I use a small chop saw that uses a 3 inch - thin cutting disk:
[
www.harborfreight.com]
I replace the blade with a 3 inch cutting wheel:
These 3 inch wheels are only 1/32 inch thick. As a result, they cut quickly, cleanly and with minimal material removal:
[
www.harborfreight.com]
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Some years ago, I purchased a chop saw as shown above. I removed the saw from the base, and removed everything on the base. I also used a belt sander to remove all of the raised lettering and degree markings on the base, since I was not going to be doing any angle cutting with the saw. I installed a small aluminum back stop that is lined up with the center of the cutting disk. Then, I mounted the saw on a piece of 2x wood stock with rubber feet to minimize sliding of the saw when being used. It is a nice small saw that get constant use in the saw for cutting any material from rod blanks of both glass and carbon, steel rods, aluminum rods, grips etc.
[
www.rodbuilding.org]
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I also modified another 8 inch miter saw to be used as a 90 degree cutting chop saw. In this case I use .060 thick cutting room 8 inch cut off wheels that cut very well through virtually all materials.
I changed the base, and also added a light to the saw for good lighting of the cutting action.
[
www.rodbuilding.org]
I picked up the saw at a pawn shop for $20, and then elevated the cutting bed, to be able to continue to cut - even when the cutting wheel wears down. Miter saws have a stop that inhibits the saw from cutting below parallel. That is fine for a saw that uses a constant diameter blade that does not get smaller than 8 inches. But, I wanted to continue to use the wheel when it wore down to 6 inches, so I mounted a steel channel on the base of the saw, and then added an aluminum back stop to keep the material being cut in line with the centerline of the cutting wheel. When a friend had a need for a saw, I sent this saw on to him and picked up another saw and converted that one to use as an 8 inch chop saw.
I use the Norton's 1/16th thick or 3/64ths thick with a 5/8th arbor to use for a cutting wheel. These thin wheels remove minimal material and cut quickly and cleanly as well:
[
www.grainger.com]
A chop saw with a thin abrasive cutting wheel is a very useful tool around the rod shop to be used for chopping virtually anything.
