# Most Economical Metal Cutting Method



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I would use a chop saw box with a really fine metal blade..


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## jroelofs (Aug 30, 2009)

I would have to say a portaband or chop saw with a metal blade.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Tri-stand and porta-band if you're you on a jobsite. If you're doing shop fabrication I would go with the chop saw.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Band saw. Think they make a mount for a portaband.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Mounted band saw.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Portaband. 

A chop saw is too loud & messy and leaves WAY too much crap on the ends to be cleaned up.


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

In my shop I have a Dewalt 872 Multi Cutter. Very loud (I wear ear muffs when I use it) and it does throw some sparks but it does a nice a nice job. The blade I have on it will cut 1/4 thickness. Unistrut,EMT,rigid, angle iron no problem.


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## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

I like a good water jet cutter but most ECs dont have one in thier tool box so i would go with a porta band in the field or a bandsaw in the shop.


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Do they make a metal cutting blade that's worth the $$ for a skill saw?

I know they make them for concrete and they work slow but ok.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

Speedy Petey said:


> Portaband.


:thumbsup:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Speedy Petey said:


> Portaband.
> 
> A chop saw is too loud & messy and leaves WAY too much crap on the ends to be cleaned up.


That's a big problem IMO, plus you have to file the strut edge.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

We use this band saw. It cuts everything from sealtight to heavy pipe and steel with the same blade.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Cletis said:


> What's the best/efficient method for cutting LARGE amounts of unistrut and emt?


Well we have a tool at work that cuts Beeline or Unistrut 1 1/2 in one shot clean no filing no mess . 

And also cuts all thread clean .

We run lots of strut so it pays for itself after one job .


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

I would use a portaband. 

Some jobsites would consider a chop saw that throws sparks as hot work and would require a burn permit and a fire watch.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

I like this one. Not necessarily this brand, but any of this type. Harbor Freight even sells a pretty good one. These are more for the shop though, but if you had a huge amount to cut, it's not that much trouble to move it to the field.


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## johnnyontheside (Aug 30, 2010)

4-1/2" angle grinder works good for me with the thin metal disc.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> I like this one. Not necessarily this brand, but any of this type. Harbor Freight even sells a pretty good one. These are more for the shop though, but if you had a huge amount to cut, it's not that much trouble to move it to the field.


Well thats kinda expensive and heavy we run lots of beeline all day and our tool you can take up on a lift cuts it in one shot clean no mess .

It goes up in the bucket or lift fast no mess .

Works off a greenlee pump .


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Speedy Petey said:


> Portaband.
> 
> A chop saw is too loud & messy and leaves WAY too much crap on the ends to be cleaned up.


I have a grinder and a side wire wheel to take off the razors on the inside. It works well. The chop saw is good.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

piperunner said:


> Well we have a tool at work that cuts Beeline or Unistrut 1 1/2 in one shot clean no filing no mess .
> 
> And also cuts all thread clean .
> 
> We run lots of strut so it pays for itself after one job .


Care to share what tool this is?


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> I have a grinder and a side wire wheel to take off the razors on the inside. It works well. The chop saw is good.


I totally agree, but for production work and lots of it a band saw is cleaner and simpler. No need for any "clean up" of cuts. 
With a Portaband with a good blade you can cut all thread and spin a nut right on after the cut. I like that fact. :thumbsup:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

For us its dry cut carbide chop saws.

Sent from my Droid


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Speedy Petey said:


> I totally agree, but for production work and lots of it a band saw is cleaner and simpler. No need for any "clean up" of cuts.
> With a Portaband with a good blade you can cut all thread and spin a nut right on after the cut. I like that fact. :thumbsup:


You are right about the clean edges. I suppose that I use the wire wheel because the majority of my use , lately, of unistrut is as a wire way; hundreds of feet a week.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

johnnyontheside said:


> 4-1/2" angle grinder works good for me with the thin metal disc.


 


For 1&7/8" strut? That's slower than a porta ban. The next step from a porta ban would be the band saw.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> You are right about the clean edges. I suppose that I use the wire wheel because the majority of my use , lately, of unistrut is as a wire way; hundreds of feet a week.


 
You're using unistrut as a wireway?:blink:


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## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> I like this one. Not necessarily this brand, but any of this type. Harbor Freight even sells a pretty good one. These are more for the shop though, but if you had a huge amount to cut, it's not that much trouble to move it to the field.


Yeah there are dozens of types, most come on little stands, some are just the saw that sits on the floor or can be mounted to folding stands like a miter saw. The brand name is worn of of the one I use to use and I normally only saw it for 2" and up, its about 50lbs.

