cutting lead with a chop saw

[opps]

Hi there,

we have loads of lead sash weights to cut. Rather than doing them by hand it has been suggested that we could use a dewalt chop (mitre) saw.

We have even been told that the standard blade is fine for cutting something as soft as lead. Obviously there will be no cooling so i am worried about the risk of the teeth clogging (and any potential risks there-in).

Does any one have any experience of doing this?

Tnx

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I'm rather surprised that your weights are lead - most of the ones I've dealt with were cast iron - and almost every one required EXTRA weight putting on, not material removing. The one thing I can say about cutting lead is that you need to wear gloves and a mask as well as hook up some form of extraction because lead dust is toxic

 

[wotan]

Something like a log splitter might be better, where the blade is forced into the material by hydraluic power, no dust!

Wotan

 

[big-all]

yes it will cut lead as job"n"knock says
my concern would be the uneven finish on lead causing it to be to be difficult to cut safely as it wont easy to firmly secure in a safe manner to the saw

 

[Deleted member 174758]

my concern would be the uneven finish on lead causing it to be difficult to cut safely as it wont easily to firmly secure in a safe manner to the saw

Printers used to use a rotary, hand-powered disc cutter to trim lead type many moons ago (when we still had letterpress) - they were sort of saw like, but only operated at 200 rpm or so with two or three "teeth". Personally I wouldn't try it......

 

[joe-90]

A reciprocating saw might do, but are you sure they are lead? And why do you need to cut them?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Use a 4 1/2" angle grinder.

Andy

 

[ladylola]

I'm assuming that it's the weights that come around 600mm long , square with a hole down the centre. I've done what you say and have used a chop saw. It does work although you wouldn't want to be standing behind the saw as the chips shoot out with some force.I've also see people use the same blade to cut aluminum but personally I went back to using a handsaw for the lead, you can still cut them as fast as you can use them.