Austsaw Rotary Hacksaw

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Originally Posted by awabbit6

For that sized hole, I'd start with the biggest holesaw you have and then use tinsnips to take it out to 6". If you work out in a spiral from the original hole and only remove 1/2" at a time you'll find it is quite easy to cut (with a good pair of snips)

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Good point. I have good Wiss snips but as yet I don't know the thickness of the steel.

Ron, years ago I had to re-roof Dad's place, and we tried all sorts of things to trim the roofing (it is a complicated house in terms of roofing) In the end an air nibbler was the best option, the one we used was a cheapie, but it worked really well.
it was one like This.

Was great for curves and the "swarf" that was left behind never even rusted, so I guess it runs cool.

Fraser

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Originally Posted by p38arover

Thanks Brian but I think I'd rather remove the tank! :D

Once the tank is out, it would be easy to cut the hole with a plasma cutter.

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Individual hole saws , particularly the big sizes over 4", are quite expensive in comparison with the kits. However the biggest saw offered in a Starrett kit is 4 3/4" in the Deluxe Electricians Kit of ten saws from 7/8" to 4 3/4" plus three arbors. I could supply this kit for about $325 at exchange rate of 0.8. I am guessing the air mail charge in that estimate.

These Starrett tools are top shelf and outperform and outlast the home brand items offered by our discount tool stores by miles.

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Originally Posted by p38arover

It's a 155 litre steel long range tank and I really don't want to remove/refit it again! If it comes out, it's not going back in.

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I might hold you to that comment Ron :D.

I use the tungsten tip metal cutting saw blades all the time. They work very well from on anything from thin sheet to 5 mm steel. There is no sparks.

Years ago when I needed to cut an access hole in my Rangie for the fuel pump access I just used a reciprocating saw. It was on the side of the road and my work tools were all I had in the car at the time. I remember hitting the tank a few times but it did no damage.

Hi Ron,
I have a blade like this, I can't remember the brand, but it sparks, nowhere as much as an abrasive disk, but it still produces sparks. Also, as mentioned by some one else the swarf is hot.

Tony

starret are rubbish, using holesaws nearly everyday, i reckon a i brake atleast one tooth off every time. Get a sutton or blu-mol, much much better:)

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Originally Posted by Vern

starret are rubbish, using holesaws nearly everyday, i reckon a i brake atleast one tooth off every time. Get a sutton or blu-mol, much much better:)

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I use Starrett holesaws held in a Morse taper arbor in the tailstock of the lathe to cut holes in steel pieces then bore to dimension. I have not found better and that includes Suttons which are grossly overpriced like pretty well all of their products. They last longer than any others I have used and do not break teeth if properly held and the correct coolant used. Tooth breakage is principally from wander when the tool is not being held in a rigid set-up.

where talking general use here, to cut holes in tin and sheet metal, not set up in a lathe where they have no movement. Cordless, electric drills that sort of stuff, tradesmen stuff, out on site. I use them as an electrician, cutting holes in meterpanel, switchboards, tin sheds, they are crapola. Did one shed, cut 4 x 25mm holes with my cordless, took nearly all the teeth off 2 brand new never used wholesaws, went back to my trusty 5+ year old blu-mol, no problemo.
I have half a dozen or more starrets, and may'be 25 or so sutton and blu-mol, and 3 wattmaster, out of the starrets and 1 has all its teeth, wattmaster 0, others all have teeth.
Oh and i'm hard on my tools, if they let me down then they are rubbish, time is money, and i don't have time to bugger around with inferior products.
Thats my 2c:(