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I have come into a bar of tool steel and need to cut it down for a few projects. I am wondering what is the best way for a person to cut it? I have access to a metal bandsaw, I can get cutting discs for my grinder or a metal chop saw blade. I can also take it to a local metal shop to get it cut but it will cost me more per cut than it did for the whole bar.
slowly and keep it cold with some collant would be my advice
I'd say it depends on your final use for it... a metal cutting bandsaw could be an answer, but you have tons of other options too including CNC milling, plasma, laser, or whatever kind of cutter, metal cutting chop saws, oxy/acetylene, hack saws, a table saw with an abrasive blade... it all depends on what you are going to do... if tight turns or anything fancy isn't required, a quick cut can be made with a metal cutting chop saw or something similar.
Some methods will leave a rough finish, and others smooth... but depending on your projects there could be better answers.
I build elevators for a living and I've cut all types of steel from machined steel to pig iron and let me tell you it's not easy even if you have the right tools. Forcing a band saw through a block of steel might heat up your blade and render it useless. Depending on the hardness you will go through plenty of grinding disks going though hard steel. The problem with grinding wheels is, it's very hard to cut a straight line. You might get by using a regular chop saw blade but if it were me and you can afford to do it, I would get a carbide tipped chop saw blade, it will give you the cleanest cut possible. Try whatever you have access to will always work if you have the patience. Just remember when cutting metal alway use eye protection.
Thanks I have a chop saw and a table saw in my garage and was thinking of using a metal cutting blade. I just need to make straight cuts through it 2 1/2 inches across the bar initially. Some will then be cut in half about 7 inches along the center line. I wish I had access to a Laser or water jet but I do not. Figure I could probably do it a little cheaper than spending 7 bucks a cut at the local shop. Maybe I will check the the local Community college and see if they have the equipment and will let me do it there.
edit: I am use to doing 14G Mild and could do that with my metal cutting jigsaw.. the tool steel is something new.
Is the steel hardened? Do you know what type of steel it is? Tool steel is a very broad category...
Josh
I believe it is D2.. I do not know if it has been hardened but do not think it has been.
A metal cutting bandsaw would work nicely. I have used it on annealed 52100, 1095, old files and 5160. A friend has used it on D2. He has a slow speed metal cutting bandsaw. It works just fine.