Harbor Freight 5" Double Cut Saw

[matt2]

Hi you guys
Harbor freight has their 5" Double Cut Saw on sale for $59.99 and I have a 25% coupon so about $45.00 + tax not a bad deal. What I would like to know has anyone bought one and how did it work? I have wanted one of these for a while. I have some aluminum I need 4 straight cuts and the fab shop wanted $40.00 + tax. So if it makes the 4-12" cuts it is paid for. Did I mention the aluminum is 3/8 thick, so pretty thick stuff. I would just like to here that if I am nice to it, it will work fine let me know thanks, Matt :grind:

 

[packmule62]

we bought one to cut steel siding on a industrial building, it cut it but was extremely loud and no faster than using a 5'' grinder with a cut off wheel. it may work better on 3/8 alum. but id try the grinder first if you have one, if not one from hf is like 15 bucks or less with a coupon plus the wheels and i promise you will use the grinder more often . just watch the sparks they will screw up your arm if you dont have sleeves and of course were eye protection.

 

[jeep2003]

i wouldnt buy one. but thats just me. seems a bit of a gimmic. I would consider a diablo steel demon blade for a circular saw. they look like a regular wood cutting blade but suposidly work awesome much better than an abrasive blade. they run about 40 bucks at the home depot. i think they make them in bigger sizes too so you can put it in a table saw. I havnt got one yet myself but yeah seems like a better buy than a double cut saw for what you want to do

 

[roccosbike]

i wouldnt buy one. but thats just me. seems a bit of a gimmic. I would consider a diablo steel demon blade for a circular saw. they look like a regular wood cutting blade but suposidly work awesome much better than an abrasive blade. they run about 40 bucks at the home depot. i think they make them in bigger sizes too so you can put it in a table saw. I havnt got one yet myself but yeah seems like a better buy than a double cut saw for what you want to do

I can tell you first hand that Jeep is spot on with his suggestion. The Diablo blade works fantastic on aluminum.

 

[matt2]

Thanks you guys I'm not sure what to do yet. I don't have table or circular saw so that would mean saw and blade. I'm starting to think a hacksaw, I have that. I sold all my wood working tools, I thought I was done with that stuff. I had to have room for the minis.

 

[Boomstick]

Run screaming away from it.

I use my tools respectfully (without pounding on them, and if I need a bigger tool, I GET a bigger tool), but mine turned itself into a melted plastic mess. And that was cutting aluminum siding.


Just get an angle grinder.

 

[TomH]

If I had a skill saw and an old dull blade, turn it around backwards and it will cut thru. Yeah it is noisy, and redneck, but I have been doing it for years in a pinch. Gloves, eye and ear protection is a must. Better would be if you had a miter saw and a bad blade. they are easier to cut straight. Double super redneck..use an old skillsaw blade backwards on the chop saw if all you have is a good chop saw blade. An old carbide works the best. Your chances of making a perfectly straight cut with anything hand held thru metal are pretty iffy at best. I would cut it fat and grind to the right dimension.

 

[packmule62]

tom is right about turning the blade backward for alum. siding or the right direction if its a fine tooth beveled blade in a circular saw. but for alum. thats 3/8 thick. im betting use a demolition blade n the normal direction, im not familiar with the blade the other fellows mentioned so i cant offer my opinion on that. but as far as the double cut been there done that wont do it again. 33 years exp. in the trades.

 

[paul_probus]

Check a pawn shop or second hand store for a 10" mitersaw. My dad gave me a cheap, no name miter saw that I have no use for since I have 2 RAS's for my WW'ing needs. I plan on getting a steel cutting blade for it and using it for metalcutting. I saw Lowes has a Lennox steel cutting blade for about $70.

Alternatively you can get a portable bandsaw from HF I see its onsale for $90. Another alternative would be a HF miter saw. They go on sale for about the same price, but then you'd still have to buy the blade. With the portable bandsaw you'd be in business right away.

 

[matt2]

Thanks for all the help you guys!!!!! :thumbsup:

 

[jeep2003]

I had a bandsaw for metal. I hardly ever used it. It doesnt do anything that other tools can do better. miter saw is a great tool to have but if you are going to just use it for metal you should get a miter saw thats specificly designed for metal. I have a 14" milwaukee and its great for the quick cuts on big thick stuff. saves blades on the hand grinder and sawzall. got it for like 200$ and the blades are only like 5$. Doesnt sound like what your after but just thought Id add the piece of advice

 

[paul_probus]

I must respectfully disagree. A porta band is head and shoulders above trying to use a recip saw. Can't tell you how many blades I went through before trying a portaband. The bad thing about a portaband saw is that there is no cheap stand solution, unless you fab a homemade stand. The abrasive saws are nice, but they throw out sparks, this is why the carbide blade saws are catching on, but you can't throw a carbide blade in an abrasive saw beecause the blades are rated for 1/2 the rpm.

Paul

 

[jeep2003]

a porta band im sure could be quite usefull. It just seemed my full sized one was very limited. didnt help that it was old and worn out but for me it just wasnt worth the space it took up. most of my cutting is done with an angle grinder, the metal chop saw, and a bench shear. The sawzall , electric hand shear, torch and jig saw are on stand by. If I was doing Matt's cut on the 3/8" aluminum that had to be accurate Id probrobly just do it with a grinder. a nice big new cut off disk can be very accurate and used to grind the piece flat and smooth after the actual cut is made. or just use a belt sander to get it down to the line

 

[matt2]

Hey jeep You said if you were doing matts cuts, I wish you were. Anyway I picked up some cut off wheels for my 4.5 grinder and I should have time to cut today. I will let you know how it goes. Isn't it funny how I can make a big deal out of cutting some aluminum. :grind:You guys have been a lot of help. Thanks Matt :grind: