Hello guys I want to shorten a standup rod 3 in can you cut the blanks with a metal chop saw or do you need to use a band saw. thanks scotty

The chop saw should work fine.........just go slow and try to rotate the part as you cut it.

Jason
St. Croix Rods

Might add here...those size power saws to me are scary. Make sure you have a very fine tooth blade and mask off the cut off area...a cut off blade is perfect if you have one. If this is your first time cutting a blank I would use a mini hack saw and mark your masking tape all around the blank and rotate your cut as Jason suggests...Just the smallest snag on a big power say can do in your blank.

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

Use the edge of a small fine-toothed flat file. Angle it so that the sharp corner cuts the blank. Rotate the blank until you cut through. A triangular shaped saw file is great too.
Herb

I use my dremel with a small cutting blade. Has worked great for me so far.

cheers
Harold

I've found that a power chainsaw sharpener works well for cutting blanks.

Scotty,
I use a metal chop saw to cut all of my blanks.
However, rather than using the typical 1/8th or 3/16th thick abrasive wheel, I use machinist wheel that are only 1/32 inch thick. The thinner wheel cuts very cleanly and leaves a nice smooth edge.

However, the standard cut off wheel will work just fine.

Here is an example of the style cut off wheel that I use when chopping blanks.
[www.grainger.com]


Take care
Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2009 09:17PM by roger wilson.

Any fine tooth saw will fine. I use a hack saw blade, like said rotate the blank as you cut. I then sand the edge to remove any sharpness.

Bill - willierods.com

just bring it round mine my kids are brilliant at it
doesnt matter where I put it they manage to snap it somehow

Dremel with a diamond cut off wheel.

DR

A hacksaw and rotating the blank worked fine for me.