modified chop saw

Date 03-31-2010 01:22

Evolution Makes a Metal saw like you are talking about. I have the Evolution Rage and it is one BAD AS* Saw !

http://www.evolutiononlineshop.com/store/shop.cfm/ses_/c,custom,x,12,3550,x/Evolution%20Fury%203%20-%208-1%2F4-in%20Multipurpose%20Compound%20Sliding%20Miter%20Saw/Fury%203%20Saw/

By Robert48 (**)

Date 03-31-2010 01:29

I have a Millwaukee hand held metal saw and it amazes people when they see it cut through steel like it is plywood. I will look into the evolution line. The 10" looks like it might do the job. I mostly miter small tubing and angle with a chop saw because it is so much faster than the band saw.

By strother (***)

Date 03-31-2010 01:39

Do you have any other Evolution tools ? I just bought an Evolution mag drill. haven't had a chance to use it much but so far so good.

By Cactusthewelder (*****)

Date 03-31-2010 01:42

No I dont. I wouldn't be afraid to invest in ANYTHING they make. Their saws are Great !

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 03-31-2010 11:53

Nice link Cactus! I feared that saw would be multiple hundreds of dollars, that's a good price for that. I'll have to look into that as well.

By low_hydrogen (**)

Date 04-03-2010 15:58

I have the evolution skil saw, cuts up to 5/16, way better than a plasma torch for cutting straight lines in plate, no grinding, no warping, ready to weld! also have the 15" chop saw great equipment!! blades are about $30 bucks for skil saw will cut aroung 250 linear feet of 1/4 inch. 15" blade are $100 buck, built a combine trailer and re-worked a dozer trailer and haven't worn that blade out yet. no flex in blade, cuts square can't go wrong!!! bout 250 for skil saw 400 for chop saw money well spent imo!!

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 04-04-2010 04:57

I have an Evolution Rage saw, it does cut nice. It is built a little lighter than I thought it would be, but I grew up with Skill worm drive saws, and they are probably the heaviest built of any. The Rage is the contractor duty model of the Evolution line. They make some industrial duty models that are probably built heavier. A friend of Mine has the 9" model, I think He was cutting 1" plate or thicker with it, but they aren't meant for that.

By FixaLinc (****)

Date 03-31-2010 02:37

Sounds like you are wanting a smaller portable one ? Anyway here is a heavy duty one made by Gearn in Hereford TX.

http://www.steamflake.com/flash%20cut.htm

By Robert48 (**)

Date 03-31-2010 09:14

Thats exactly what I wantut can't afford that right now. I don't need one that big right now so I am going to try to build one using that same principal and a store bought chop saw.

By FixaLinc (****)

Date 04-01-2010 07:06

That's what we did started with a store bought Makita chop saw years ago then dad and I built our own to use a 5 hp motor and 16" blades. I need to get some pics of it sometime. Just used mostly what had laying around in the scrap pile but bought the motor, pulleys, and belts new and had someone turn a shaft with arbor and nut for the blade. One we built has thick plate on top and cut out round table in middle the saw angles on. The middle table and saw are supported on a old tractor axle and housing on Timken taper roller bearings. Axle has a sprocket on it chain driven by a gear box with another shaft and universals to the front to a big sprocket for a wheel to rotate the turn table.

By Metarinka (****)

Date 03-31-2010 17:29

Not to bad build, Just need to find an old Rotary indexer for a mill, Or some other suitable base that you can rotate and can hold the weight of the saw. After that I would fit up a vise on either side of the rotary part of the table and you're good to go. We had a homemade contraption like that and it worked wonders.

Maybe not everyone wants to be as home brew as I'm willing to go tho...

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 03-31-2010 17:32

Admit it Joel; Your a bit of a mad scientist at heart aren't ya.

All my favorite engineers are.

By Metarinka (****)

Date 04-01-2010 18:01

If I had the time, you would probably end up hearing about me in the news for a crazy contraption gone wrong.

luckily work and the lady keep me busy.

By Robert48 (**)

Date 04-01-2010 01:42 Edited 04-01-2010 01:44

I have access to a water jet. I was thinking of cutting my base plate out with that. This thread may be 2yrs old by the time I am done but I will post pics as I go.

By Paladin (***)

Date 04-01-2010 03:33

It is not exactly what you want but I have my saw on a stand with swivel wheels. You still have to set the angle on the saw but it is easy to spin the saw to the correct angle to line up with the stock. It is just a simple matter to build the stand so the working surface of the saw is level with your saw horses or rollers that the stock lays on. If you do have a separate vice (not the one on the saw) to hold the stock, I would think that any slop in the connection of the vice and saw would be NOT GOOD. Especially with the dry cut saws, if the material is not solidly clamped bad things can happen. Floyd.