oxy lp.

I’m an old dog not wanting to learn new tricks lol.
Ever consider a waterjet or a laser, Tommy?

Your business sounds pretty cool. If I lived near you I'd be putting in a job application...