On Wed, 6 Aug 2008 08:31:30 -0700 (PDT), ScrapGuy
wrote:

Hi!
I'm in the scrap metal business and I need a good reliable gasoline
cut-off machine (not chop saw). I had a stihl cut-off, it wasn't that
reliable. Can anyone tell me what is a good reliable brand of a
gasoline cut-off machine.

Thanks.

Depends on what you are cutting, how fast, how precise, how much you
want to spend on consumables...

I have no idea what you are dealing with, but my first thought for
cutting up aluminum extrusions for reuse would be to get a regular
Cold Saw (slow speed carbide circular saw on a very rigid miter saw
type stand) and a gasoline generator set to run it from.

A good gasoline or diesel generator set and good electric power
tools would be a LOT easier than converting an electric power tool to
a gasoline engine. And a lot quieter if you put the generator in an
enclosure.

There are other ways to do it too, like a hydraulic motor to
transmit power betweeen the engine and the saw, but that adds
complexity and failure points - unless you already have the hydraulic
source, say a tractor, sitting there idling with a nice hydraulic pump
built in.

And instead of a little extension cord you have a big twin-line hose
back to the truck.

If you are just making the scrap chunks small enough to fit in the
bin and precision is not a concern, they make hydraulic powered
shear-pincer-grabber arms for excavators - you grab the long sticks of
scrap, swing over the rollaway bin or rock trailer, and snip them in
half to let them drop in the bin.

Or the small hand version, the hydraulic cutter that is sold with
the Hurst Rescue Tool AKA "Jaws Of Life" - if it can cut the A and
B-pillars of a car in mere seconds to remove the roof, you can do the
same to scrap metal.

-- Bruce --