Cutting Steel Plate.

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for recommendations for cutting a 1/2" thick steel plate !

I need to remove the support webs from a 75' foot tower base !

Forgot to add these are seam welded on and the plate is approx 2 foot by 2 foot.

 

 

 

Edited By John Baron on 11/09/2021 09:23:20

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Hacksaw ??

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

A shaped charge?

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Give your helper the 9" grinder and a box of discs and suggest that he 'just cut those off while I get lunch'?

[Pete WhiteParticipant @petewhite15172]

Probably the easiest way is to find someone with gas cutting kit ……..or the grinder suggestion.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Angle grinder.

Unless you have a gas axe (oxygen / fuel torch) and know how to use it. If you did I don't think you would have asked the question though.

Robert G8RPI

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Interesting problem – if it is to recover the steel, probably cheaper to buy new.

Plasma cutter ?

Plasma

but I do like Circlip's idea.

Ps, what will happen to the rest of the tower once the support is taken away?

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Sounds like fun ! Where are you ? Noel

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Gas Axe or a decent size plasma cutter.

If you do take the lunch option mentioned above make sure you go at least 75 feet away from teh tower to get it but hopefully it's not errected.

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by noel shelley on 11/09/2021 10:18:29:

Sounds like fun ! Where are you ? Noel

Sounds like work.

Well worth buying lunch while somebody else does it

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Posted by noel shelley on 11/09/2021 10:18:29:

Sounds like fun ! Where are you ? Noel

Hi Noel,

I'm in North Yorkshire, near York.

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Posted by JasonB on 11/09/2021 10:19:40:

Gas Axe or a decent size plasma cutter.

If you do take the lunch option mentioned above make sure you go at least 75 feet away from the tower to get it but hopefully it's not erected.

Hi Jason,

Yes it would be bad if it fell on me !

However it has been taken down and cut up for scrap some time ago. There is only the support post and base there now. Makes a good support for the wife's washing line though ! I did offer the tower for sale without any takers ! Even saying that it was free to anyone that was prepared to dismantle it and take it away.

The Gas Axe suggestion is favourite, trying to grind away four foot of weld isn't my idea of fun !

The metal plate is considered to be scrap, though a two foot triangular piece of 1/2" inch galvanised steel plate could be useful I suppose.

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Posted by John Baron on 11/09/2021 11:36:11:

Posted by noel shelley on 11/09/2021 10:18:29:

Sounds like fun ! Where are you ? Noel

Hi Noel,

I'm in North Yorkshire, near York.

You arent cutting up the 'lightning struck' Bilsdale tv mast are you?

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Posted by John Rudd on 11/09/2021 12:00:06:

Posted by John Baron on 11/09/2021 11:36:11:

Posted by noel shelley on 11/09/2021 10:18:29:

Sounds like fun ! Where are you ? Noel

Hi Noel,

I'm in North Yorkshire, near York.

You aren't cutting up the 'lightning struck' Bilsdale tv mast are you?

No that mast is a bit taller than 75 foot !

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi John, I would probably do it with a 9" and cutting discs, as I don't have any gas axe options, a photo or a sketch of what you have would help in knowing what you are trying to achieve and the best way to tackle it.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 11/09/2021 12:07:52

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hi John, If you had been 50 or 60 miles away I would have come over and done it for you with oxy-fuel. I've had cutting gear for over 50 years, and blowing out welds to dismantle is something I've often had to do. Sadly York is about 150 miles from me. I tried ! Good Luck, Noel.

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 11/09/2021 12:07:12:

Hi John, I would probably do it with a 9" and cutting discs, as I don't have any gas axe options, a photo or a sketch of what you have would help in knowing what you are trying to achieve and the best way to tackle it.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 11/09/2021 12:07:52

Hi Nick,

Thanks for your suggestions ! I've had a go with a 9" inch angle grinder, and whilst it does remove metal, its slow and painful.

The actual tower base is basically an 8" inch square vertical steel tube welded to a 3/4" thick 5 foot square steel plate with four 1/2" thick steel gussets welded from the tube corners to the base corners. They are welded on both sides of the gusset and along the full length of the gusset.

The Gas Axe suggestion is the best option at the moment. But I don't have one either !

[J HancockParticipant @jhancock95746]

Just a thought , the local 'gypsies' ?

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Posted by J Hancock on 11/09/2021 17:07:18:

Just a thought , the local 'gypsies' ?

That's a thought, there is a settlement not too far from me. Its worth a word with them.

Thanks.

[Perko7Participant @perko7]

Had to cut up a parts of a steel travelling crane frame to make bridge girders for our club track, used a petrol demo saw with metal cutting blades. Made quick work of it but with lots of noise, heat and sparks and to my mind the best DIY option if you don't have access to an oxy kit.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Inviting in strangers to your property is not a good idea. Other items may ‘disappear’ later.

Cutting discs, not grinding disks, are the way to go with an angle grinder – but needs good ppe. Grinding away welds will be slow and difficult with ‘good penetration welds’ on that thickness of steel.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi John, yes flame cutting would be the best way of doing it, especially if the gussets are welded right into the corners between the base and the tube. Cutting with a 9" between the tube and gussets will be the easiest bit but if you could cut between the base plate and the gusset on one side at an angle above the weld and into the base, a good few clouts with a sledge might break the weld on the other side, but getting a cut right in the corner near the tube will be difficult. I suppose you wish to keep the tube as long as possible, otherwise you could cut through the gussets higher up where you ca get a full cut and then cut the tube off at that level. I hope you are allowing the 9" to do the work and not forcing it to cut harder by putting too much pressure on it, putting a lot of weight on a cutting disc slows it down, which actually makes cutting slower and wears the disc away faster as well as over heating the grinder and does make for harder work, it is a mistake quite a lot of so called professional make that I've work with during my working life. Hope you manage your task safely.

Regards Nick.

[John BaronParticipant @johnbaron31275]

Thanks Guys,

Some good advice there ! Fortunately I only want to remove one of the four gussets, though removing the front two would be an advantage in giving me a clear area. The rear two gussets can be left alone since there are large water storage tanks on either side catching rain water off the building roofs. The column is being used to support the wife's washing line, so woe betide me if I disturbed it.

I'm going to make enquiries at a tool hire place in town and see if they have anything that can help !

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

These happy Finns might give you inspiration…
**LINK**

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