Best affordable DIY metal fabrication chop saw tested (Vevor 355mm) | Auto Expert John Cadogan
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2023
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355mm TCT metal chop saw: s.vevor.com/bfQiYx
Abrasive chop saw: s.vevor.com/bfQiYE
BS-85 bandsaw: s.vevor.com/bfQbMS
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Just a note - when cutting, you do NOT want to let the machine always cut at its own pace. When cutting wide sections, such as the start and end of RHS, you need to provide down pressure to ensure adequate chip loading on each tooth. If you don't, the teeth will tend to skate, causing the carbide to heat up and become blunt. I have a version of this saw made by Fein and they are quite specific about this.
Yeah - perhaps I glossed over that. I did mean not forcing the tool. Agreed that carbide likes to be worked reasonably hard. The saw is certainly not as happy when more teeth are engaged.
Yes, dangerous if forcing your tool. Usually results in unwanted marriage.
Do the blades in these saws have anti-kickback shoulders? I'm assuming this would limit the risks of too much force being applied. I'm not suggesting that it makes this a non issue or that you shouldn't worry about it. You're still going to induce excessive frictional heating of the blade and other issues, but at least it mitigates some of the risk of all that angular kinetic energy being rapidly dissipated in undesirable excitement. At least, that's my non-expert understanding of why some saw blades have these.
Not only downward pressure but you need to limit the kickback too. You have to be the shock absorber providing steady pressure.
When cutting rhs/box/right angle you cut slower on the horizontal surfaces and faster on the verticals. Its all in the surface area/number of teeth engaged at once
I slow down just before breakout. That lessens the large burr on the off cut side. It also reduces the tendency for small cutoffs to jump off the saw.
As someone who has managed to be exceptionally lucky with only managing minor injuries with an angle grinder, I wholeheartedly endorse the safety warning about being very careful with the damn things.
I think the most important thing you mentioned was "where to cut". Not enough importance is placed on cutting on the waste side. And on that issue, always cut on the waste side. I was a maths support teacher in TAFE and attended all industry classes so I understood what was needed when helping students with their maths. It was a recurring issue of bits not matching up and poor fits. Thanks John.
Never knew I needed to learn about this until today. Always worthy of a watch even if not interested in the topic because I have used diy tools like an angle grinder and your wisdom is greatly appreciated.
Thank you John. Never too old to learn and scribing over sharpie for increased visibility is a great tip for a bloke like me with older eyes. Much appreciated.
I upgraded my old Makita abrasive chop saw to a Makita cold-cut saw and have not looked back. Probably one of my best tool purchases to date. So, so much better for all the reasons John points out. Great video. Vevor stuff is pretty good for the money, definitely a step above the usual Chinese Ebay/Alibaba garbage.
Love this type of content John, thanks and keep it up.
Well said. The accuracy is a big jump up from abrasives and bandsaws. Yes, the swarf goes everywhere. I've used one but don't own one yet, so I'm thinking I need to set up my space differently and change my clean-up attitude to accommodate the different mess but it should still be a huge improvement overall.
A Great video. The number one tool for D.I.Y is measure then cut don't measure the whole length of cuts as you will be short after the first. The other great thing to have is a peg table can make a flat surface easier for construction but are expensive. The most horrible job I have ever done is called lapping. working with a pane of glass with wet sandpaper getting a flat plane on both sides down to a specific thickness sounds like more fun than using the hack saw on cutting old bolts from convenor belt with cleats. great work as always.
Thank you so much, I have learned something new today.
I was just about to buy a wood drop saw to cut stainless steel tubing for a number of projects.
I just looked up the blade speed specs and the wood version cuts over 3000 RPM faster than the metal version.
So for me, it’s a steel drop saw now!
Good plan
I have one of the Evolution machines and it has made me a much more efficient worker. I still have a cheap abrasive cutoff saw, but that thing only gets used for ugly projects or mystery steel that's potentially hardened.
New eh John? I bought mine from Cable and Porter in the early 90's, the saw was 650 quid, and the blades were 90 quid a go... It paid for itself in time saved and accuracy... I still have, it still works (I retired) as a site saw it was lightweight and bloody versatile...
Excellent points. The swarf from these things will be a literal pain. Good pick up on the v-block, too. And you are correct on the swarf magnetic stick.
Once I found a guy at the supermarket playing with a cheap (only €6.95 back then) 500W 115 mm (4.5") angle grinder while saying to his wife: "I can handle it with a single hand, I've seen a lot of people doing that" so I understood that he did not have any experience but that he already wanted to start using it as if he were a "professional" of those who shake their hands with danger ;-)
In the end his wife did not let him buy it, she told him that he would end up in the emergency room.
