Cutting stainless steel

[chriscallender]

For some winter projects I need to cut stainless steel (about 3mm thick).

What is the best way to cut steel plate? I tried using a metal cutting blade in a jigsaw but the blade wore out after I had gone about quarter of an inch!

I was wondering about an angle grinder with a metal cutting wheel. Or is there some fancy kind of blade that is harder than the steel (and probably more expensive :-( )

Chris

 

[dickh]

You can cut it with a metal cutting blade in an angle grinder - I notice that Screwfix do a very thin metal cutting blade for a 115Ø angle grinder which they say is suitable for Stainless Steel - only 1.6mm thick as against 2.5mm for the standard blade. Price is £1.19 as against £0.57 for the standard.
Otherwise I have used a normal HSS hacksaw - a bit slow but easily done as long as well held in the vise.
Never used a Jigsaw for SS - I suspect you should use the slowest speed with a good quality blade.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[ccscott49]

Sheet or just bar?

 

[AndrewB]

Stainless steel is a pain to cut, as it work-hardens. With a hack-saw or drill, a light touch, with a bit of oil lubrication, and slow progress will be made. Press too hard though and you'll come to a complete standstill.

With any quantity, get the best quality angle-grinder you can reasonably afford and a supply of metal cutting discs.

 

[chriscallender]

Actually I have a couple of jobs. One involves sheet stainless to make a decent plate to go underneath my bow roller/forestay attachement - I've reinforced the area by glassing in a thick piece of marine ply and now I just need to make a metal plate to go underneath. I found a thread on drilling stainless so I think I will be OK with drilling the bolt holes.

The other job is to replace a stainless roller bearing in the winch. I've managed to obtain a 600mm roller bearing of exactly the right diameter and I need to cut the right length off the bar.

So I'm interested in how to cut both sheets and bar!

Chris

 

[chriscallender]

Thanks - luckily my angle grinder is 115mm! I'll invest in a few of the screwfix cutting wheels

Chris

 

[ccscott49]

Hacksaw, with very good blades for the bar, slowly does it, with oil for lubricant, cutting discs for sheet, although if you can make a pattern of the plate, I would whip it down to my local metal man and get him to guillotine it for me, couple of squids. Prbaly cheaper than the discs, he may also be able to cut the bar for you. I'm agreat believer in getting things like that doen, thean spending hours doing that, when I can be getting on with other jobs. He'll do it for you in minutes! Go in overalls!

 

[steve_cronin]

Your local....

BOC welding supplies shop sells discs specially made for stainless. As previously said they are thin so as not to generate too much heat which hardens the steel - try carelessly drilling S/S and you end up with a hard spot.

The discs are marked "INOX" and I believe the colour code is green but don't quote me.

Steve Cronin

 

[JerryHawkins]

I had to cut 3mm stainless sheet recently (I bent my bow roller - so cut off the old one to bolt on a new one). I used a dremel multi-tool with heavy duty cutting discs. The secret is keeping it cool - I used a hose pipe with slow running water on the other side to which I was attacking it with the disc. If it goes blue with heat you're knackered - it'll be too hard to cut with almost anything then! I used about 1 disc for every 2 inches of cut! Another piece (off the boat) I was able to cut with a normal hacksaw - slowly and with lots of oil, but no problem, and quicker that the dremel and cutting discs!

I also had to drill holes - I used cobalt steel drills, lots of oil and slow speed - no problem.

Cheers,

Jerry

 

[Strathglass]

Re: Your local....

My local trade hardware supplier sells the same discs, They are not particulary expensive and cut thin ss quite quickly. I was also able to cut through an old 1" propshaft fairly easily but it did tend to eat through the discs.

Iain

 

[peterager]

I have used a really neat piece of kit called a plasma cutter to cut sheet steel, it's very quick and easy to use. It is possible to hire one but it relies on a compressed air supply to operate. It can be used to cut complex shapes in sheet.

Many car repair shops now use them to cut/remove damaged panels so you may be able to get a local one to cut the parts to shape for you. If used right the edge will need very little cleaning up.
Otherwise have a chat with your local steel stockholder, offcuts can be very cheap and they will cut it to size for you.

Hope this helps,
Peter

 

[rougue_trader]

Stainless steel is not as hard to work with as you would think. You can buy a stainless steel cutting blade for your 4''/4.5''or 9'' grinder and they cut it like cheese. Any good hardware shop 4.5'' costs about £2.10. If they have the blades they will advise you on the drill bits and how they should be used.

 

[Gaffer]

"Metal Supermarkets" will cut to size any material including stainless no matter how small, and they will also deliver at no extra charge. I have used the one in Southampton on many occasions and the staff there are very helpfull.

 

[steve_cronin]

\"Good\" hardware shops?

I would suggest that the number having the expertise to advise on drilling stainless properly might be counted on the fingers on one (angel's) hand.
You're more likely to get "If it ain't there mate we don't sell it" or a quick shifty look at the back of the box when they think you're not looking followed by " these are the ones we recommend for stainless sir" from a nervous 18yo. You're stuffed either way because when you take the failed drill back they will claim you mis-used it.

Steve Cronin

 

[castaway]

Just used my 'local man' to trim the bases of my davits, he is about 40 ft away from my boat and involved 2x a 6inch cut thro approx 2mm ss plate. Went to pick them up 2 weeks later and the cost... 20 bl===dy quids.

Where does yr 'local man' live?

Regds Nick

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>

 

[timevans2000]

Having read all the responses to your posting I am suprised nobody has suggested using a normal hack saw blade, but 14 tpi (teeth per inch) instead of the common 24 tpi. The jobs you describe would not be a problem with these blades. I recently cut 4 new chain plates out of 50mm x 5mm s/s marine grade bar using a single blade. The 14 tpi makes a big difference. I get mine from good local hardware shop.

 

[chriscallender]

Thanks for all the advice here - in the end I ordered the Screwfix cutting wheel and it was a piece of cake with that... Also found that its quite easy to drill even with a regular HSS drill bit, just go sssssloooowwwwly, plan to take all day over it and its done enentually!

So thanks again for all the help, one of those things thats easy if you know how, impossible if you don't!

Chris

 

[VMALLOWS]

What's the name of th 'metal supermarket' in Southampton.....hav'nt found that category in yellow pages, and trying around all the 'stockholders' is a pain.

 

[charles_reed]

Use an angle grinder and clean up the edges after!!!

Alternatively go and get your shape (if complex) plasma cut.

Whilst 3mm is on the verge of being "tinplate" most domestic hand-tools won't face 12:18 which work hardens too easily.

 

[Guest]

i am i welder/fabricator. ive found using a angle grinder with a extra thin cutting disc is the best make sure it is a iron free disc as the stainless steel will go rusty after cutting. also if cutting holes above 13mm - 200mm you can use a good quality hole saw and use pleanty of cutting oil (ordenry engine oil will do) ive found starret hole saws the best between £3.00- £50.00 depending on size.
good qualty hss drills will drill stainless quite well like dormer. dont need to get a cobolt drill crapy over priced ones from b&Q probley wont for very long
all should be avalible from a good engineering merchants