Using a hacksaw cutting big(gish) stuff. Or how to saw a railway line.

[Adam W.]

Not worth the agro. Especially as its more likely to be fibre theae days, all the copper got nicked yeara ago.

Insider knowledge?

 

[pe2dave]

Be interesting to see what you think of them compared.
They seem the best to me from the few I've tried.
Nevertheless are more durable in terms of abuse, and you won't be too miffed even if you couldn't buy just the one.

Have you noticed the hardness being consistent throughout Dave?

Keep her lit!
Tom

Not chalk and cheese, but 'different'.
Couple thou wider (Had to resaw a bit).
Bites more (logical)
visible progress.

Note the wear pattern on the blade? Different design perhaps?

No, not noticably different throughout the cuts. Cost implication of (somehow) joining two parts to make a rail?
Or heat treating 'part' of the rail?

 

[paulrbarnard]

I really think you are trying to short cut this and missing all the enjoyment of the job. Try a 32tpi to get the best possible finish.

 

[gcusick]

Having written the piece, I can confirm that the saw shown is not included, sorry. Reason? A) I don't think I've ever used one; B) I don't own one; C) though I was (vaguely) aware of their existence, I'd forgotten all about them when writing the piece. Sorry.

P.S. I don't know what size blade they take - I THOUGHT the "standard" 12 inch but I could well be wrong.

I actually have one of those, bought donkey’s years ago by my father for cutting Formica. It takes standard 12” blades.

 

[gcusick]

Good point about tensioning them! As pointed out, you want a straight line, you need a well tensioned saw!

I do wonder what the two upper ?rivets? are all about... though I can't see how they could be used to tension the blade.

The blade fixing at the handle end pivots about the upper rivet, and is locked in place with a knurled screw. You can’t put much tension on the blade, as the saw plate then bends. Not sure how effective it would be for Dave’s application, but it works well for long cuts in sheet materia.

 

[AES]

I really think you are trying to short cut this and missing all the enjoyment of the job. Try a 32tpi to get the best possible finish.

Yeah, AND you'd only need to smooth file the cut endS afterwards - you ARE cutting BOTH ends to get an accurate 90 degs at both ends aren't you? The 32 TPI blade/s will leave SUCH a lovely bright & smooo0ooth finish to start you off with the fine finishing.

 

[pe2dave]

Job done.
Not too untidy.
< 4 hours?
Quite a kerf difference 18tpi to 24.
Much neater than the gas cut (one end)

 

[Ttrees]

Fair play, be interesting to see it in its glory.

I use a sledgehammer head, but often I end up chasing it around the floor.
One thing I find it really good for is a hardy hole, as I don't have a huge vice, great for bending a thick bit of flat stock.

Tap in another few plates along with the piece to be bent until it pings, and give it a few belts, works really well compared to other methods I've used cold working.

All the best
Tom

 

[AES]

Job done.
Not too untidy.
< 4 hours?
Quite a kerf difference 18tpi to 24.
Much neater than the gas cut (one end)
View attachment 112670View attachment 112671

VERY well done that man. Are you going to send pix to that bloke who wrote about railway lines, what steel they're made of, and added that nobody should try to cut a piece with a hacksaw?

 

[pe2dave]

VERY well done that man. Are you going to send pix to that bloke who wrote about railway lines, what steel they're made of, and added that nobody should try to cut a piece with a hacksaw?

I would, but there was no contact info :-(

 

[novocaine]

I must admit to be slightly worried that your track has lost it's temper.

 

[pe2dave]

I must admit to be slightly worried that your track has lost it's temper.

Why's that please? And how would the mfc temper 60' of rail (or whatever length)

 

[novocaine]

I'm worried because you managed to cut it. it isn't going to really matter though for your use, crack on.

how do they temper it (ok, heat treat it is the words I was aiming for), a fecking big forge that's "painted".



I had to do an assessment at a track manufacturer (I can't mention a name but it's ever so patriotic), and spent most the time amazed at the sheer scale of the operation.

 

[pe2dave]

About 22lbs each. I think it's clear which is the cleaner cut

 

[AES]

I must admit to be slightly worried that your track has lost it's temper.