Thanks John , great overview ! Lots of relevant info . Cheers
My experience (I’m just a retired guy on my farm) with cold cut saws on schedule 40 mild steel is that the blades get too dull to use after only a few cuts. I got rid of my saw but I believe the brand was spelled Fein. Supposed to be high quality. Talked to welding shop owner who said the same thing about his.
Great video John. How do you think this saw would go in a fabrication workshop? Even as a plan B to that Hare and Forbes saw we have. The two other hot tips I would suggest is... Don't mix and match you cutting discs. As in, don't ever use your worn down hot saw blade on your angle grinder. They are rated at different RPM and may ( and I've seen it) explode and really fuck up the user of the grinder. (The guy in the drafting office was talking the disc home to use. Found it out the hard way) The next tip. In regards to the cutting list. Cut the longer lengths first just in case you fuck up your measurements. It's easier to cut a smaller cut out of a long cut length than joining smaller lengths together. Keep up the great content.
I have owned my Hitachi drop saw for about 25 years. It pays to get a good quality tool. I would also recommend a 100 mm and a high power 125 mm angle grinder. A die grinder comes in handy at times as well. If you are going to get a bench grinder an Abbot and Ashby 8 inch one is an excellent, durable choice. In all honesty it is not possible to have too many metal grinding tools. What home workshop is complete without a mig/tig/stick welder as well?
In my experience it is impossible for a bloke to self actualise without metal fabrication tools. It just can’t be done.
Vevor chop saw, two thumbs up.....5 inch grinder, one and half thumbs up!
Hi John. Thanks for all the good information provided in your videos. Having watched this video re the Vevor Cold Saw and decided to buy one. Upon arrival of the saw I put it to work and cut 16 lengths of 35 shs 2mm wall thickness. It worked well however when cleaning the saw i found the blade suffered significant damage. Those 16 cuts resulted in 4 teeth tips being broken. I understand the saw is value for money and it is all dependant on the skill of the operator however it is a bit disappointing. I will continue using the blade and hopefully finish the project. I thought sharing my experience was important. Again thanks for sharing you knowledge via the videos. Regards Bryan
Scribe with the tungsten, and then, immediately, do a sharpie mark over your scribe mark. You can find it easy and then see the scibe mark easily. Less sharpie use overall. Awesome channel. As always, thanks for sharing. I truly think, overall, your channel may literally save my life in the future
I have an evolution 355 and i love it..made all my fit-ups so much better for welding..oh and gal and stainless will wear the carbide out quicker than straight steel
I found that cutting galv. blunts the blade a lot quicker than cutting blue.
Great work mate really enjoyed /got a lot out of it !!!!
Great video john. Never thought of using the v block that i was made to make at tafe in my engineering cert ii course before I went on to bring a truck mechanic.
Please let me know how it goes mate. Thanks for watching.
Some great tips there John, thanks.
The Vervor chop saws must be popular , I hit your link & they're out of stock .. dam it 😂
Good vids. Try pferd cutoff discs. watch that sliver when squaring off a new length of box section will go bang if caught up in teeth. I grab it with pliers before it releases
A tremendously valuable video!
Thanks John il use this to help my insomnia
Need to fab yourself a spark catcher/deflector for the back of the abrasive saw John. Most come with one and it will prevent the eventual projection of sparks into the wall cavity after they bore a hole through the gyprock...
Hi John , a few years ago we where moving our workshop into a new estate , our brain ordered one of those Cold saws , it ran at around 25/30rpm , first job was to cut 4 of 100by100 by 10 mm angles , ok try 25 minutes per cut . Old JC
You would be a good industry teacher, with practical content and interesting real life methods of theory and practice.
I have a similar “different brand” saw and it is definitely a game changer. I think the big deal here is your shirt. This is something I can’t live without…
Hey John, I've still got a Eclipse Hacksaw!
And, Rod the foreman in the Telephone and PA section at BHP had to buy one of these drop saws.... because the Electricians couldn't cut a a 45deg angle. But the noise almost reached 90 Decibels! So you have to have ear protection and safety glasses. It drove us Technicians in the adjoining workshop crazy! But you already knew that mate.
Hi John, thanks for the explanations. Can you use this to cut RVS tubes?
For light duty work, small material sizes and for someone who doesn't have the space, I do like some of those compact cut-off tools. I have a Ryobi one. DeWalt has one that looks pretty nice with that dust shroud. It feels way better than making similar cuts with an angle grinder. It's no match for something like a proper benchtop cut-off saw, but might work better for someone with limited space and only needing to do light-duty and/or occasional work.
