I have a loose 10 foot section of I-beam with a 1 foot or so bent end I'd like to cut off cleanly to have a usable section of beam. I'm not sure what is the best approach. The following tools are available:

4 1/2" angle grinder
7" angle grinder
Oxy-acetylene torch
Milwaukee 14 in. dry-cut machine (6190-20)
Sawzall
Portable bandsaw (would take multiple cuts due to limited throat depth)
Circular saw?

Thinking rough cut it with torch and cleanup with grinder or bandsaw...

What's the cross section of the I beam?

How about:

Cut top and bottom with abrasive blade on circular saw.
Cut middle with portable bandsaw.
Clean up with 7" angle grinder.

Gee. I now know where to borrow tools from <G>.

Gee. I now know where to borrow tools from <G>.

Sure, no problem, just fill out the credit app. leave your credit card info, and a signed car title. Hook you right up. :D


What's the cross section of the I beam?

It's a 10x4" beam. Hmmm, this would be a good reason to have a plasma cutter...

If you can cut straight, and you have a good, clean tip, use the torch. That is by far the fastest and easiest way and with a good tip there will be very little to clean up with the grinder.

Is it worth renting one?

Is it worth renting one?

The plasma? No, and I was being facetious, which doesn't transmit well in this medium.

Cutting the beam is going to be a small project. Just be glad it isn't stainless. Half the time, it's trying to keep the blade straight.

Having to cut galvanized pipe with an abrasive blade wasn't too bad and a circular saw would give a straighter cut. So in two passes, you have the top and bottom cut. If you lowered the blade, you might be able to get close to 2" on each side of the middle done.

Then you have the middle. A reciprocating saw would be able to do the middle. I think the portable hacksaw would too.

I jig saw even worked for galvanized, but it has clearance issues. At the time, I borrowed an angle grinder. I now have one.

The biggest use it gets is to remove the grass growing in the expansion joints of cement with a wire brush. It really helps.

What do you think of the cutting idea?

My power tool collection consists of:
A Bosch jigsaw (current model)

A Makita 3/8 cordless drill

A 1/4" metal B&D drill that's probably 50 years old.

A used Bosch demolition hammer with Clay Spade and 4"

Chisel bit. Never used. It also complaining it needs to be rebuilt. (brush warning light is on).

A very old SEARS (not Craftsman Circular saw)

Craftsman Electric Chainsaw. Needs a little work: Oiler+cord strain relief

An ersatz Craftsman table saw. Something you had to mount on a stand. Probably 45 yrs old.
(Difficult to get to and use)

I'd like the 1/2" corded Dewalt stud and Joist drill with anti-bindup for xmas.

A Dremel tool. Heard another mfr is better. Proximas?

What do you think of the cutting idea?

Sounds like it would work fine, however I don't have an abrasive wheel. The torch wasn't exactly handy either to dig the cart out and get up a flight of stairs... so I band-sawed it. Went better than I was anticipating and didn't even break a blade.


A Dremel tool. Heard another mfr is better. Proximas?

I have a Dremel too and I don't think it would take much to be better. The sheet metal encapsulated rubber motor coupler disintegrated on mine and they don't sell replacements. Eyeing a Foredom with more oomph.

Glad you got it. Hey, they make the money on the consumables. Remember the HP inkjet with the shiny paper at $50/box of perforated paper?

It's Proxxon: See: Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Proxxon 38481 IB/E Professional Rotary Tool (http://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-38481-Professional-Rotary-Tool/product-reviews/B001FWXEO6)

I'm hearing that people who try to use it as a high speed drill press say it wobbles. You can't have wobble with a carbide bit that's say 0.031" in diameter. They break and their expensive.

I'm hearing that people who try to use it as a high speed drill press say it wobbles.

A collet should probably be used for minimizing runout, but precision = $$. The bearings in my Dremel are seated in the plastic housing and the spindle screws onto plastic threads in the housing. Not exactly Swiss watch construction.

I've cut hundreds of guide rail I-beams in half with a sawzall. These are about 4" X 6" in size. About 1/4-inch steel. I use Milwaukee "Torch" brand blades. Believe it or not I actually set it on the floor, sit on the floor myself and brace it with my feet! You can find your own way to set it up, just make sure that it is supported in a way that as you go through the steel it opens up and does not pinch the blade. Good luck.