Metal cutting chop saw.

[SarTech]

Hello all,
Im building a read bumper and tire carrier for our 76 CJ5 project. I was shopping for a metal cutting chop saw and saw some 'dry cut' type. They use a carbide toothed blade. Not a abrasive type cut off wheel. I have used lots of the abrasive cut off types but never the 'dry cut'.
Anyone have any experience with these type of metal cutting saws? How long doe the blades last? They appear to be pretty expensive to replace. I do like the idea of no sparks.
I would appreciate and information.
Thanks much.
Pat.

 

[mylittlecj5]

the dry cut saws are a great thing, but the blades can be very expensive to replace. The good thing about them is that the dull blades can be resharpened, so buy an extra one so you can swap them out.
They should last quite a while in a home shop, I replaced blades in the trailer building shop I worked in about once a week. But we cut steel for 10-15 trailers in that time...
Make double sure you have a steady work table long enough to support your longest piece you will ever cut, because if the blade binds up from the steel dropping or sliding, you will eat the cost of that blade. Once they are bent, they are pretty much worthless.

If I had the cash flow, I'd have one in my shop. Unfortunately, I have to suffer with a Northern Tools abrasive chop saw...

 

[IOPort51]

this sounds a lot like a cold saw. One of those toys I have never been able to afford and is in no way comparable to an abrasive cut off. As I recall a cold saw pretty much required a liquid coolant.

DeWALT Heavy Duty 14'' Metal (Multi-Cutter) Dry-Cut SawDW872

So I did the obvious thing and Googled it. This looks interesting, is this what you were using LittleCJ??

I use a horizontal band saw. I hate the noise, smell and mess from an abrasive saw. This one looks like it would require some pretty good hearing protection.

 

[SarTech]

IO, The link you provided is the type of saw i'm inquiring about.
Here is one made by Milwaukee
Milwaukee Chop Saw, Milwaukee 6190-20 14" Dry Cut Chop Saw Machine
I think it would be nice.

 

[mylittlecj5]

this sounds a lot like a cold saw. One of those toys I have never been able to afford and is in no way comparable to an abrasive cut off. As I recall a cold saw pretty much required a liquid coolant.

DeWALT Heavy Duty 14'' Metal (Multi-Cutter) Dry-Cut SawDW872

So I did the obvious thing and Googled it. This looks interesting, is this what you were using LittleCJ??

I use a horizontal band saw. I hate the noise, smell and mess from an abrasive saw. This one looks like it would require some pretty good hearing protection.

yep thats the one, well one like it anyways. They are very loud, and the sharp little fragments are painfully HOT! but I've never cut thick steel with anything better with as clean a cut as a dry cut saw. Plasma has nothing on these for clean...

 

[73CJ]

Looks like the main difference is 4000 vs 1400 rpm

And the blade.

 

[coldair]

I used one of these saws in a fab shop I worked at for a a few years. They are awsome! No sparks at all unless you force the blade to hard down on the metal. As for how long a blade lasts I would say we cut for a month or so ( 10 hour days building skid building for oil field )