Good timing though. I'm moving into a bigger space soon, so maybe I'll have to look into one of these. It's a pity you don't have an affiliate link that works over here in Canuckistan as I'd gladly give you the commission if you did. Thanks for the content.
Hi question would you use the cold cut saw or abrasive saw to cut rail track? I was gokng to buy te cold cut saw but you said to use the cold cut saw for soft metal. Please advise great videos. Ur an amazing teacher
Got it from aliexpress for 230€. Can't wait to get it.
Just to warn people, cold cut saws with these kind of blades, bit of a different animal to the old style abrasive wheel monsters so you can't just go buy a 14" saw and fit it up to an abrasive drop saw. It'll choke on them, lot more torques needed to run them.
Personally I'm still a fan of the whole spin-off cottage industry of angle grinder accessories, you can get belt grinder attachments, circular saws, wood rooter-router discs and even little chainsaws with none of that real safety bullshit you get on actual tools. It's basically gods gift to outpatients doctors, they'll never be out of a job
The motor looks the size of my Hitachi abrasive drop saw.
@@Low760 Its not about size, its about torque and rpm.
A cold cut saw runs at about 1400-1500rpm from memory and your abrasive drop runs about 4500-5000rpm which can cause all kinds of bad things. Either it'll bind up or start spitting off teeth at supersonic speeds and that gets... exciting
Thanks for another great video John.
Can you please share the height of the thing in parked mode ?
Hi, great video! Question about the galvanisation, is it only applied to the outside of the tubing or is there a layer on the inside as well? If there is a zinc coating on the inside, how would you mitigate the danger from zinc vaporisation of the inside layer?
Inside is galvanised as well, but the weld probably doesn't affect much of that inside. Best solution is the vinegar, or a thin pneumatic belt sander that reaches inside the tube. And weld in the open air. (Last point is not so compatible with GMAW - MIG welding using a gas shield.)
Hi John, I'm looking at getting a saw to cut eg, 50x50x3mm mild steel. I can get 1 saw, would you recommend the drop saw in this video or the bandsaw in your other video.
You recommend both, which one would be more economical long term?
Great information, thanks
Good overview but I would stick with a good metal bandsaw. Initial cost is higher but you get that back pretty quickly with the longer blade life and cheaper blades compared to replacement blades for bladed drop saws. They are more convenient for basic 90 and 45 degree cuts though.
I have been using one for nearly 20 years now as well as a band saw and I always use the circular saw when I need very accurate cuts as whatever you do there is always a little wander out with a bandsaw, for super accurate cuts a cold saw is best but it takes longer the saw is more expensive and so are the blades, of course you can get the cold saw blades resharpened and even new teeth fitted but there are now some companies around that will fit new teeth onto a tungsten carbide saw. I will say that if you want to cut stainless or thin wall tube a friction saw is a better bet.
my method of choice is to use a bandsaw to cut something to size +2mm and then put it on my conventional mill to face both sides. takes a little longer but if it really has to be the size i want it to...
and small conventional mills can actually be found for not that much money... just gotta find the space for them.
Love the observation when you croak someone is going to dismantle it and throw it all away ! Sad but true.
thanks to this video its now sold out and i cant use my amazon gift card.. thanks john!
110ml angle grinder and flap disc is what I use to do my horse's feet! So yes, angle grinders do have their uses!
Had it for few years now, great tool. Not new though
Another option instead of scribing the 45° and 90° on the base is to drill and pin it... beats the accuracy squints.
Im unsure the quality of the Vevor if there's play at the pivot point it will effect the results using this method.
My father started as an engineer 70+ years ago. First test - "Here's a hacksaw and a 150mmx150mm block of solid steel. Cut 25mm off the top and file it flat. I'll be back later". True story - so I went into woodwork :) until I ended up in a massive machine shop operating an overhead planer on 1200mmx2400mm cast iron. So I went back to woodwork and computers :)
The swarf off those saws are a pain as if it not ALL picked up it will cut and also hook into your bare feet and take weeks to rust away in the grass. This is Australia we like bare feet. With a grinding disk the filings off it are hardly any chance of cutting your feet. They just make little nicks or stick in 1 mm. Also they rust away in the yard in 2 or 3 days. As for your V block do not put the damn thing where you did. It is to be the other side of the square tube closest to the threaded clamp so the tube that is being cut in in the correct position for the saw. There is a reason the STOP is in that position. As for the swarf stick well more like $80 or more. Just throw a strong magnet in a piece of cloth. Worked fine for 40 years so far.
great vid. thanks
Which tool cut most squarely?
