Portable Cutting device

By elewton Date 06-07-2005 22:15

I'm sorry. I'm not really a welder and have relatively little experience. I would like to call upon your collective wisdoms.

I occasionally need to cut rebars or sheets of metal (~3-4 mm thick). It doesn't need to be a clean cut as it gets covered in concrete/sealed up soon after.

Now, at the moment I carry a hacksaw for the bars but have no practical way to cut in the middle of a sheet of metal without bending it badly.

Is there such a thing as a truly portable welding device? It would only need to work for 20 minutes or so.

I saw this http://www.masterappliance.com/microu.html , but it probably isn't hot enough (is it?) Also, something just looks cheap about it.

Thanking you in advance for a response.

P.S. I'm sorry for barging in with my questions, but it's not really my area.

By swnorris (****)

Date 06-07-2005 22:34

You're talking 3/32" to 1/8" materials. One thing you could do is to buy a Sears Craftsman 4 1/2" grinder and get the extended warranty. Buy some cut off wheels and you're in business for under $100.00

By mksqc

Date 06-07-2005 22:42

Most mager hardware stores you can get a small set of oxy.acc. tanks if your cutting any length of material but if your just cutting rebar the cutoff grinder will work for you.

By DGXL

Date 06-07-2005 22:51

Also check out battery toys:
http://store.yahoo.com/tylertool/misa.html
These are probably the next step up for you in $ and durability/efficiency, and if 120 volts is not at the work. Have also seen lot's of other battery powered tools cutting tools (off brands), check them with google search.

Cut offs work well as noted above but are messy, noisy and can be a bit "extreme" at times. I started with a 4" Makita, a Sawzall next, cutting torch and plasma in that order. Still use a cut-off wheel often due to simplicity - plus I like to detroy things like most guys as well as build em.

All depends on your actual applications, budget and skills.

By pjseaman (**)

Date 06-08-2005 02:54

In that thickness I would go with bolt cutters

By billvanderhoof (****)

Date 06-08-2005 06:57

Bolt cutters will be fine for the rebar, a steel block (underneath) and a cold chisel will cut the sheet if you don't have a lot to do. All in all a small oxy/acetylene cutting rig seems right. It is completely portable.
Bill

By elewton Date 06-08-2005 10:28

Thank you all very much.

In case anyone else searches for this, here is what I have found independently.

Good Deal - http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/22GKA50-TC.html
Jewelery Welding - http://www.jaderockshop.com/Torch.htm
The Expensive - http://www.tinmantech.com/html/meco_midget_torch.html

Oh, and I've had some difficulty with bolt cutters and rebar. I huffed and puffed, and the cutters eventually snapped.

By Northweldor (***)

Date 06-08-2005 12:16

Before you go the Good Deal route, make sure you check on whether those small cylinders will actually last long enough for any reasonable amount of cutting, and how much your local gas supplier will charge to refill them.

Also, that torch outfit is a Chinese manufactured clone of a Victor torch, and you may have difficulty getting GenTec to make good on their two year guarantee.

Victor (Thermadyne) has recently started selling its own Chinese manufactured version of its light/medium duty torch that has two welding tips and the torch body with the built-in flash back arrestors, and, even with a one year guarantee, is a better value than the torch pictured. (ProLine brand - $153 US) You would still have to buy / lease larger bottles but this might be more economic in the long run.

By harleyhitman (**)

Date 07-13-2005 12:44

http://webapp1.cronatronwelding.com/cronatron/showItem?itemNum=CW05249