Tool Test: Metal Cutting Saws

From Tools of the Trade, March/April 2000
By Michael Whitticar
Photos: David Sharpe

Steel Workers

Dry-cut carbide or abrasive -- these new chop boxes ease the pain of metal cutting.

Our chance to test metal-cutting chop saws couldn't have come at a better time. While the saws were delivered to the front door of our shop, about 200 tons of cold-formed steel studs showed up out back. We cut lots of steel, so we were especially anxious to try out the new dry-cut and abrasive chop saws. Our company, Enertech Systems, has been fabricating cold-formed steel trusses and walls for six years. When the saws arrived, we were starting to fabricate load-bearing walls and trusses for a 50,000-square-foot assisted-living facility. That's nonstop work for our saws.

Steel framing components fall into two basic categories. Heavier shapes are hot-rolled products typically referred to as red iron or structural steel. The lighter shapes we work with are known as cold-formed or light gauge. Cold-formed steel studs range in thickness from 18 to 118 mil (25 gauge to 10 gauge). We typically use 33- to 54-mil (20 gauge to 16 gauge) framing components for load­bearing applications.

Dry-Cut vs. Abrasive

The saws we tested fall into two categories: dry-cut and abrasive. Dry-cut saws are a brand-new category. They generally have more user-friendly features than abrasive saws do, but the primary difference between the two is the blades. A typical abrasive saw produces lots of dust and sparks, requires several blade changes a day, and typically leaves sharp burrs on studs. Dry-cut saws' carbide-tipped blades don't throw any sparks, leave a smooth cut, and don't heat up the material during the cut. If you're cutting heavier stock, dry-cut saws are the tools for you.

Dry-Cut. The introduction of carbide-tipped blade technology allows steel framers to match the speed and versatility previously enjoyed only by wood framers. Although we've been using similar blades on-site in our 7 1/4-inch circular saws, they eject small chips of steel that can make this work unpleasant and potentially dangerous. Since production cutting calls for a chop box, we were happy to find, during testing, that this problem doesn't exist with dry-cut saws.

The saws performed very well out of the box. It did take a little time to get a feel for how much pressure to apply, and how fast to cut. Initially, the blades cut very quickly through light-gauge steel. And we found that the saws performed best when we cut two C-shaped studs nested together, which is how we typically cut them. We did experience a problem when cutting single studs with short drop-pieces of 1 foot or less. The cut-off material typically sailed across the shop floor and produced quite a kickback in the saw. After experiencing the kickback of a stud or two, our cutters were reluctant to give the cut a final push. That hesitation significantly reduced the speed of each cut. We didn't experience kickback or flying scrap when the stud was heavier than 54 mil and the drop-piece was longer than 2 feet. The heavier-weight the scrap, the less likely it was to become a projectile.

The dry-cut saws performed better on heavier steel; we didn't experience any flying scrap when cutting any of the hot-rolled shapes. The dry-cut saws maintained their rate of cut when we limited material to heavier steel shapes. The blades produce a dramatically cooler clean cut that let us handle the material sooner. We were able to cut almost three times as many light-gauge steel studs with carbide blades as we did with typical abrasive blades, but the carbide blades gradually took longer to cut and became very loud. However, we couldn't wear them out on heavier stock.

Abrasive. Typical metal-cutting chop saws use abrasive blades that grind their way through the material. Abrasive blades are also called abrasive disks or cut-off wheels. We currently use a general-purpose metal blade that's 14"x3/32"x1". It's important to consider thickness when choosing an abrasive blade. We've found that thicker blades tend to glaze over, which reduces their cutting ability. As an abrasive blade cuts through a stud, the steel heats up and starts adhering to the blade surface. Thinner blades cut very quickly, but also wear down quickly. We can typically cut 200 to 225 3 5/8-inch, 33-to 43-mil studs with one 14-inch abrasive blade. Although the saws we tested came with blades of varying thickness, the blades were all pretty thin and cut well.

Test Criteria

We tested four dry-cut saws and eight abrasive saws. We cut 3 5/8-inch and 6-inch light gauge steel studs, 2"x2"x1/4" structural angle irons, and 4"x1/4" structural channels. We evaluated the saws on cutting speed, vice setup, blade-change time, and overall comfort and feel. We couldn't judge the saws' durability during the test's short time span, but that's a very important factor to keep in mind for a tool that takes so much abuse.

All the saws we reviewed generally proved to be reliable. But it's important to remember that chop saws are very different from miter saws. If you want an angle cut, you change the position of the fence--not the saw. And don't consider trying a compound angle cut--it would be pretty dangerous.

Design Features

Fences. We never expected much from the fence on a chop saw, so we were happy to see that some saw makers have made their adjustable fences easier to use. These features are especially welcome on the abrasive saws. If the material is too far back from the blade, it could bind it up and produce significant damage.

Without a quick way to readjust fences, we've always left them set back as far as they can go to accommodate wider material. When we cut smaller stock, we placed a block between the material and fence. That put smaller stock under the blade and saved us the trouble of removing bolts to reposition the fence.

DeWalt's dry-cut and abrasive saws have moveable fences with tool-free adjustments. Makita's dry-cut saw uses a lever to quickly adjust the fence's angle, but you still need a tool to lock it down for heavier use.

Depending on the material to be cut, a typical fence will wander and produce an out-of-square cut. If you're cutting a long, heavy structural channel, plan on routinely squaring the fence to the blade. The Porter-Cable, Jepson, Ridgid, Makita, and Delta saws provide mounting holes instead of slots to position the fence on the table base. With these saws, the fences' stationary parts were less likely to move from the weight of the material. Although it's more of a hassle to move the fences, they stay put once you've done it.

