Jigsaw Blade for 18gauge (0.050") Stainless

Splat

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Friends, I need a jigsaw blade for cutting 18-gauge, 0.050" stainless sheet, about 60" total length of cuts. I'm using a jigsaw to get as-straight as possible cuts since I have no access to a metal brake. I'd like a clean cut but don't mind having to file down the edge a hair if needed. I'm finding 0.050" seems to be an in-between thickness for the blades I'm seeing at local stores. The blade's are either <0.0468" or >0.0625". Money's real tight right now otherwise I'd buy a couple different TPI blades and go to town. Any recommendations? Thanks.
 
Going by the rule of thumb of three teeth engaged at all times, you would need in exceed of 60 tpi. Using a lower tooth count, expect to be losing teeth. A better option may be an abrasive cutoff disk in an angle grinder or circular saw. A disk in a circular saw with a guide bar would give you a very straight cut, minimizing the secondary work.
 
Blade thickness won't be the problem, but you do want a fine tooth blade. You might have to file down more than a hair though, even the finest tooth blade you could find will leave a pretty rough edge in 18 gauge. Cutting a straight line with a jig saw will be pretty tough to accomplish, not impossible but tough. Even with a straight edge guide the blade could wander. SS will work harden pretty quick, so try to keep the blade cutting and not linger in one spot, and expect to go through a lot of blades. If you have a variable speed saw, lower speeds will probably leave a rougher edge, higher speed will give a smoother cut but increase the odds of work hardening and killing the blade.. You also want to constrain the sheet somehow to keep it from vibrating with the reciprocating cut.

If I had to cut it without a shear, I would try sandwiching it in between plywood and use a circular saw with a fine tooth negative rake carbide blade.
 
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Whoah, glad I asked first. Thank you guys. I have a couple of cicular saws.... think 7" or 7.250". Any recommendations on a circular blade for this application?
 
There are metal carbide blades available, I don't know if they come in 7 1/4". Metal cutting blades are usually neutral or negative rake. As RJ said an abrasive cut off wheel would work also. What is the intended use for these pieces? and what is the finished size?
 
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Thanks. Gonna try a cutoff blade in my angle grinder up against a guide. I don't have the pesos for the circular blade. I'm seeing >$50 around here for them.
 
I had to cut up multiple tons of scrap iron and I bought some of the HF cutoff disks. They were the best price around and they held up surprisingly well.
 
I saw this 7" x 1/8" x 5/8" metal cut-off disc at local store for use in circular saw. It's rated for 8450rpm. My old 7-1/4" circular wood saw is rated 5000rpm. Could I use this in my saw? If it's rated up to 8450rpm I don't see why not except not fast enough but with metal I would expect lower RPMs anyway. @RJSakowski Is this the type of blade you were talking about for circular saw use? Thanks.
 
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I have used that type blade in a circular saw with no problems
 
Thanks guys. I finally got a 7" cut-off wheel from Horrible Freight for my circular saw. Worked fine and got a nice straight cut using a clamped down guide.
 
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