Ordered wrong bandsaw.

J

Jefflynn

Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
52
It was grizzly 14 wood. I need to cut 48 x 2 inch billets. plus or minus a little. Wanted 14 inch steel cuttinget on a diagonal stand. Slow variable speed under $1000. I can't find one.
 
Billets? Like thick Damascus billets or forged steel billets. Usually billets are big thick chunks of steel that are forged into somthing else. Do you mean bar stock?

Steel cutting bandsaws are quite pricy that's why lots of people on a budget go with a harbor fright model. I don't know of a steel cutting variable speed steel saw for under a grand but then again I don't use them. I have a plasma cutter that I use to cut my steel up.
 
Bar stock. Youre correct. Wanted user friendly. Table. Diagonal, so I can profile blades original cut. Prefer to do that with diagonal.
 
welcome to the knife make $ issue cheap hobby tools 3-400 bucks anything that works your spending a grand or more 4x6 saw is a stop gap till you can get somethign better
i went with the bucks up option roll in saw fantastic saw but not cheap even used i stole mine at 2k$ i thing jet makes one ins te 1500 range
 
Have you looked around your local Cragislist for used options? I got both my big bandsaws used, as well as my DoAll chopsaw and my power hacksaw.

Looks like not much in Branson or Springfield, some horizontal saws... there is what looks to be a nice DoAll vertical saw listed for $2K, perhaps you could talk him down... those being about the best vertical saws made for metal.
https://joplin.craigslist.org/tls/6004827356.html

There's also a 36" DoAll vertical metal bandsaw for sale in St. Charles MO, on Ebay- starting bid of $500 but you'd need 3 phase 440V. Badass saw, though.
 
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Why not use a chop saw? They don't cost that much, and are a lot quicker than a bandsaw.
 
I found a meal cut vertical grizzly 10 inch. 220 with variable speed controller. It's $1500. It's very user friendly. I really like it. And vertical fits my shop best. I could get 7x12 hor,vert....but its tuff to get ready for right position and surface plate. It's more than i wanted to spend. But these new grizzly are nice. I'm not good enough machinist to modify the 7x12
 
Throat is 13.5 inches. Max cutting 10inches high. 108 inch blade lengths. 1/8 up to 1 inch thick cut. I think i can easily cut a 14 inch bowie on this machine. I'm stepping to this from angle grinder.
 
Craigslist is a really good option of you're patient. Ebay can be as well, especially if it's Local Pickup Only, as this reduces the chance of a bidding war between the rest of the known world.

I got a slightly older Wellsaw horizontal/vertical saw that came with a table and has (IIRC) a 9x11 cutting capacity, in really good condition, for $250. What was really nice, is that it was less than 1 mile from my house. :D
 
Jeff, that sounds like it will be an ideal saw for you. If you can manage the added price, I'm sure you'll be happy later that you got it...
Caveat being, Grizzly machines can range from pretty darn good to pile of junk, but they've been steadily improving since the 80's.
 
Thanks Salem, you have been a great help. I talked to guy with doall. Would rather have it. But my wife gets 10 percent off if we buy through walmart. And we live 1 :45 min. From grizzly. So i can run it up there, if it's a lemon. Or I can treat some 1095 and etch a "Hamon".
 
I've been watching youtube. Through business man eyes, Grizzly Is working hard on quality of their bandsaws. I've read more reviews of users liking them, than not. However one guy made me nervous. Said it finally fell to crapp. And he had to give it away. After my stroke, i really want this particular one, any trouble, drive to their shop in a day. My wife agrees to the old doall. But where do we go to get it repaired. It's awesome and sized just like my Grizzly. Just better. That work bench is solid steel. So im waffling over the doall. He lives 30 miles from me. Just put new motor in it. But its old. Very hard decision. Own such a nice , sweet industrial bandsaw, or a new Grizzly with service shop in Springfield Missouri?????????
 
It's hard for me to say, not being there and all... if the DoAll isn't all worn out, I'd personally probably go with that...
The ad says "new 1 hp motor." Funny it doesn't mention needing it installed. Why is it not installed? Would machining be necessary to make it work or something, wrong shaft diameter maybe? Why can't the seller install it? For $2K or even talked down to $1500, I'd think it a better deal not to have to mess with that.
Did he plan to retrofit a 3 phase saw with a 1 phase motor, to run it at home? In that case, better to keep the 3 phase motor on it and run with VFD.
Another thread where I wish I could just be there.

ETA: I'd be happy to call the seller and talk to him about it, if that would be of any help to you.
 
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Just an additional "cheap" alternative, if that is all you are cutting, is to get a port-a-band, and rigid mount it. This is what they had at the ABS bladesmithing class, and it worked fine for bar stock. I myself hunted down an old Powermatic 143 (craigslist) for $700ish dollars. If you search craigslist, and ebay (sort by distance), you may be able to find something similar. I used the cheap 4X6 horizontal for several years, similar to the HF model, but sold by Tractor Supply. It had a tendency for the blade to jump the wheels, but I managed alright. I replaced it with the Powermatic vertical, and a cheap (~$1600) jet horizontal, and now realize what I was missing out on. One last thing that I have heard of people doing, however I have never attempted is to utilize step pulley's to slow down a wood saw, and use a metal blade...from what I have heard it isn't as good as a dedicated metal bandsaw, but better than a hacksaw...
 
Salem, ill call him again and go over there. Portable, ive been told about. But the grizzly and doall, have room to keep cutting you're blade length out , without running out of room.
 
Salem, go ahead and call him please. He is very freindly and glad to talk. And im not sure it is a 10 inch. May be just a little smaller.
 
Salem , Unit is in superb condition. 10 inch high cut. 16inch throat, room between blade and to front of saw wall. I cut 1 inch bar with ease. Cut thin still in a curve. Just like cutting out a knife. Worked perfect. Has guides from less,, than 3/16 up to 1 inch. But we used a 3/8 and cut a curve smoothly
 
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