Basically I just clamp my piece(s), power it up, gravity takes care of keeping pressure on the blade, and it switches off once it cuts through.

It does a hell of a lot to boost productivity when you're doing your cuts in batches. Letting it cut a piece (or pieces) while you're filing the previous one and getting the next piece ready to cut.

To be honest the only time I prefer a portaband over the swivel style is when I'm doing rigid and I'm using a tri-stand. But, if I'm cutting tons of strut and rod, I'd want both on site.


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> You're using unistrut as a wireway?:blink:


They used it for hanging a long line of 8ft fluorescent fixtures at a place where I worked at. It even had 1/2" K/O's in it for conduit entry.


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## tkb (Jan 21, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> You're using unistrut as a wireway?:blink:


You can get strut with KO's and a cover. Also boxes.
It can be used as a wireway.

I have used it above rows of lights in a factory a few times.
The fixture were chase nippled to the strut.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> You're using unistrut as a wireway?:blink:


Yes, it is done in production enviornments a lot. I mount it to the floor, mostly on 7/8ths strut to avoid possible water leaks. Check it out. They even make a plastic cover to shield the cables. I don't use it for individual conductors.


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## Lz_69 (Nov 1, 2007)

Chop saw, small grinder for deburing, and file for inside edges. I would probably skip the grinder on emt and just hit it with a large half round file due to the thinner wall thickness.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

gilbequick said:


> Care to share what tool this is?



Well unistrut sells it we have a few on every job like i said one cut its done .

I dont buy the tools the shop does but there not that expense .


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

piperunner said:


> Well unistrut sells it we have a few on every job like i said one cut its done .


You did not answer his question.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> You did not answer his question.



Do you want me to call unistrut for ya


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

piperunner said:


> Do you want me to call unistrut for ya


No, just give it a name.


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## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

tkb said:


> You can get strut with KO's and a cover. Also boxes.
> *It can be used as a wireway.
> *
> I have used it above rows of lights in a factory a few times.
> *The fixture were chase nippled to the strut.*


I ran into the same thing last fall


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## kwired (Dec 20, 2009)

Instead of buying another chop saw when mine quits someday I plan to replace it with a saw that uses a carbide blade. Don't know just what they are called but have seen other trades like millwright guys or pipe fitters use them and they are the cats meow. You could cut just about any metal product with them and they leave a clean square cut that needs no deburring.

Looks a lot like a chop saw but blade does not run as fast as a chop saw does, yet it cuts cleaner and faster than a chop saw.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

This is a *dry* verison and make a note this is a slow speed metal cutting blade.

C'est on lé youtube





 

Merci,
Marc


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## kwired (Dec 20, 2009)

frenchelectrican said:


> This is a *dry* verison and make a note this is a slow speed metal cutting blade.
> 
> C'est on lé youtube
> 
> ...


That is exactly what I was talking about. I think most major power tool manufacturers have their version of that.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Well this tool doesnt have a video but its better on cutting beeline or kindorf or unistrut http://www.unistrut.org/DB/PDF1/CUT-N-STRUT-FLYER.pdf


No mess no face shield no clean up and your done not a thing to do but put up the piece you just cut !


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Speedy Petey said:


> Portaband.
> 
> A chop saw is too loud & messy and leaves WAY too much crap on the ends to be cleaned up.


Also on many jobs a chop saw requires a 'hot work' permit due to the sparks.


(Sorry, did not see TKBs post but I guess you can tell we have worked on the same types of jobs)


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

Angle grinder with a cutting wheel is my usual method, economical in price of grinder and cutting wheels, speed and accuracy depends on user. Its also lightweight and portable. Only issue as previously stated is many sites require a hot works permit.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

I just don't get it, why the angle grinder or chop saw? Seems to me that a band saw does it so much cleaner and without the deadly edges. I guess I don't do enough production work.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

Well gee use this











With a Greenlee electric pump fast !


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

piperunner said:


> Well gee use this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


From the opening post



Cletis said:


> What's the best/efficient method for cutting LARGE amounts of unistrut and emt?


I think that will do a poor job on EMT.


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## piperunner (Aug 22, 2009)

I think that will do a poor job on EMT.[/quote]

EMT 



Checkout the end of this video http://youtu.be/UeGVbtrrHjE


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Detonating cord is very effective for cutting pipes.








Lasers are fun too.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Portaband = Electrician

Chopsaw = Hack from some other trade trying to show us how to do our job


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## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

jrannis said:


> Portaband = Electrician
> 
> Chopsaw = Hack from some other trade trying to show us how to do our job


 Or *B*arney*4* fife*T*


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