Metal Cutting Band Saw

the portable bands are the best for the money. i used to be a comercial electrican and we used them for nothing but metal pipe and they never let us down.
 
Last weekend the blade snapped on my two-year old Sears bandsaw. It was a cheapy bought in a parking lot sale, and I got a lot of use from it, so I'm not complaining. Yesterday I bought a new blade for it, but could not get the wheels to stabilize with the new blade while still keeping the blade taut enough to cut, so I put the saw (with the new blade) on the curb with a FREE sign and it was gone in less than an hour.

Now I'm in the market for a metal cutting saw. I've been looking at the HF 4x6, and I might go that way... but it will take up a lot of my small workspace. That's got me thinking about the portabands. I want something that will last, and that has the power to do some serious cutting.

Thanks to all for your previous recommendations. At least I know what to look for now.

- Greg
 
I've been using the same portaband for about 15 years, and the machine was not new. I replaced the table with a larger more accurate table. The machine is mounted into a fixture that is quickly removable from the bench or the machine. Milwakee portabands have the deepest throat.

A friend separated his harbor frieght at the hinge and mount vertically. With a replaced table and some truing adjustments it is a wonderful verticle saw....Take care...Ed
 
Yes, everything points to the portaband. However, I found a few threads about plasma cutters and they sound very effective and quick. Especially for something long and straight like the swords Archer first asked about. Any opinions about this? I was gonna take a bunch of billets to a friend with a plasma cutter to have them shaped.
 
I have a Ridgid BS14002 14" band saw that I just converted to cut metal and it works great!!
All you have to do is change out the ac motor with a dc motor and slow down the speed and you're ready to go! Just be sure to put quality blades on it! The only metal cutting band saw blades I use are made by Ellis Manufacturing. You can call them and order the length and type blade you need and they cut anything!! To adjust the speed of the saw, I put a piece of tape on the blade and slowed it down till the tape went around about once a second. I've cut 1/2" steel with no problem.
Of course the kicker will be how well it deals with thin titanium!!! :D
 
Just got back from HF. They have a sale on the Chicago Electric variable speed portable bandsaw ($74.99, down from $89.95) and the 3-pack of Morse bi-metal blades ($19.99). Using the 20% off coupon I got the saw for $59.99, so the total out-the-door price was only $87.58, including tax. The only thing I'm missing now is the stand.

- Greg

P.S. The HF sale ends today.
 
I agree with L6steel
Get a 14" metal saw and get a Lenox Diemaster2 blade here or anywhere.
http://www.toolcenter.com/093_5_Band_saw_Blades.html

The slow speed on my older garage sale Jet saw ($80.) is about 300 sfpm which from what I've read is a little fast for metal, but the Diemaster2 can run twice as fast, says Lenox.

I did a little work to my saw to stiffen up the base and put a new tire on.

I've used the portabands for a long time as an electrician and thought I'd never get anything else. I still use it and it can't be beat for versatility.
 
FWIW, this guy's selling pretty sweet tables that still let you retain the portability of your portaband. http://www.swagoffroad.com Look under "Products". I'm thinking of building a table for my portaband but I may bite the bullet and order one of these tables instead.
 
Here's a removable cutting table I made for my el cheapo,works great:)Regards Butch

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I have a Grizzly G0621X Vertical Wood/Metal Bandsaw. It has a 1 1/4 hp motor with a VFD that controls blade speed from 150 fpm to 3000 fpm. But it doesn't work for cutting steel because at the low blade speeds the motor has insufficient torque. The VFD/motor combination only develops full power at the 3000 fpm high blade speed. And there, even cutting 1/8" mild steel, the saw can't drag a fine tooth blade through the material. I also have a 1 1/2 hp horizontal bandsaw, G9743, which runs 158--300 fpm. That saw, with about the same power happily cuts 4" mild steel. You need a high torque, slow blade speed saw to cut steel. The Grizzly G0621X does not have sufficient torque to do the job.
If anyone has pointers to a mod that increases the gear ratio on that saw, I'd be very interested as the saw is almost useless for cutting anything but aluminum and very thin sheet steel.
 
