DIYbanter - View Single Post - Cutting 1/2" and 1 - 1/4" steel bar, dry cut saw or abrasive Cut-Off Machine

wrote:
I am building a "wrought" iron fence which I expect to make about
10 cuts in 1 -1/4" solid steel bar
100 cuts in 1/2" solid steel bar.

I am wondering what tool I should be buying for this? I have a dewalt

I have one of those (in)famous "$200" bandsaws that you can useually get
for considerably less. I have had mine for several years now and have
replaced the blade maybe four times. I'm using Morse bi-metal blades
and have cut a fair amount of 4130 for my neighbour's airplane.

Have you considered using pipe for the big stuff? It will be _much_
easier to weld than solid. Standard schedule 40 1" pipe is actually
1.315" OD and is almost as strong as solid 1-1/4". If that "almost" is
a problem, use shedule 80 1" pipe. It's actually stronger than the
1-1/4" solid.

While your bandsaw is cutting the big stuff, you can be doing something
else. Make a jig to hold 5 or 10 pieces of the 1/2" stuff in the saw
vice to speed up that process.

Have you considered using re-bar for the 1/2"? Many people, including
me, find the pattern attractive and it's cheap/ :-)

Ted