Cutting stainless steel

[LatheInTheGame]

Hi and thanks to all in avance

I'm in for a little project my wife asked me to do, modify our stainless Seaco expresso machine so her cup easily gets under the hahdle.
I know cutting stainless can be a hard task, if it still need to "look good".

Would appreciate any tips on this

 

[Dusty]

More pictures please! How high is the cup and how low is the opening??????

Hard to make any kind of suggestion without additional information and better pictures.

From what you mention I would attempt to lower the grated shelf somehow? A tight fit will cause many an accident with steaming hot coffee and you don't want that. Get a bigger coffee maker, accidently drop the cup, Devil made me say that.

 

[DPittman]

I'm guessing that you need to lower the lip that holds the grate in? If it is not a rolled or hemmed edge, you should be able to to a nice job with a cutting disc in an angle grinder and finished of nicely with a flap sanding wheel in same grinder.

 

[whydontu]

Nothing too special about cutting stainless, except:

Stainless work hardens FAST, if you’re using edged cutting tools rather than abrasives don’t let the bit rub. HSS works fine, keep it cool, low rpm but aggressive depth of cut.

Stainless steel will develop rust spots if you use tools that have previously been used on carbon steel. The tools used on carbon steel will be impregnated with carbides, these will imbed in the stainless and rust.

Stainless will heat tint if you let it get hot.

The solution? After machining/cutting, clean the stainless with oxalic acid stainless cleaner, the type used for pots. The one I use is Barkeepers Friend, just make sure it lists oxalic acid in the ingredients.

Pro tip (and I spent 20+ years in a stainless steel piping fab shop) - dump dry B/F powder on the workpiece, wad up a lot of paper towels and get the towels damp but not wet. Rub the B/F in with the towel, you want it to work into a thick paste. Put some effort into it, as if you’re doing a cut-polish on a paint scratch on your car. You’ll know it’s working when you see the towel start to turn grey. Rinse & release.

 

[Darren]

cut the cup down

 

[Janger]

Make a new grate so if you fubar it you’ve got the old one.

 

[Former Member]

I cut some stainless steel and must say over all have had very little issues either in rusting or work hardening. If anything find it less touchy than Aluminum on heavy cuts.

 

[LenVW]

I would look to see if the supports under the SS plate could be lowered or cut down.
If you want another SS grill, get one water-jet cut and bent to suit your ExpressO machine to result in a lower CUP seat.

 

[Former Member]

Why cut slowly buy her identical but progressively smaller mugs until it fits.

 

[Mcgyver]

Here's the easiest way to do job.

Accidently drop the cup on the tile floor and quickly get a new cup, shorter, but with some love bird little bit of sentiment like "you're so special"