The Metal Shop

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Hey guys just checking... will a MAP/PRO torch heat up 3/16" plate enough to bend a "V" notch together? I'm making a set of frame stiffeners and just figured it would. The metal below the notch that needs to be heated is about 1/4" squared.
 
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Pro-2X

Suspension Lift
Location
Rockmart, GA
Map pro is map gas. It will not heat the metal as fast as an oxy/acetylene torch but keep the heat close and constant and it should work. However, heating the metal will make it more susceptible to fatigue.
 

Pro-2X

Suspension Lift
Location
Rockmart, GA
Yeah, it should be fine just be careful welding over the area you heated. Additional heat from welding CAN make it brittle. Not always, but it can.
 

ThePlasticOne

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Boston, MA
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Feeding aluminum into the furnace...

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And pouring it back out (ignore the timestamps...I was doing this all weekend :p)

Vidya: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200690690649713&l=8061139953024493720
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
those are going to speed up your bumper build a lot i bet! Are the wrap arounds on the side going to be made from tubing?

I wasn't intending them to be. I had planned to make them with the C8 channel.

A little back ground info... Because folks around here like running into a car's rear quarter panel, I've been hit there 2 times and the front 3, at night while parked on the street. Pissed me off. That's when I decided to change the bumpettes. I saw Dave's (DRB) wrap-around rear bumper design and made the first one in that fashion as a test case. Then figured a channel would allow me to not need a break.l

Now with all that C8 it's gonna be heavy. Then I saw MAXTERRA's front bumper. How he cut light holes in the plate That's when I came up with trying to cut some of the C8 like the spaces on Dave's. That's when the plasma cutter came in to the plan. Saw a demo on how a plasma cutter works, found a guy that would let me try it and I was hooked.

Uhhh did I answer your question yet?!?!? :lols:
 
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TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Plasma Cutter is finally on it's way from Longevity. They altered the cost to include the ($129) 15 piece consumable kit and ($60) shipping so the final cost was $599. All because the local distributor was giving me the runaround. Some times it pays to contact a supplier directly.
 

KChurch86

Banned
Founding Member
I'm back with another tool question...

Is there such a thing as a metal hole saw made out of cut off wheel material?

I don't want to answer with an outright "no", but I've never heard of or seen one...internet searches aren't producing any such results either.

There are metal-specific hole saws, but none of them are made of abrasive material like a cutoff wheel. What are you lookin' to do?
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
The hole saws (Milwaukee brand) that I have just can't deal with anything over 3/16". The cut off wheel and grinding wheel cut through 1/4" with ease. I know hole saws for stainless steel would cut through but are pretty expensive. I was searching around for alternatives. And by the way I haven't seen anything in my searches either. Just checking to see if someone knew it by another name or description.
 

metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
I know i saw abrasive hole saw before. But not the same material as cut off wheels they looked like normal hole saws without teeth and had infused diamonds into it.

McMaster calls them "Diamond Grit" hold saws
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Diamond grip saws are from what I read for an abrasive material to b3e cut... like tile or a general all around cuter. None of them say for hardened steel like cobalt or the bimetal blades. But the bimetal blades are what I have now.
 

J Everett

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Houma, LA
I was thinking a diamond crusted hole saw might do it, but at half inch thick, I still think it would overheat. In our machine shop (we don't have a drill press), we'd use a 1" end mill and move the tool in a 2.5" circle to create the hole you need, but that's only feasible if the plate you want the hole in can fit in the mill. If it can even be detached from wherever it is now.
 
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TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
The 2 1/4" hole is for a tube for a tire carrier that is 1/4" walled. I was actually able to use a Dremel type device to cut in the half circle but the hole saw can't finish the job. If I can't find something I'll just have to use the cutting tool and trim/test, trim/test until it fits.

The 1/2" holes are for the frame/rear bumper supports through 1/4" angle/plate.

I see why everyone uses 3/16". Hole saws and drill bits work fine. The problems start @ 1/4".
 

robcarync

Sliders
Location
Raleigh, NC
The 2 1/4" hole is for a tube for a tire carrier that is 1/4" walled. I was actually able to use a Dremel type device to cut in the half circle but the hole saw can't finish the job. If I can't find something I'll just have to use the cutting tool and trim/test, trim/test until it fits.

The 1/2" holes are for the frame/rear bumper supports through 1/4" angle/plate.

I see why everyone uses 3/16". Hole saws and drill bits work fine. The problems start @ 1/4".

I used 1/4" plate for my bumper mounts and drilled the 1/2" hole with a hand drill....AHHHH never again

3/16" is what is up
 

Maxterra

Wheeling
Founding Member
Location
West Haven, UTAH
Something to remember on hole saws, run em as slow as you can and use lots of lube.
50 to 100 rpm on something over say 1.5" is highly recommended. Run them too fast, and they'll ruin the teeth, or heat up and work-harden the steel you're trying to cut thru to the point you can't cut it anymore.
Hard to do with a hand drill or most cheaper drill presses, as they don't go that slow.

Walked in to my shop at work a while back, and one of the new guys was trying to hole-saw a 2" hole for a panel mount air gauge into a panel, running in high range on a big cordless drill. Squealing like crazy and sparks flying!
I had to finish it with the plasma cuter due to the fact he got it so hot, couldn't even touch it with a new hole-saw.
 

metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
Something to remember on hole saws, run em as slow as you can and use lots of lube.
50 to 100 rpm on something over say 1.5" is highly recommended. Run them too fast, and they'll ruin the teeth, or heat up and work-harden the steel you're trying to cut thru to the point you can't cut it anymore.
Hard to do with a hand drill or most cheaper drill presses, as they don't go that slow.

Walked in to my shop at work a while back, and one of the new guys was trying to hole-saw a 2" hole for a panel mount air gauge into a panel, running in high range on a big cordless drill. Squealing like crazy and sparks flying!
I had to finish it with the plasma cuter due to the fact he got it so hot, couldn't even touch it with a new hole-saw.

This, I had to learn this from being young and dumb on stainless steel. I do sometimes get a little impatient and forget it though.
 

TheFauxFox

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Huntsville, AL
Something to remember on hole saws, run em as slow as you can and use lots of lube.
50 to 100 rpm on something over say 1.5" is highly recommended. Run them too fast, and they'll ruin the teeth, or heat up and work-harden the steel you're trying to cut thru to the point you can't cut it anymore.
Hard to do with a hand drill or most cheaper drill presses, as they don't go that slow.

Walked in to my shop at work a while back, and one of the new guys was trying to hole-saw a 2" hole for a panel mount air gauge into a panel, running in high range on a big cordless drill. Squealing like crazy and sparks flying!
I had to finish it with the plasma cuter due to the fact he got it so hot, couldn't even touch it with a new hole-saw.

This right here. Past 2 weeks in a nutshell. Drill. Press.
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
I ended up using my rotary tool and 3 cutting disks. Then used the grinding stick type thingy to round it out smooth. I didn't feel like standing there at the drill press for hours... lol. I did however ruin the hole saw just like Max said I would. Thanks a lot Max... where were you 3 days ago. :) Welded the spindle outer sleeve on and started on the spindle shaft support.
 
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