Thread: Faster simple way to level a side of Steel?

Originally Posted by Tegmark

I cut a 3mm sheet piece of steel with a hand hacksaw & re added a permanent marker line just below the cut to file down by hand & checked with level. It just takes so long. The cut by hacksaw is never straight enough.

Would a small angle grinder be best to get most of it off first & after use hand steel file?


thanks

When using the hacksaw, do you cut with the blade at about 75+ degrees or at a lower angle up to 30 degrees? The reason I ask is that the longer the length of the blade is in the steel, the straighter the cut. Cutting strokes should be about 60 per minute. You could use an angle grinder with a thin blade or if you have a circular saw with a metal cutting disc, that will do the job also, but is very noisy. If you get hold of a flap disc, that will take off any irregularities very quickly, and allow you to see the line. I use a texta/paint pen and scribe the line.
Kryn

Sandwich the plate between two lengths of angle iron with clamps level to the line and use a f.ap wheel on an angle grinder or a belt sander.
Once the excess plate is ground away and the sander/wheel starts to grind the angle iron the rate of steel removal drops rapidly and you can get it as straight as the angle iron.

the same angle iron sandwich can also be used to cut a straight line,

Originally Posted by Tegmark

Would a small angle grinder be best to get most of it off first & after use hand steel file?

If using a thin cut off wheel, do several light-ish passes rather than one heavy all the way through one. That seems to keep the cut straighter too.

Michael