Conference 7.286::home_work

I've seen it done with _BIG_ bolt cutters and with a cutting torch. Using
a sawzall/saber saw is gonna take a looong time. As you've noted.

-Jack

    How fast are you running the saw?  Slowing down the strokes/min,
    if you aren't doing that already, ought to help prolong blade
    life.  
    

    
      There are many grades of quality when it comes to metal cutting saw
    blades. I beleive rebar is just mild steel. A genuinely good quality
    saw blade should last for a while.
    
    				Kenny

    
    I had exactly the same problem.  The bi-metal sawzall blades were
    ineffective against hardened rebar.  My solution was to use a 7" metal
    cutting wheel in my circular saw.  It zipped right through the rebar. 
    BTW.  Wear heavy clothing. The sparks create quite a fireworks display.

    The blades are not very expensive and will last quite a while.  Most
    hardware stores carry them. Good luck.
    
    					- Peter
    

Rats ... I was hoping to get away with not buying a circular saw.  They are so
incredibly loud!

As far as the saber-saw blades ... No I did not run the saw particularly slowly,
but it didn't take more than 10 seconds before the teeth were worn completely
away!  It did take ten minutes to dull the hacksaw blade, though.  

The saber-saw just polished the steel; two hacksaw blades cut through one piece
far enough for me to bend/break off the piece.

I'll look into the huge bolt cutter as well.  That could be a fun tool to own.

Thanks ... Mage

    
    Try your local rental store - there may be a hydraulic version that you
    can rent.

    
    re: -1.  It would probably be cheaper to rent the circular saw... :-)
    
    			

    
    True.  But a tad less dangerous, faster and you'll need ear defenders too!
    Besides, how long can you live without a circular saw? ;-)

Or ask your wife to pick it up precut from the building supplies store.  They
felt sorry for her when she asked for 20 2' sections and cut it for free.  They
probably would have told me to pound sand.

    Some building supply stores will cut it to length for you,
    at a fixed cost per cut.
    Also,  take my word for it, you probably
    do not want to get the giant bolt cutters mentioned
    in a previous note.  When I bought some rebar they
    used one of them: the handles were about five feet long,
    and the person (big heavy brute) using them really struggled hard for
    each cut.                        

I've cut rebar three ways and all worked alright, the last is my favorite but
the results aren't as clean a cut.

I used a grinder with an abrasive wheel, similar to the brick and stone cutting
blades you can pick up for a circular saw.  This was slow and generated lots
of sparks but was easy and relatively quiet.

I used my reciprocating saw and went very slowly and used cutting oil so as to
keep the blade cool.  This worked fine but without the cutting oil, forget it.
The oil is messy this is slow enough to become boring.

This last method was the most satisfying because it involved fire and brute
force and was also the quickest.  I heated the area with my propane torch.
When red hot, I placed on my trainrail anvil and smacked with a V edged hammer
till I got a crease.  I then bent the r-bar till it snapped at the point.
This was by far the fastest break, but the r-bar tended to bend at the end
before breaking, so if you need it absolutely straight on both ends, I don't
recommend this method.  

I used to tie rebar for a living, and we always used a cutting torch.
It's quick, easy, and satisfies the pyro in all of us.  Unfortunately,
I imagine it's not very practical for the average homeowner.

-Hal

One cuts reinforcing bar with bolt cutters, or an abrasive metal cut off disk
in a circular saw.

There are many grades of reinforcing bar - some hot rolled, some cold rolled,
smooth or deformed (ie, has ridges along the bar to improve the grip with the 
concrete). What you most probably should have is 200 MPa yield stress mild 
steel hot rolled deformed bar. This may have a layer of mill scale, which is a
thin black, glassy surface layer - and is very hard and brittle - use bolt 
cutters, or chip the scale off first.

You might have 410C, which is a high strength grade (410 Mpa) high carbon steel.
Hot rolled, this does cut, but takes it's toll on tools. If there is mill scale
here it is usually iron carbide, rather than iron nitride, purple/brown rather
than black - also very hard - use bolt cutters.

Cold rolled high strength deformed bar is usually left work hardened, and can
be VERY difficult to cut (Tungsten or Silicon Carbide jaws in the bolt cutters,
for example).

If you're really unlucky, and have deformed pre-tension wire rod, forget 
cutting it and get abrasive wheel. This will be matt blue colour.

regards,
Michael Watts.

    
    I used a 12" chop saw.
    Absolutly the easiest way.  Less'n 5 seconds per cut.
    
    Fred

    
      I used my arc welder and a cutting rod. It worked great! Only a few
    seconds for each cut through 1/2" stock.
    
    					Kenny

    
    After boiling down the options proposed here.  It sounds like your best
    bet is the metal cutting wheel in a circular saw (and hearing
    protection, of course...).  It'll take you 5-10 seconds per cut.  Then
    again, you can always blast... :-) 
    
    					- Peter
    

    I think I'll buckle-under and get my hands on the circular saw.  Thanks
    for all the replies.  What is a '12" chop saw'?
    
    Mage

    
    Ever see the hand held machine they cut cars apart with?
    
    That's a chop saw.

    
    
    a cheap person like me uses a hacksaw, yowweee did I have blisters!
    
    Simon

    When working construction for my dad, I sometimes had to cut rebar by
    hand.  Fortunately, the first thing I was taught was how to minimize
    the cutting: cut through the two side "ribs", then about half way
    through from the top, then bend to break.
    
    Mark

    
    yep to -.1, you normally only need to cut half, then bend and it snaps
    
    Simon

    
    ...the trick is how you cut it.  I just put some rod in a foundation
    and cut it with a hacksaw.   Only about halfway and snaped the
    rest.   The trick is to cut the round part.  Not to try to cut
    thru the slight rounded sides or the rebar.   A few minutes and
    I had a hand full or 12" sections.....
    
    JD
    

FWIW, HD carries rebar in 1' and 2' lengths.  I needed some stakes, so I opted
to get the 2' lengths rather than cut it myself.