Cutting AlNiCo

[David Schwab]

Try Lenox blades. It might change your mind about hacksaws. They're absolutely the best I've found. I think Home Depot carries them.

Yep, that's what I'm using. 12" medium bi-metal blade. It works great... that's not a problem.

But when you have to cut up a bar into a bunch of 3" pieces, it gets tedious after the first few. I also have to clean up the edges on a grinder.

[Joe Gwinn]

I need something to cut steel bar stock. Sucks doing it with a hack saw.

How much do you cut? One can buy a 4x6 horizontal bandsaw for about $200 (with sales to perhaps $150) that will likely cut any metal you have (except alnico).

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93762

or the handheld power hacksaw:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47840

[R Walker]

Well I got back from HF. The saw is ok, nothing fancy. The stock blade it comes with will not do the job. If I can find a cutting wheel similar to the dremel that will fit, it shouldn't be a problem. I think its time to start saving for a delta band saw with a metal cutting blade...

[Joe Gwinn]

Well I got back from HF. The saw is ok, nothing fancy. The stock blade it comes with will not do the job. If I can find a cutting wheel similar to the dremel that will fit, it shouldn't be a problem. I think its time to start saving for a delta band saw with a metal cutting blade...

For steel and alnico, look for a cutting blade based on aluminum oxide. Blade sizes and atytachment details are fairly standard, so it ought to be possible to get blades from many sources. I would suggest using US blades, even if the machine is Chinese. Norton is very good.

[Spence]

Well I got back from HF. The saw is ok, nothing fancy. The stock blade it comes with will not do the job. If I can find a cutting wheel similar to the dremel that will fit, it shouldn't be a problem. I think its time to start saving for a delta band saw with a metal cutting blade...

I'm sorry to hear that. I bought mine from Micro Mark which was a lot more expensive and it came with cutting discs that work just fine and more importantly are readily available as spares. Maybe their cutting discs will fit your HB machine.

[Possum]

.....

The trick with the HF saw is to GO SLOW. If you think its going to ream through anything like butter you're using it wrong. I cut alot of slugs with mine but if you put too much pressure on it, it chokes. Let the saw do the cutting, take it slow and it will cut through....

[Joe Gwinn]

The trick with the HF saw is to GO SLOW. If you think its going to ream through anything like butter you're using it wrong. I cut alot of slugs with mine but if you put too much pressure on it, it chokes. Let the saw do the cutting, take it slow and it will cut through....

This is good advice. One can also use a weight hanging on the handle to provide the down force. Many cutoff saws work this way. Be sure that the blade will stop before cutting the machine.

[David Schwab]

How much do you cut? One can buy a 4x6 horizontal bandsaw for about $200 (with sales to perhaps $150) that will likely cut any metal you have (except alnico).

I agree, and that is going to be my next step. I've been looking at the bandsaws for a while now. It's just not in my budget at the moment...

I figured this HF miter saw would be a good stopgap.

The portable one isn't too expensive though. I'd rather save up for the stationary one though. I could do more with it I think.