[jdcalabr]

After practicing running stick welding beads on a 3/16 steel plate I wanted to cut it up to practice T joints and but joints, etc.
I was trying to cut the plate with a Bauer portable band saw. The saw is mounted in a Swag table. The depth of cut is limited so I cut half the way through and planned to turn the piece around complete the cut. However, I couldn't back the saw blade out of the completed cut. The entry cut closed up on me.

I'm assuming the problem is built-in stress in the plate that caused the material to move and close up after I started the cut.

How do I relieve the stress before I try to cut it?

[snoeproe]

If it’s only 3/16” plate you want to cut, you could do that with an angle grinder/zip disc combo.

[Oscar]

Unless you have your own heat treating oven to get the part to annealing temperature to relieve the internal stress, you'll have to work around it when doing your cuts. A thin 045 cutting disc on an angle grinder will work just fine.

[noddybrian]

Or like any material that pinches on the cut whether wood or metal simply drive a small wedge / chisel / screwdriver into the end of the cut once in past the blade width - it's a common problem cutting with carbide circular saws ( like the Evolution ) as the blades have very little side clearance.

[jdcalabr]

Thanks to all for the advice, Greatly appreciated.