I may need this saw for my upcoming circumcision, maybe with a tungsten tooth blade. Does anyone need a sutpintine belt for a V6 dunnydore ?
Good info
I hear the neighbours have already put in a complaint to the council over the cutting noise. Love the content and should put my unguarded grinder to bed....
I’ve read some people’s comments on channels when someone is using or reviewing one of these saws. All too many times some wise guy comes in and thinks he’s a genius. So he tells people to use a carbide blade on a friction saw. It’s the same size, right? It cuts so much faster. After all, don’t believe the max speed rating on the side of the carbide blade, because the manufacturers are lying to us so that they can sell more expensive saws. There’s so much brilliance out there. One thing about these saws that can be a problem. If the back fence is loose, or on some saws, flimsy, when you tighten the vise, it will bend backwards slightly. That doesn’t matter on a 90 degree cut. But when cutting angles, it does and the top of a square tube will be longer than the bottom, so the cut won’t be 90 degrees from top to bottom.
You can just measure from the blade to your cut when you set up, never mind marking stuff. And always use a magnet to hold corners for welding, gets the angle right.
I guess I might find out watching, but how does it compare to a bandsaw? My 4x6 from marketplace is good, even though it needs some tweaks and upgrades - all part of the game though. Also, I can leave it to cut something large and walk away with auto switch off.
I have both, the bandsaw gets used for larger material and for more fussy angles as it's easier to set up accurately. The drop saw gets used for basic 90 and 45 degree cuts as it's easier and faster to setup for that.
They do make ultra fine sharpies now. They are like 0.5mm
You have reviewed some Vevor Products recently, I bought the welder, mainly because you liked it. Have you been offered the 100 litre Oil Free Air Compressor for a review, I want a compressor and so far, Vevor is the one for me, what do you think of them?
I haven't tried it mate.
Well, I just learned why the evolution blade I bought to put on my abrasive chop saw burned up so fast. Too many rpm’s. Thanks John .
If you’re serious, you’re lucky the teeth didn’t explode off the blade. Did you read the max speed of the blade on the side of the blade?
Tool time, Bring em on.
in kazakhstan, we cut everything with 9 inch angle grinder.
Here in Australia 9 inch grinders are banned from most worksites. They are one of the biggest if not the biggest cause of workplace injuries apparently. I was injured by one years ago and it gave me a whole new appreciation for grinder safety 😊
Can you do a video on portable band saws please
Basic and essential 'Shop 101' lessons here folks,.. now pay attention class.
By the way our John mentioned the word "Sawzall" this is a brand name owned by Milwaukee Tools, and today is seems to refer to all reciprocating portable saws; it's like 'Jeep' is also a brand name initiated by Willys Overland way back then.
Thanks, Reg. (Agreed on 'Sawzall'.)
John I love your Welder T Shirt and your videos. Where can I buy your Welder T Shirt from???
I just use a 1mm steel cutting blade I found the bits coming off those saws a bit hot and very burny
Also very noisy
But it looks nice
Another appliance for the kitchen bench.
These are a grouse saw, not just this brand but these fast running old cuts in general. But I’d recommend a good face shield on top of your glasses. The chips are hot as fuck
Masks when welding practical? A version of mask for welding fumes, to wear under a standard helmet (as opposed to the enclosed forced vent ones with the filter at back etc - re: price)?
Angle grinder or wheel of death?
I love that shirt, where can I get one?
Watch out john, i once said that a saws-all is a bodgers tool, only fit for fucking up plaster boards or cutting scrap. Well, i got American chaps blowing off at me saying its the best tool ever etc. But I'm with you, good for getting that steel or timber in yo vehicle to get home, after that put it away and get a proper saw out.
love to see someone try and cut a 760UB with an angle grinder
Bonus points for knowing what a 760UB actually is...
I used to be one of the scaredy cats. Now I love working with metal, and can't stand dealing with wood!
is that coz you can always add to metal if you cut it too short, unlike wood lol
How does it go with Alluminium?
It'll cut aluminum fine but aluminum is so soft a dropsaw made for wood will cut it no problem if your careful how fast you feed it.. I use carbide tipped saw blades made for cutting wood in a milling machine for cutting aluminum
Funny how the fabrication trade is moving back to bandsaws as consumables are cheaper than effectively a wood saw blade with a different tooth rake.
I don't know why I'm looking at this video when I have a drop bandsaw in the garage
the 'spark target' at 18:25... 😵💫
LoL, metal is the nicest to work, timber is just, well, boring!
And at 1:34 you need to add heavy duty shed shelving frames to the list.
