How to cut 3" x 3" 11 gauge metal tubes

[Cheese]

Pretty sure I will go with outsourcing but the thought of putting a metal blade in a circular saw is interesting.  I have a 30 year old Makita saw I haven't used in many years.  Might be worth seeing if its up to the job.

Rick, I'm sure the Makita saw is up to the task but I'm unsure if your underwear is up to the task if something goes awry.  [eek]

If everything goes as planed its radio silence...but if it suddenly becomes crisis time...not so much.

You seem to have a curiosity for cutting metal...that's good...I'd recommend starting this journey with known cutting methods that will channel your cutting endeavors into safe encounters.

Not to be a harbinger of bad news, but cutting ferrous materials can be a fools errand. Once that blade bites there's always a result, sometimes good ...sometimes not so good.

 

[Koamolly]

Home Depot carries a 7 1/4”  Diablo carbide tooth blade for cutting metals.  Works really well.  I cut up an old water heater type thing that was 1/8”+ rolled steel.  It was on a hillside and too heavy to get up to the road.  Also no access to tow it up with my truck.  Lots of sparks.  Wear gloves, eye/face protection, respirator, hearing protection etc.  Also cut to size stainless 1/4” welded 3” mesh panels for a Feeney railing system.  Quicker and cleaner than a grinder.  Mesh was clamped down. Old Milwaukee circular saw was on a makeshift wood guide.

 

[pixelated]

I have two sawzalls plus a jig saw that would do it, and can confirm the recommendations on Diablo metal blades. But I’d say that the price the metal guy quoted is too good to pass up. Unless you have a lot of cuts needed, he can probably knock it out for the 25 bucks. The saw blades might cost you more than that.

If you do decide on a DIY approach, wear eye protection.

 

[Packard]

Any grinding method used will entail the production of sparks.  You don’t want those sparks on your skin or your clothing.  And you definitely do not want one of those sparks in your eye. So take precautions. 

Your image does not show the joint.  Is the squareness important for the joint?

All the Rogue racks appear to float at the top.

This is not the best image I could find, but the only one that would reproduce here.  Search link is shown below.  If it is similar to the image below, the squareness of the cut would just be cosmetic.

Search: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-m&sca_esv=d2e1279bafa3c31c&q=squat+rack+rml&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiC8efE9POEAxWoD1kFHY_6BI8Q0pQJegQIFBAB&biw=1151&bih=707&dpr=2#imgrc=5FiIwhpprbjaSM