heavy85 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I've got a 14" Dewalt chop saw that's about as worthless as a football bat. First of all the fence is cast at an angle .... on purpose which is OK if you are cutting at 90 degrees both otherwise it holds the metal crooked. Next the blade flexes soo much that you end up about an 3/16" longer on the bottom than the top. I'm so frustrated by it that I've banished it to a $170 pile of scrap taking up valuable garage space. I'm mosting trying to cut 1x3x.083 and 2x3x.083 mild steel for my subframe connectors but I've given up and just use my 4 1/2" angle grinder with a cut-off wheel. What could I be doing wrong as I can't believe this thing could be so useless? Thanks Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Chop saws aren't for straight cuts in my experience. They're for rough cuts. Try a metal cutting band saw. I think you'll LOVE having one, especially with the project you're getting into. My $160 HF special bandsaw doesn't cut perfectly straight either, but it's close enough, and it's WAAAAAY better than a chopsaw. I can't believe how much easier the bandsaw made all of my projects. This is basically the one that I have, only mine is green and was a bit less expensive (must have been on sale): http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93762 If you have the $$$ and the room, this looks like a much better unit: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93507 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I agree, a metal cutting band saw is for fine cuts, a metalworker or chop saw will rough you in there from a 20' stick, within an inch or two, but after that band saw is the way to go, with final hand-fitting using grinders or files for proper gap alignment and width before welding. You can shim the stock to get it correct, and as with anything, patience---the more you push on it, the easier it is for anything to deflect. I see my chop saw jump almost 1/8" to the outboard side when it comes in contact with the metal.... it's something you just have to compensate for. Make that initial cut, and then pull the stock back straight so the wheel feeds straight downward. It's the initial deflection that makes it cut angled. So I cut 1/8" short, then as the blade jumps outboard (to my right)1/8", just as it scores the first groove in the metal (giving it a place to return to) I move the stock back 1/8" (to my left) and then the wheel feeds pretty much straight down since it now has a "starter groove" to go into, and it's now directly below the blade centerline so it doesn't deflect as it goes through the cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 The only way my 14" chop saw cuts that badly is if I attempt to shave a bit off the end of a piece of stock; then the blade does flex. Normally it cuts pretty straight, however, it is possible to get too impatient (Apply too much cutting pressure) and flex things. Is there a place to insert shims to set up your saw so that it describes an arc at 90 degrees, rather than cutting a wedge? If not, how long have you had it--- "manufacturing defect". <> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 It helps if you cut really easy just taking little nibles (light taps) until you're all the way through. Yeah... it sux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trwebb26 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 All things to consider - like what kind of suspension would go best on a big truck Did you ever buy an actual metal chop saw? Last time I remember you had a wood saw with a metal cutting blade in it? Have you tried using your bench grinder to square it up? I made a little table on the outboard side of mine with a squared edge. Worked great for getting a square edge on my alternator bracket conversion (GM 1-wire). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguy36 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 cut slowly, if you force the saw then the blade will walk all over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguy36 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 if you don't want it taking up space in your garage, I'll give you fifty bucks for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I have a cheapo Harbor Freight chop saw and it cuts perfectly straight!!, even when cutting at something other than 90*. I don't baby the blade either. Once it gets a bite into the metal, I lay into it! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I put a metal cutting blade in a 7 1/4 inch circle saw then clamp a piece of angle iron onto the work as a saw guide. I get straight cuts that way, even in large pieces of flat plate, as long as I don't try and force the cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Yes, but you're extremely careful and you SLOWLY get that blade started, I'll bet:wink: I have a cheapo Harbor Freight chop saw and it cuts perfectly straight!!, even when cutting at something other than 90*. I don't baby the blade either. Once it gets a bite into the metal, I lay into it!Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 I have the Harbor Freight cheap chop saw and it cuts.....OK. I made a table top that had 4 90* angles on it and they were close but, not right. The best advise I can give is to go slow with the cutting. One day I hope to get one the band saws that Jon is talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 I noticed that some of my abrasive blades are easier to deflect.... Get a thick blade and use some large table-saw, blade-stabilizing washers from Sears.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 I have to say mine is a HF Cheapie, and I agree with the last comment about blade thickness, thicker blade seems to last longer, and cuts a LOT straighter than the original blade that came with it. Also agreed: starting slowly helps a lot. My favorite chop saw I missed out on when my buddy sold his welding shop---some behemoth that runs on three phase, and was belt driven. You want to talk about "hogging through metal"---man that baby would hog through anything, BUT QUICK! I would not call anything I do with my HF Chopper now "hogging" compared to that thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 I have a Makita 12" cold cutter that uses a carbide blade and it cuts quick and at any angle is straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 Regarding DAVE's 12" aw... I'm sure the smaller diameter blades deflect less given identical thicness. It makes sense to me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roostmonkey Posted December 30, 2006 Share Posted December 30, 2006 The carbide tipped blades cut reaaly well, I just got a 14" saw that works like a dream.Its taking some getting used to because it just doesnt seem right, cutting steel or SS with a carbide blade.When the distributor came to demo the saw, I challenged him with a 4"solid rod (steel) and it cut it fast and straight. That was all I needed to see and I ordered one on the spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonZ Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 I also have a HF cheapo, cuts crooked. What helps is if you don't overheat the blade, the resin gumms up and doesn't allow the wheel to cut properly. I squirted water on mine while cutting, seemed to help. I have to dissagree with the thicker blades. The thinner blades cut faster (smaller kurf), therefore lets you ease down with less force. Maybe there are better quality blades out there?? My blades were from HF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted December 31, 2006 Share Posted December 31, 2006 My Milwaukee cuts straight if you use the smaller diameter blades (10inches or so) and don't put too much pressure on it as it walks thru the metal. Any larger in diameter on the cutting blade and it flexes. I'm currently looking for a decent metal cutting band saw that does precision cutting. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted December 31, 2006 Author Share Posted December 31, 2006 Thanks guys for the replies. I guess I'll have to try a smaller blade and make the initial cut then reposition thing ... I dont think I could go much slower as I'm limited now by not tripping the 15A breaker so I have to take it easy whether I want to or not. Subframes are nearly complete without it so later I'll play with this stupid cut-off saw. Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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