There are many different ways to cut stainless steel. However when working with stainless steel (if you haven’t figured it out already and really want some advice), there are a few classes of tools:
- Really Stupid: which include
- tin snips or shears,
- an ungoverned (full speed) circular saw, and
- reciprocating saw
- Acceptable: which include
- angle grinders,
- metal chop saws, and
- hack saws (powered or not)
- Best Practice: which include
- dedicated stainless steel metal bandsaw, and
- fully RPM governed cold cut saw.
Before you begin cutting your stainless steel, ensure that you have fitted a suitable metal cutting blade or disc (possibly diamond) to your chosen implement of destruction. Cutting implements designed for cutting stainless steel metal are much harder, and more durable than those used in mild steel work. Attempting to cut steel with the wrong blade will result in it being dulled quickly – or even shatter/explode if something brain dead like a wood blade is used in a circular saw.
Before making your first cut, allow your chosen too to reach its stable RPM. When using a any tool, work slowly, and continuously – as this avoids work hardening. As always, any cutting of metal means that you apply a liberal amount of cutting oil/fluid to the surface. The more evenly and often the oil is applied, the easier you will find this process.
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