I'm interested in your reasoning too BTW novocaine. The Rockwell Hardness number quoted is high ("hard") - was it 60+? - I forget - but a decent hacksaw blade will cut it, albeit slowly. pe2dave certainly couldn't have reduced the temper by cutting it, so how do you think it was "de-tempered"? Do "they" perhaps "de-temper" rails when they're cutting them up for scrap? I dunno, and am interested (in a sort of idle curiosity way)? Come to that, what makes a rail scrap anyway? Cracked?

I'm worried because you managed to cut it. it isn't going to really matter though for your use, crack on.

how do they temper it (ok, heat treat it is the words I was aiming for), a pineapple big forge that's "painted".



I had to do an assessment at a track manufacturer (I can't mention a name but it's ever so patriotic), and spent most the time amazed at the sheer scale of the operation.

Fantastic piece of film novocaine, thanks.

 

[novocaine]

oh I wasn't suggesting Dave and his hacksaw had changed the temper of the steel, honest.

I was just surprised that he got through it as well as he did.

this was all just idle speculation as the topic is pretty much over. Given that the steel grade is work hardening, I'd sort of assumed if it had been used it would be somewhat harder than 280HB (about 31HRc for rockwell C scale) but I guess not. I wondered, almost as you are if the gas axe could reduce the hardness but that was sort of an idle speculation to be honest.

what makes a rail scrap? normally a completely worn crown. It gets reground a fair few times but when the head becomes to thin it's aimed at a very large fuckit buckit. they are inspected for cracks but most often these aren't obvious and would normally be hidden around the fishplate as they crack at the fishbolt holes.
I haven't done a lot of work in rail, but we have a rail division and I am slowly poaching some of their guys to work with me, so I went and asked.

 

[AES]

oh I wasn't suggesting Dave and his hacksaw had changed the temper of the steel, honest.

Ohhh good!!!!!!!!! (AES)

I was just surprised that he got through it as well as he did.

this was all just idle speculation as the topic is pretty much over. Given that the steel grade is work hardening, I'd sort of assumed if it had been used it would be somewhat harder than 280HB (about 31HRc for rockwell C scale) but I guess not. I wondered, almost as you are if the gas axe could reduce the hardness but that was sort of an idle speculation to be honest.

what makes a rail scrap? normally a completely worn crown. It gets reground a fair few times but when the head becomes to thin it's aimed at a very large fuckit buckit. they are inspected for cracks but most often these aren't obvious and would normally be hidden around the fishplate as they crack at the fishbolt holes.
I haven't done a lot of work in rail, but we have a rail division and I am slowly poaching some of their guys to work with me, so I went and asked.

Yeah, I can well imagine that any cracking would start around the fishplate holes (but aren't rails welded these days, so no fishplates? I dunno). Interesting that they regrind the crowns. That must be an interesting process (and machine come to that). As you say, pure "wonder what/why/how" stuff from me - MILES away from the sort of stuff I used to mess about with.

Strangely enough, MANY years ago I took several holidays in a little cottage in S. Devon and the bloke who owned it worked as "track gang bloke" for BR W Region (so I guess you can tell how long ago it was). We got chatting several times and it seems most of his work was doing some sort of NDT on rails - almost constantly I seem to remember. I THINK he said it was ultrasonic, but it may have been eddy current, it's a long time ago now and I didn't follow him up on it to any great extent.

Thanks for the insights anyway, back to sleep again for me!

 

[novocaine]

Yeah, I can well imagine that any cracking would start around the fishplate holes (but aren't rails welded these days, so no fishplates? I dunno).

you are completely correct, which shows how out of practice I am with rail stuff. the assessment at the foundry had little to do with rail as an industry.

TN referred to thermite earlier, this is where it's used on the rails, instead of cutting.
here you go, local (not really) one for you.


and a regrind.

 

[AES]

Blimey novocaine, you woke me up again. I'm supposed to be studying for a "sort of test" (which you'll hear about on here if I'm successful) but I found those 2 vids really interesting. I wonder what just one of the wheels cost on that "grinding train"? Cheers

 

[Ttrees]

Interesting that they regrind the crowns. That must be an interesting process (and machine come to that).

On the Manchester to Liverpool line, I've heard that they have a guy
called 'Dave the elbowgreaser' for that.