My Bosch drop saw is on about its 50th blade and I've battled it the whole way as it will not cut a vertical 90deg!
Sweet
☝
If it "cuts through steel like butter", why not just cut the steel with butter?
Cheers,
Patrick Sparks
Note, wire cup brushes will spit out the wire bristles.
Replacement blades for these saws are a rip-off in Australia from most shops. If you shop online you can find some decent options for around $150 but in my experience any blade less than 200 is just a waste of money and even then they might outlast the abrasive disc saws but they are really not cost effective for anything above a basic hobbyist. My last fabrication job had this type of saw gathering dust with a fucked blade. Each job involved about 12Tonnes of steel. Mostly cut to size but about 1/3rd was all cut manually.
Keep us updated on how this lasts.
I was wondering what the blades cost. Not surprised its half the price of the saw. My old abrasive saw is good enough for the small amount I do and it was free.
Yeah a bandsaw is better, blades are cheaper and last longer
I have a 305mm Bosch version of this saw and when it works it's great but in Australia these saws are an awkward compromise.
They are faster than a bandsaw, faster and cleaner than abrasives and cheaper than a Brobo. They are also way more expensive to run than any of the other options. Water cooled cold cut saws are way more expensive but the blades last about 5-10 times longer and can be sharpened whereas the carbide tipped bladed are basically throw away. I've heard it's possible to sharpen them but every specialist I've spoken to who sharpens blades won't touch them.
If you need a fast, accurate and productive tool water cooled saws are worth the money. If you're cost sensitive a bandsaw probably gives bang for the buck whilst maintaining similar precision. I hate abrasive chop saws personally and would rather just use the ol 5inch.
These dry cold cut saws are in an awkward niche for prosumers who can't justify the cost of a brobo like saw but won't use it enough to be affected by replacement blades costs.
To be fair to John that is the exact niche he targets but as someone with one of these types of saw who works in the industry I'm underwhelmed with it's performance.
Also for whatever reason, cutting galvanised material seems to halve the life or more. I got about 80 cuts out of Diablo Steel demon blade and it only dulled a bit. I did one project with 2mm wall 50X50 mild steel and after about 10 cuts the blade wanted to explode it was so dull so I had to cut the rest by hand with a grinder.
One issue I have is that these saws are not in my view safer than a grinder. Cutoff wheels aren't the worst thing to hit you. I've had discs blow up in my face literally, take chunks out of me etc but as long as you have eye protection you need to be really reckless or unlucky for a cutting disc to seriously injure you. Chop saws are more controlled and controllable but if and when things go wrong they can go very wrong. Especially with a dulling blade. If the clamp comes loose and the blade chatters as it will do long before it's warn out, these saws are prone to throwing that piece of steel at you which is way scarier than a cutting wheel exploding.
The tool that has gotten the most blood from me in my shop is my damn angle grinder. Good lord is it handy
1/3 of Aerospace Engineering education is dispelling myths and misinformation about mechanics and physics. You do this well.
You might want to shorten a hex key to be able to set the cam belt tension on a VW. If you for some reason happen to be working on a VW.
Or cut off the L to fit a drill.
@@AutoExpertJC Yeah in a pinch but there are bits ready made for that. (Probably for my application to assuming you are prepared to pay VW oem prices and assuming that they will sell it to a mere mortal.)
A bandsaw is safer, especially if you're cutting up stainless. I use blade saws on non ferrous metals only.
Hey John! Love the tool videos and electrical power load information BUT. have yo heard that …..while there are ICE vehicles of course, events off the Dutch coast have confirmed the existence of SCE vehicles. (Spontaneous Combustion Vehicles) ….. enough of that zero emissions rubbish. 😉🇳🇿
Dutch Oven hazmat shitfight.
If you drink cow's milk when welding galvinized it will help
If you are cutting angle, don't clamp it as John suggests. Use an off cut of square tube in the vice a bit bigger than the angle. This holds it secure. If you do it as John suggests, the blade can grab the angle and break it free from the vice, as it did to me. Ruined a blade and scared the shit out of me.
2 thumbs up both still attached 😂
I use a grinder for all cuts these days but only because I got sick of my abrasive cutoff saw and didn't think I could justify the cost of a cold cut saw. 100,000 cuts later I think it's time to bite the bullet and get one of these, especially at the Vevor price.
Meanwhile I have another technique that works well (if links are allowed here)
ua-cam.com/video/uPy-iKoP6Mw/v-deo.html
What happened to the audio
Great vid bud, appreciate the discount code. Comm coming your way
👍👍👍
Audio is fine at my end.
Mine too.
Same here.
Thanks looks w