Power Hack Saw

When you have circular material to cut, as in round stock or thick walled tubing, the tool to use for it is a power hack saw. A power hack saw has a vise bed to fasten the stock to and a reciprocating blade that lowers onto the stock to perform the cut. Between the vise holding your round stock and the movement of the blade, the cut is performed easier that with other stationary power tools. Fine finishing is usually done on a lathe.

A power hack saw is a part of every well equipped machine shop. Most power hack saws will come with a cooling system to keep the temperature of the stock being cut below heat treating range. This allows the cutting of heat sensitive stock like steel without case hardening the steel and ruining the temper. The speed of the cutting action can also be controlled to lower the heat production of the cutting as well.

When using a power hack saw or other stationary power equipment, following a few standard safety habits will keep you from getting injured. Most important may be the wearing of eye protection. Safety goggles or other eye protection will protect your eyes from the flying particles that are created whenever metal stock is cut by a moving saw blade. Another good safety habit is to never reach any where near the cutting area when the machine is in operation. Always stop the operation of the machine before removing anything from the cutting area.

Wearing loose clothing while operating power hack saws is a dangerous proposition. Loose clothing can snag on the moving parts of the power hack saw and draw your body parts into the moving machinery. Usually thin rings like wedding bands will pose no issues, but any type of large or dangling jewelry can pose the same issues as loose clothing does. The moving parts of the machinery can snag the dangling jewelry and pull body parts into the moving area of the power hack saw. Following these few safety hints will allow the safe operation of your power hack saw for longer term production.