Cutting Steel Plate.

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

Hacksaw ??

A shaped charge?

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

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

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

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?

Sounds like fun ! Where are you ? Noel

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.

Sounds like work.

Well worth buying lunch while somebody else does it

Hi Noel,

I'm in North Yorkshire, near York.

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.

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

No that mast is a bit taller than 75 foot !

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 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.

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 !

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.

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.