Full size metal bandsaw?

Col Defender

Col Defender

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Nov 11, 2011
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Does anyone use a full sized metal bandsaw (as opposed to a DeWalt Portaband or knockoff) to cut out knife blanks from 1/8 or 3/16 steel? If so does it work well for that?
 
I have three "full size" metal cutting band-saws that get used daily. I have no desire to use a portaband.
 
I have an old wilton behemoth from 1948. I know my blades were 101.5 inches. I used to use a portable bandsaw but it just didn't have the power. This thing is a monster, can profile scales in minutes, can click through an 1 inch by 1.5 inch thick stack of steel, it was seriously a big improvement
 
I used a Milwaukee portaband for a few years, till I found a used Delta upright metal saw. I use the Delta with 93" blades almost every day I'm in the shop.
 
I have a 4X6 and a 7X12 that cut all sorts of blades out. The 4X6 has been permanently converted by removing the base and mounting the arm on the bench top.
 

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Our 7 x 12 came with a work table but we cut so much big steel with it we've never put it on..Still using the dewalt porta band in a swag stand for blanks..if I had my druthers Id have a nice old Powermatic vertical saw for that..Its better than any horizontal saw for that kind of work.
 
Sounds great so far - thanks guys! HF has one for $229 and another one for about $900. Wondering if the cheaper one would be OK for maybe 5 blades a month??
 
I want to add that good blades are key..Like Lenox bi-metal,diemasters etc..Though its funny we just ordered new blades a month ago and end up getting some "Monday morning/Friday evening" blades..They were welded a little too long and out of round..Took a whole lot of adjusting to get it to cut straight and track right, thought it did but would have been so much easier had the blades been right..It was from a well known and respected dealer too:grumpy: Im pretty anal retentive about how square my saw cuts..I put a caliper to cuts because we do a bunch of fabricating too and steel needs to be square when your building something.
 
I'll be the odd man out and say that I prefer my portaband over the horizontal/vertical. The rare time that I wish I still had the big saw is made up for by the wood band saw that got to replace it. It is SO MUCH BETTER for wood and non metal, and it has a shop-vac attachment so it runs cleaner. I also have a dry-saw for cutting lengths and larger stuff.
 
Jason Fry said:
I used a Milwaukee portaband for a few years, till I found a used Delta upright metal saw. I use the Delta with 93" blades almost every day I'm in the shop.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Mine is an older wood and metal cutting 93" Delta bandsaw. It has a gear reduction knob on it. All I have to do is pull it out and it goes from high-speed(wood cutting) to super slow for metal cutting. I got it off craigslist for $100. I had to replace the tires on the 14" wheels and put a new band on. I have $140 in it.

I will say though, I still use my HF portaband a lot for cutting out blade profiles. It's kind of a PITA to change blades on the big saw. I just keep the portaband setup for metal. The Milwaukee blades really zip through metal quick
 
I love my Powermatic 20" vertical bandsaw. The table is so big that you never even approach having those lack of throat problems that you get with a portaband. Also, it's an amazing saw for wood; tall ripping is no problem. I still have my portaband set up vertical in my finishing room, for cutting pin stock and spacers and other little things. That's pretty handy too. Then I have my Rockwell 7x12" horizontal saw for cutoff duty. It's nice to have a saw well suited to the task.
 
I have a 7X12 h/v and a 7.5 bench top. I use the bench top for wood and I use both the vertical and horizontal options a lot. I would say the drill press, grinder and bandsaws are by far the most used tools in my shop. For knives and for projects.

I do wish I had a fence and some day plan to upgrade both. I'll keep the 7X12 as a horizontal and I'd like to get a powermatic or doall variable speed for the vertical and a benchtop with a fence for wood.

Changing blades is a pita and is why I use my bench model so much, I don't own a wood blade for the metal saw.

The only reason I would buy a portaband personally is based on a comment Nick Wheeler made recently, which is they are handy to cut G10 because the blades dull quick with that stuff and they are cheaper. So if I get into a lot of thick G10 and similar stuff like carbon fiber I may pick one up for that.

Colonel check yardsales, craigslist and auctions. My metal saw is over a 1000 new and I got it for less than half that, in fact both mine were less than half the new one and its great. All steel, bearings, liquid cooled and cheap replacement parts.

Good luck

-Clint
 
I recently treated myself to a variable speed band saw. It runs from 0-2000 fps.
The quick change blade option - which takes all of 1 minute - lets me use both wood and steel blades.
And the cutting precision is so far improved over the little cut-off saws and such that i wish I had done it years ago.

I use it for cutting up handle material for stabilizing, scales, blocks, blade blanks for stock removal knives, hardware material, you name it.

 
as a knife maker or a fab shop one woudl be hard presed to beat a "roll in saw" USA made in ohio and fantastic (got mine used for 2400$) Jet makes a knock off
18x30 work table if great for cuttign down sheets of kitchen knives and its a gravity feed chop saw that when tuned right can slab off 1/8 slices off heavy bar (had a dammy maker use it to cut a 8x3 1.25 thick into 6 or 7 slices
i wish they made one that was wood saw speeds
 
Karl B. Andersen said:
I recently treated myself to a variable speed band saw. It runs from 0-2000 fps.
The quick change blade option - which takes all of 1 minute - lets me use both wood and steel blades.
And the cutting precision is so far improved over the little cut-off saws and such that i wish I had done it years ago.

I use it for cutting up handle material for stabilizing, scales, blocks, blade blanks for stock removal knives, hardware material, you name it.

Click to expand...
That's one of our next shop buys. See we do a lot of woodwork too(not just handle material) and a saw like that would be perfect.
 
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