On Fri, 19 Jul 2013 07:22:44 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Larry Jaques wrote:

On Thu, 18 Jul 2013 09:33:42 -0500, Ignoramus6946
wrote:

On 2013-07-18, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Thu, 18 Jul 2013 08:15:16 -0500, Ignoramus6946
wrote:

On 2013-07-18, Terry Coombs wrote:
"Ignoramus6946" wrote in message
...
As part of the scrap deal I mentioned earlier (antique stone planers),
I also acquired two railroad rails. They were used for railroad
service before, and after that they were used for some custom stone
cutting machine.

I thought that I could bring them to my warehouse, cut up into 11 inch
sections, and sell as "railroad rail anvils" and ship in flat rate
boxes.

However, I do recall that railroad rails work harden from years of
use, and I am concerned that they will damage bandsaw blades. Any
other cutting method would be uneconomical, so mu question is, can a
bandsaw cut used railroad rails. Thanks

I think they only work harden on top , where the wheel pounds on it . I
have a piece of smaller rail I made a mini-anvil with , had no problem
cutting the end off with a bimetal band . Try one , cut it lying on it's
side to present the thinner section(s) to the blade .
--
Snag



Yes, thanks. I saw advice somewhere to cut them upside down, to start
out with softer material. I will do it that way. My bandsaw blades are
bimeetal, 1 inch wide Starrett blades.

Plasma cuts cleanly to the recommended thickness, but will cut much,
much thicker stock if you want it to.

Wouldn't a plasma cutter do the job quicker and more easily, except
with regard to later cleanup? (if you do clean it up) You could use
that to cut the horns, too. Preshaping might get you a better price.


I live in the real world, I need to cut these rails cleanly and
cheaply, a plasma cutter will do neither.

What are you figuring in to the cost of plasma cutting? I consider
compressed air pretty much free. g

You're forgetting the consumables - electrode, nozzle. There is a fairly
well defined cost per inch of cut.

I have one friend with a plasma cutter and he says costs are
negligible. I offered to buy him new electrode and nozzle when he cut
and welded my winch platform, but he said he gets a year or two out of
each, and he had a decade's worth now. He said he uses 5x more
consumables on his TIG machine than he does on the plasma. Then
again, he's not cutting RR track...

--
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to
succeed is more important than any one thing.
-- Abraham Lincoln