table saw for cutting steel ?

[blazer2007]

Good idea or bad,I was thinking of using the table saw with a metal blade to cut some 14 g. Flat sheet .

[Kim57]

I use my 8" table saw to cut 16 gauge steel. I've never had a kick back like with wood.
Just go slow and let the blade do all the work.
Kim

[61_FL_Apache]

I thought slower blade speed was better for metal.. Table saw may be a little fast.

[vidman]

Should work OK. let the blade do what it does best. Don,t forget your eye protection..

[imjeff]

I wouldn't do it. You could get savagely injured with that set-up. Get a nibbler or shears.

[studda]

How much sheet are you planning on cutting? I'd probably go for a cheap nibbler too for sheet metal, granted you have an air compressor. If you just want to make a few cuts, metal circular blade will work. Max RPM on a Dewalt blade is 6400. Table saws run well below that so, you should be fine either way.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by vidman

Don,t forget your eye protection..

and a hat or you'll be digging metal out of your scalp for a week
use a full face shield

i've cut aluminum and thinner sheet metal on my table saw, never any 14ga
i have a wood insert with a saw blade width cut out so the metal doesn't pull down and chatter
run the blade high so that your pulling the metal down for a clean cut
but what do you have to lose? (assuming you know how to run the table saw)

[mongoose]

aluminum is fine.. I don't know if i would cut steel.. or you can even cut steel... a newbian at work ruined at non ferrous diablo blade on a saw in about 30 seconds cutting steel with it.. as for metal kicking back.. it hurts like a sob.. and if it hits your hand you're getting a new scar.

PA is supposed to have a nibbler on sale now or soon for cheap so i'd probably just run that.

[imjeff]

Cutting or grinding non-ferrous metals with many grinding wheels and blades will clog them up. Then, they lose their ability to shed heat and explode. Use the right tool!

[midniteblues]

i would feel more safe useing a 8" abrasive wheel in a circular saw.
i clamp a guide/straight edge on the sheet as a fence and use the saw against that and have at it. go slow let it do the work.
eyes an ears saftey first.
if you have something besides a straight line too cut a adustable speed jig saw works ok also.

[blazer2007]

I found some stuff on y tube,it was a little attchment for a hand grinder which made it into a little skill saw from harbour freight,most people said the small metal filings would make short life of my table saw.I don,t think the shears would work on that thick of metal.

[DPowers]

You got any local machine shops that would be willing to shear it for you?

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by blazer2007

I found some stuff on y tube,it was a little attchment for a hand grinder which made it into a little skill saw from harbour freight,most people said the small metal filings would make short life of my table saw.I don,t think the shears would work on that thick of metal.

I have a skill saw that will cut metal with the right kind of blades. My biggest problem with it was cutting a straight line. I did better with my 4-1/2" angle grinder with a cut off wheel.
The metal shavings didn't seem to bother my little table saw at all and they don't bother my angle grinder either.
Kim

[ryanroo]

clamping an angle or flat bar to the material to be cut is a good way to get a strait cut with an abrasive disk in an angle grinder. i would be a bit sketched out to run it through a table saw. ive cut 1/4' with a metal blade in a skill saw. i didnt particularly care for it.

i second the local shop with a shear. it would be a guaranteed clean strait cut.

[blazer2007]

Originally Posted by DPowers

You got any local machine shops that would be willing to shear it for you?

They don,t have any 4 ft. wide and they want $7.00 a cut

[pritch]

Your (or anyone's) table saw is going to have wayyyy to many RPM's for cutting steel, even with the special blade. We have a chop-saw at our shop specifically for cutting mild steel and it only turns about a thousand RPM.

That being said, I cut aluminum routinely on my table saw, but I have a special alum blade.