Good Bandsaw?

Will52100

Will52100

Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Messages
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Anybody got a good recomendation on a bandsaw? I'm about tired of clamping the porta band in a vise, it beats a hack saw, but there's got to be a better way. After building my new shop and pretty well getting moved in I've finaly got room for something like that.

I need one that can slow down enough to cut steel and ti, but also be used on wood and mycarta, G10, carbon fiber, you know the drill. I keep looking at the ones in Grizly and Harbor frieght, but will they run slow enough and will they hold up?

Thanks
 
After a lot of looking, I ended up with a 14" Wilton 8201 and I'm very pleased with it. It does both metal & wood. Because of less than great experiences with both Grizzly & Harbor Freight equipment, not band saws though, I opted for the Wilton. The cost is quite a bit higher than other options, but IMO you tend to get what you pay for.

Allen
 
Actualy the price isn't too bad from the description of it, I'll do a little more research but something like that is what I've got in mind. Everytime I do a search for metal cutting bandsaw I get tons of links to horizontal cut off saws, not what I was after.

Thanks
 
I have an old Grizzly horizontal cut off saw, it stands up for vertical use and has worked hard for almost 20 years. I also have one of the Wiltons, very good saw but I don't like to have to change blade and speed to cut steel and titanium. So it stay set up for wood and ivory, while the old Griz cuts all the steel. Works for me :) If I was startin over, I'd get a Griz or Jet metal saw and a Griz or Jet wood saw. But no Harbor Freight!
 
I have the Jet horizontal/vertical. Smooth running machine with 3 speeds. Changing the blade is kind of a pain but changing speeds is fairly fast.

I never run it in horizontal. Vertical only and I added a larger cutting table. Took the vise off and folded an old blanket to sit on like a saddle. Cost is about $350-$400.
 
Don Hanson III said:
but I don't like to have to change blade and speed to cut steel and titanium. So it stay set up for wood and ivory...
Click to expand...

I do just the opposite & keep it setup for steel & Ti. Ya, changing the blade takes a few minutes and it would be a pain to do it several times a day. But unless I'm slabbing out a bunch of scales, I just use the metal blade for cutting wood and I don't bother to change the speed either. Doesn't cut as fast but I'm mostly just trimming small pieces of wood so speed isn't of great importance. Of course, your mileage may vary . . .

Allen
 
Thanks, I'd thought of getting a horizontal and doing like you suggested, not sure if I want to go that rout or use something like the wilton with the big flat table and rip fences.
 
Well, after a bit of reading I'll probably go with the Wilton, looks like it'd fit my needs perfectly, though it is kinda pricey. Unless there's anouther model out there that's similar. Of course it'll take a little while before I can turn loose the funds.
 
countryboycansurvive said:
I have the Jet horizontal/vertical. Smooth running machine with 3 speeds. Changing the blade is kind of a pain but changing speeds is fairly fast.

I never run it in horizontal. Vertical only and I added a larger cutting table. Took the vise off and folded an old blanket to sit on like a saddle. Cost is about $350-$400.
Click to expand...

Good idea! :thumbup:
 
I purchased my bandsaw from HF for about $180. So far, it has performed quite well. The blade isn't the highest quality, but that's easy to fix.
 
I have 2 bandsaws a HF metal 4 x 6, that I have used for years and a Craftsman 14" for wood cutting. I wanted something to cut G 10, to stop burning up my wood blades. I bought a Jet 10" wood bandsaw, and had some Bi-metal blades made and use it to cut G-10 and mircate. I also cut Ti without problems, its a little faster,threws some sparks, but does good.

Rick
 
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