I need to cut down my 1/2" Acme screws and 3/4" Drill Rods and 1" gas pipe to build Joe's Kit.

Breaking out the hack saw seems like tons of fun but wanted to ask prior to diving in since I dont have a lot of experience cutting metals especially hardened drill rods.

I have typical woodshop tools.. bandsaw, miter box ect.. so if I need special blades I'm game.

As needed I can find a local machine shop.. or the old hacksaw stand by.

Suggestions?

Personally i just use my standard hack saw and afterwards trim the edges or if it i cut threaded rods i run it over with my thread cutting tool (whatever you call that in english?) Ofcause it presents a problem if you dont have one for acme threads:-)

disc grinder with a cutoff disc

hacksaw's the de facto, but its lots of work and the reason we buy bandsaws. either will cut all soft metals but not hardened steel. drill rod will be tougher than mild steel, but it is NOT hardened as it is bought, if you want it hardened you have to do so. if it was hardened your hacksaw would just skate over it. if you want hardened, buy precision ground rod - it will be hardened, cut to length and is made to better tolerances than drill rod. balls screws maybe hardened, do some searches herein, there's a lot written here on the subject. btw, the bandsaw won't work, unless it was specifically for wood and metal. a wood bandsaw runs much too fast for cutting steel and would quickly ruin a metal cutting blade. if you can, just buy from a local (or even online) service centre and they'll cut to length your order.

I did a search using the words 'friction cutting blade' and this was at the top of the list; http://yarchive.net/metal/friction_cutting.html

A regular chop saw, preferably one with a speed over 5000 rpm and a friction blade available from Home Depot will cut any steel, soft, hard, stainless, alloy and even High Speed Steel. Not suitable at all for brass, aluminum or any metal that is a good conductor of heat.

Cheap HF metal cutting chop saw. Think it's 6". I've made 100's of cuts in all metals and it hasn't burped yet.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47576

Cheap HF metal cutting chop saw. Think it's 6". I've made 100's of cuts in all metals and it hasn't burped yet.

I got a HF nearby.. I think I can pick up a chopsaw for $60 bucks. Smallest I could find is 14". Seems worth the investment. May end up using it more than I think.

Alternativly I got an old 12" Delta Miter box no longer needed since I bought a slider. It runs at 3800 RPM.. any chance of putting a cuttoff blade in that and letting her rip? Not sure what the difference between a true cutoff saw and a miter box is.

I guess HF doesn't carryn the little one anymore. Wierd. Here is the same chinese chop saw I use at homier:

Homier.com (http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?SessionKey=dO0mUAXA8xpwGpefeAIAAiD%2bC3WLlcGcVPVE4U4BVnks9kN0o2rBmetPavYWmFHlB6llGm%2bxi1yy&dpt=9&cat=115&sku=02734)

I just use a cutoff wheel in a circular saw, cuts leadscrews, steel, alumn all kinds of metal, and cheap also, if you already have a circular saw then a cutoff wheel is 5-10 dollars.

I just use a cutoff wheel in a circular saw, cuts leadscrews, steel, alumn all kinds of metal, and cheap also, if you already have a circular saw then a cutoff wheel is 5-10 dollars.

All fantastic suggestions! Exactly why I asked. I hate reinventing the wheel when you guys have done this before.

i have used a miter box for metal cutting and it works great. only caveat is it may screw up some plastic parts and the grit gets into the table swivel so it gets sticky but if its an old one i say go for it.

Matt