Metal cutting Bandsaw's...???

Pontiaker

Pontiaker

Joined
Sep 14, 1999
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My Harbor Freight saw is giving me fits cutting out the thicker S30V, even with the best blades I can buy. Iam thinking of stepping up to something a little more heavy duty. Enco has a 14" Wilton vertical on sale right now, combo Metal/Wood saw.Its basically the standard old 14" wood saw with carbide guides and variable slow speeds to cut metal, now on sale for like $900.Or I can get the combo Horizontal/Vertical like Iam using now but a much better saw about the same power as the Wilton on sale with free shipping for $700.I kind of like the combo style saw because you can sit on it while your sawing, plus its a little cheaper.What do you guys think, other options, etc...TIA!!
Matt
 
Hey Matt. Thought you might want to see a relatively inexpensive option.
It's a port-a-band with a home made table. You can buy blades for $5/ea from MSC and others. I've been using mine for several years, and I get 10-15 7-8" blades per saw blade. The worn out blades can still be used to cut micarta and the like.
 

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Gene - I'm interested in what you've got there...but confused. Can you give me a better description?
 
I use one of those portable band saws at work all the time to cut ACSR. (Aluminum cable steel reinforced)

Thats a great idea and probably a hell of a lot cheaper.
 
The Makita is standing on end, and held in place by a a pair of vise grips. The 3 X 3 X 3/8 red angle iron is welded to the base vertically, and the base attached to the table with a c-clamp. I replaced the "stop" on the cut-off saw with a 6 X 6 X 3/8 work rest table. I think David Winston engineered the original design with a Milwaukee.
 
Matt, I have no trouble cutting S30V on my HF saw. I use the Starrett blades, but it does take a while for 1/4". One thing you may wish to explore is the friction-cutting method a lot of guys use. I never tried it, but they say it'll zip right through hardened steel, even files! I'd go to CKD and do a search on it because I seem to remember it was dicussed there quite a bit a few months ago.
 
I'm not very experienced in metal bandsaws, but if you plan on selling your HF one, shoot me an e-mail.
 
Its not the saw it is a poor quality blade. The saw at our local college is huge and cost thousands but wont cut warm butter. I had to use my little 4 x 6 jet to cut some thick stock one day because that monster couldnt cut it. I like Lenox Die Master 2 blades. Ive heard Starret blades are good to. Buy at least 2 because nothing lasts forever.
 
Bruce hit it right on the head. I would like toadd that slow is the way to cut thicker stock.
 
Iam cutting on the lowest speed my saw goes to, I think its like 85 sfm using several different brands of blades including the more expensive Lennox bimetal blades.The blades that work the best so far are the 10-14 tpi. What speed are you guys cutting and what tpi blades are you using for 1/4 inch s30v? Are you guys cutting any s30v, before heat treat of course? How tight do you tension the blade, real tight or just snug? My blades seem to slip of the wheels more and more lately, maybe something wrong with my saw.
Thanks again for the feedback.
Matt
 
So far as tension goes, I screw it down as tight as I can by hand with a big glove on. The blade puts off a nice high "Ping!" when I pluck it. As to the blade popping off, that's probably your tracking adjustment. I say this because I spent a couple hours lately cursing rather inventively, trying to get mine adjusted. It's a long process on the HF saw because you have to make the tracking adjustment, tension the belt, and lock down the tracking. Then see if the belt will stay on... If not, do it again. And again, etc. Finally I got the freakin thing running again but I was in no mood to use it by then. :rolleyes: I use the Lennox bimetal blades with, I think, 18 tpi. They don't like to cut 1/4" stock but do okay on 3/16". I was amazed at the difference when I finally bit the bullet and put on a new blade - zip! Cut like crazy. That'll teach me - or not. I tend to use stuff until way past its useful life...which really is a false economy.
 
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