Blade change. We think blade-changing tools should be securely and conveniently stored on the saw itself, and arbor locks should be easily accessible. We found it easier to remove arbor bolts on saws that use Allen wrenches than on those ones that use open-ended wrenches.

Three saws come with Allen wrenches: The Porter-Cable 1410 has both wrenches snugly mounted to the table surface, but the blade cover must be removed before changing the blade. You also have to remove the cover on the Jepson 9314-T2, and the saw doesn't have a place to store its wrench. The DeWalt DW871 and DW872 saws each have single Allen wrenches mounted on the front of the table, and the arbor bolts are easily accessible. The Makita LC1230 and 2414DB saws come with single socket wrenches that double for blade removal and fence adjustment.

Transport locking. Of the two methods of transport locking, we prefer a lock pin over a chain lock. Given the weight of a typical chop saw, nothing is more frustrating than bumping the saw against something and having the chain release. Only the DeWalt saws have lock pins.

Coil springs. We also prefer saws with vertical coil springs instead of the horizontal springs typically found on chop boxes. Both types of DeWalt and Makita saws have vertical springs. Saws with horizontal springs tend to recoil when the handle is released after a cut. That's a pain if you're cutting down long material in the field and the saw jumps after each cut. The Ridgid CM1400 saw includes an upstop screw we liked, which keeps the power head from over rotating.

Switches. Some of the saws we tested have lock-off switches that must be depressed to operate the saw. We're not sure why some saws have them and others don't. The lock-off switch will become annoying if you make several cuts at a time. If the saw has a lock-off switch, the device should be conveniently located and shouldn't be removable.

Depth stops. Except for DeWalt's, all the saws we tested have depth stops to keep blades from cutting beyond the table surface. This is especially important for abrasive saws, because you have to adjust the stop as the blade wears down. All but one of the saws require a wrench to set the stop. Makita's 2414DB abrasive chop saw has a tool-free, easy-to-use depth stop.

Choosing the Right Saw

If you're going to cut heavier hot-rolled materials and only occasionally cut thinner cold-formed steel components, a dry-cut saw is definitely your best choice. If you only need to cut cold-formed steel less than 14 gauge, get an abrasive blade saw. You can expect to pay at least $250 more for dry-cut models.

Most manufacturers provide documents that show how to position various-shaped steel materials between the fence and vise. Positioning the material properly increases the saw's performance.

Except for a few companies, almost nobody provides information about blades for both saw types. Dry-cut saws should come with information listing available blade choices and what they are designed to cut. Contractors need to know a blade's life expectancy when cutting a particular type of steel, and whether or not it can be sharpened.

Literature included with the DeWalt DW872 says the blade can be sharpened, but doesn't mention other blade choices or specify a minimum material thickness. The Makita LC1230 manual lists a minimum steel thickness and optional blade choices, but doesn't indicate whether or not the blade can be sharpened. The Porter-Cable 1410 doesn't mention material thickness, but does say that the tool can cut ferrous and non-ferrous materials and that the blade can be sharpened up to four times. We would liked to have seen generic lists recommending blade types and thickness for each abrasive saw, but we didn't.

Favorites

Our favorite dry-cut saw is the DeWalt DW872. We like its convenient D-handle design and the vertical coil spring's smooth operation. The table has slots and tool-less fence positioning, a better graduation scale, and an auxiliary clamp to help secure irregular shapes. The fence is considerably heavier and longer than those on other saws, and the clamp's crank gives you a place to rest your thumb when fastening material down.

Our second choice of dry-cuts is a tie between the Porter-Cable 1410 and the Makita LC1230. The 12-inch Makita saw has a vertical coil spring and a unique fence angle adjustment feature, but lacks the other saws' cutting capacity. The Porter-Cable saw is well designed and closely matches the DeWalt saw's capacity. The Jepson 9314-T2 is our third choice in this category. It has an optional jig to position stock in the vise.

Our employees who deal with sparks and dust all day felt the DeWalt DW871 was the hands-down favorite abrasive saw. The saw's vertical coil spring provides the best overall feel and reduces the kickback typically found on chop saws. The fence doesn't require any wrenches to operate; it locks and unlocks with a quick-release lever. The angle plate is efficient and easy to read. The only D-handle abrasive saw we tested, the DeWalt has no lock-off switch (which we like).

After the Dewalt saw, we liked the Makita 2414DB. It has a vertical coil spring but lacks the vise options found on the company's dry-cut saw. The Bosch 3814 is our third-favorite abrasive saw. It feels like the best-powered saw, especially for cutting heavier materials, and the Delta 20-140 is not far behind.

Too New To Test

Ryobi and Hitachi introduced new saws just after we completed our test. The Ryobi C2600 14-inch abrasive saw has features we've never seen before in a chop saw. Its heavy table has two edges that can attach to an auxiliary fence. The fence has an additional flip feature to quickly change the position of material under the blade. The tool-free fence angle adjusts easily. The vise base moves beyond the table edge to provide additional cutting capacity. Other features include a lock-pin for transport and an extended handle. Ryobi expects to have the saw available in April 2000 for approximately $200.

The other saw, Hitachi's CD14F 14-inch dry-cut metal saw, has a larger square-shape cutting capacity than the DeWalt DW872. Other notable features include a quick-lock vise with a tool-free angle adjustment, a chip collector, and a unique vise handle. The Hitachi is the only chop saw I've seen with extension bars and a fixed-length lever for repetitive cuts. This saw won't be available for another four to six months; it's too new to price.

Michael Whitticar is one of the leading steel framing experts in the country. He is president of Enertech Systems in Cleveland, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to Hanley-Wood's Tools of the Trade magazine.

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