8 Easy Ways To Cut Metal Fast

There’s nothing wrong with using a good, old-fashioned hacksaw, but there are faster, easier ways to cut metal. In this article, we’ll show you power tool tips and techniques for cutting the types and thicknesses of metal that DIYers handle the most.

- Jeff Gorton

1. DITCH THE ABRASIVE GRINDER DISCS

An angle grinder fitted with an abrasive metal-cutting disc works well to cut all kinds of metal, including bolts, angle iron, rebar and even sheet metal. But the discs wear down quickly, cut slowly and shrink in diameter as you use them. Instead, we recommend using a diamond blade that’s rated to cut ferrous metal. These will last much longer, cut faster and cleaner, and wear down much slower than abrasive discs. You’ll find ferrous-metal-cutting diamond blades for $13 to $40 at home centers, hardware stores and online.

2. CUT METAL WITH YOUR CIRCULAR SAW

It may not be an obvious choice, but fitted with the right blade, a circular saw is a great metal-cutting tool. In our test, it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. You can cut mild steel up to about 3/8 in. thick using a ferrous-metal-cutting blade. Be careful, though! Hot metal chips will fly everywhere. Put on your safety gear, keep bystanders away, and cover anything you don’t want coated with metal chips. You’ll find ferrous-metal-cutting blades at home centers, hardware stores and online. There are two types: inexpensive steel-tooth blades and carbide-tooth blades ($8 to $40). Carbide-tooth blades are more expensive but will last longer.

3. CUT ALUMINUM WITH YOUR MITER SAW