cutting wrought iron

[James Baker SD]

what is the proper blade (teeth per inch) to use in a hand held jigsaw for cutting 1/2" wrought iron? On a variable speed saw, should I use fast or slow? Thanks.

James

[Scott T Smith]

James, the rule of thumb that I always follow is to have at least 3 teeth in the cut at all times. Using that rule, you would need at minimum of 6 tpi.

However, for metal you are usually better off using a finer tooth blade, so anywhere in the 14 - 18 TPI range would suffice.

Determine the blade speed by the temperature generated while cutting, so that you keep it at a level below where the blade starts to discolor. Usually you go slower on thicker material.

[David G Baker]

Add a little cutting oil and it will be much easier and the blade will last longer.

[Rich Engelhardt]

what is the proper blade (teeth per inch) to use in a hand held jigsaw for cutting 1/2" wrought iron?
How much are you needing to cut & what is it you're doing?

You might be better off renting a metal cutting bandsaw for a couple of hours.

[James Baker SD]

We have a set of iron bars welded into a rectangle that use to cover a window. Now I want to shorten it to cover a fish pond to keep the raccoons away at night. Five bars, 1/2" each is all I have to do, so will probably stick with the handheld jigsaw.

David. Exactly what is cutting oil? Will any oil work, or is it a specialty item I would need to get?

James

[Rod Sheridan]

1/2" square bar, I'd just use a hacksaw, and forget about cutting oil, modern saw blades don't need it for small cuts that like that..................Rod.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I use my HF angle grinder & an 1/8" cut off wheel for stuff like that.

[phil harold]

+1 on the hacksaw
1/2" square bar, I'd just use a hacksaw, and forget about cutting oil, modern saw blades don't need it for small cuts that like that..................Rod.
I have liked the foaming cutting fluid works better on vertical surfaces

[Myk Rian]

David. Exactly what is cutting oil? Will any oil work, or is it a specialty item I would need to get?

James
It's a very fine, and seemingly coarse oil.
Use WD-40.

[James Baker SD]

It took about 2 minutes a cut with an 18tpi blade in a hand held jigsaw running at its next to slowest speed setting.

Thanks to all who gave me info.

James

[David G Baker]

James B,
Because I do a lot of metal cutting with power as well as hand powered hack saws I keep lots of cutting oil on hand. It is an oil designed for cutting metal. You can get in a quart can at your local Ace Hardware store. It is really needed when cutting and threading pipe. If you are just making a few cuts almost any oil will do.

[Rich Engelhardt]

It took about 2 minutes a cut with an 18tpi blade in a hand held jigsaw running at its next to slowest speed setting.

Yeah - but - the shower of sparks you get from an angle grinder is a lot more fun! :D

[Don Morris]

I don't like using an angle grinder with sparks in a woodshop. Use that in the garage if the shop is indoors, or outside if the shop is your garage. I've heard of the sparks igniting wood dust. Just an FYI. Don't know if it's true, but I worry about it so I do my angle grinding in the garage because my shop is in the basement.

[george wilson]

I have to ask,is it REALLY wrought iron you are cutting,or just hot rolled mild steel that you refer to as wrought iron? Being from a museum,we did use a lot of genuine wrought iron. It begins rusting with a lavender,not brown rust. Then,it does become brown,but that first thin rust is lavender(ferric oxide,not ferrous oxide) It has layers in it of silicon inclusions. When it gets REALLY rusty,it starts to have obvious grain patterns looking like wood.

If you don't have any thing else on hand,you can just use good,soapy water. In the old days,they used soapy water to drill holes in armor plate in ship yards with carbon steel drills. Today,we buy all kinds of cutting oils. I have used Chesterton for many years just because they stocked it in the museum warehouse. It IUS a good idea to use cutting oil with as hacksaw,though most do not realize it. It makes the job easier,and makes the blade last longer.

Modern saws certainly DO need cutting oils to get better life out of them,but for small cuts it isn't very critical.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Don,
I always grind outside...
Why deprive the neighbors of a good show? :D.

[James Baker SD]

George:

I have to admit that I really do not know what metal it was. It "looked" like wrought iron to me. It was original to the house when it was built 37 years ago. The second owner removed them and left them in the garage. We are 3rd owners and I was trying to find a use of one of them after storing it for so long.

James