Cutting steel decking for concrete pour
I’m about to build a fireplace hearth/hearth extension on a poured foundation. Need to use steel decking to support the pour, and need to cut short pieces for the areas where foundation isn’t. The choices in my armory seem to be: sawzall w/ metal cutting blade, 4 1/2″ hand grinder with composite wheel, or circular saw w/ composite blade. Anyone have a better idea? I’m not looking forward to this noisy, smoky, chippy, smelly mess…
Replies
Rent an actylene torch, or take the steel, with accurate dimensions, to a sheet metal shop and have them cut it.
Steel cutting carbide tipped saw blades are available from most major brands (Freud included, of course). These will cut without heat, sparks, burrs, etc.
Freud, Inc.
Ah yes, the old Freudian Rip. Usually slips out when I feel like decking something myself. Nothing like tearing into a bent plate with a good old Freudian rip.
Makes for a lot of racket but it's short lived and over with before the alternate flaming technique is even fully underway. Healthy really - I concur, Freud has the answer on this one.<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=black size=3><EM>Kevin Halliburton</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=darkblue size=2>"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon</FONT></EM></FONT></P>
Thanks. I only had five cuts to make, so I bought a cheap ($9.00) non-carbide steel cutting blade, smeared stick lube on the plates, and got the cuts made much less painfully than I had anticipated. Sorry that Freud lost this sale, but I own at least a half-dozen other Freud blades, and the non-shim adjustable dado is certainly moving up on my wish list.