I need something more compact than the 4x6 horizontal/vertical bandsaw from HF so I'm looking at this from grizzly (only over the HF one because it already comes w/ a 'stand' - I'll rig up something like you Butch, for it. Any suggestions on replacement blades? Should I just pick up an extra grizzly blade or Lennox bi-metal or something else?

* just saw how old this thread was... oh well, great info! Think I'm gonna get one of those swag tables listed above w/ the harbor freight portable bandsaw!
 
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razor-edge-knives said:
I need something more compact than the 4x6 horizontal/vertical bandsaw from HF so I'm looking at this from grizzly (only over the HF one because it already comes w/ a 'stand' - I'll rig up something like you Butch, for it. Any suggestions on replacement blades? Should I just pick up an extra grizzly blade or Lennox bi-metal or something else?

* just saw how old this thread was... oh well, great info! Think I'm gonna get one of those swag tables listed above w/ the harbor freight portable bandsaw!
Click to expand...
Josh,
You're a businessman so you can depreciate machinery I would recommend you spend a little more for a Milwaukee Porta-Band and Swag table they are head and shoulders above a Harbor Freight. I tried the HF and it was marginally ok...The Milwaukee has been going for 6 years not a single issue (knock on wood). The Swag table and a Variable speed Foot Pedal from HF and GOOD Bi-Metal blades from Lenox or Starrett the HF freight blades dull quickly. Buy once cry once!
 
Busto said:
Josh,
You're a businessman so you can depreciate machinery I would recommend you spend a little more for a Milwaukee Porta-Band and Swag table they are head and shoulders above a Harbor Freight. I tried the HF and it was marginally ok...The Milwaukee has been going for 6 years not a single issue (knock on wood). The Swag table and a Variable speed Foot Pedal from HF and GOOD Bi-Metal blades from Lenox or Starrett the HF freight blades dull quickly. Buy once cry once!
Click to expand...

Thanks for chiming in Busto! Any recommendations on which Milwaukee to get? Looks like they have several models... looks like their speed setting is 200-360sfpm, I take it that's perfectly fine for cutting blanks out of steel?
 
I have the Dewalt, variable speed, deep cut with SWAG table. I use it for everything.
 
What I really want is a Walker Turner 78-010 16” bandsaw, thats reasonably priced.
Short of that, the project on my bench is a small vintage cast saw on which I am installing a 3phase motor and vfd on
to slow it down. I stopped messing with my HF when I wanted to use blades less than 1/2”.
 
razor-edge-knives said:
Thanks for chiming in Busto! Any recommendations on which Milwaukee to get? Looks like they have several models... looks like their speed setting is 200-360sfpm, I take it that's perfectly fine for cutting blanks out of steel?
Click to expand...
Josh,
You want the deep cut I think it's 5" and it will handle most of your needs. Yes the 200-360 is about all you would ever need in fact I wish it ran a little lower like 170-180 less heat build up and blade teeth last longer at the slower speeds. One thing that is important is to "Set" the teeth on the initial cut(check Lennox blades web page they have some more info on doing this)...what that means is start SLOW don't force the steel allow the saw to do the work don't push more than necessary to allow the teeth to warm up and do it at the slowest speed. Once the teeth are set you can adjust the speed according to the material you are cutting. Annealed carbon cuts easy stainless if you force it will kill the teeth in short order!!!

This is where I get my Milwaukee tools...they occasionally have killer deals on reconditioned tools since they are a factory service center. Every tool that I have picked up reconditioned looked NEW I saw no wear or if it had even been used!!

https://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwau...and-saw-with-case/miln6232-21,default,pd.html
 
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I have the cheap harbor frieght stationary saw. Buy one on a good sale, throw the blade away and get a few lennox blades, change the gear oil with some qhuality lube. I have cut a ton of 2" structural square tube and it keeps chugging along. I think I paid 129 for it.
 
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