Sometimes the garage sale gods smile on us

synthesist

synthesist

So many knives so little time
Joined
Sep 14, 2004
Messages
933
A while ago I posted trying to slow my wood cutting bandsaw down (gave that idea up btw) and then about wanting a metal cutting bandsaw. Ultimately I borrowed a Milwaukee Portaband from a friend/neighbor who I have a reciprocal flow of tools agreement with. Time passed, I used it quite a bit and decided I would need to buy one of my own. The $70 Harbor Freight knock-off, while cheap and a possibility, offends my "not made in America" sensibilities, to say nothing of my lack of faith in its durability and maintainability. Parts, documentation and service are readily available for the Milwaukee (should be for what they cost.....................).

So I've been keeping my eyes open for a used (but not used up) Milwaukee and this past weekend I hit one at, of all places, a garage/estate sale. Better yet it had the cast iron Milwaukee base, which you can screw 3/4" pipe into and use as a table. Andddddddd best of all the price was right (stunningly cheap actually).

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y166/synthesist/Bandsaw1.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y166/synthesist/Bandsaw2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y166/synthesist/Bandsaw3.jpg

I was hoping that the table/base would allow me to mount a bigger, perhaps micarta, table with a slot cut by its own blade and I'd be set. As with all things that appear too good to be true there's a catch. The saw attaches, and hinges at the top. EEEEK. This means that the blade is running in the wrong direction when using the base. Perfect for pipe and other stock but bad for profiling knives. I'm also curious what the best blades for cutting various tool and stainless steels are? Meanwhile I am using the bi-metal one that it came with, carefully.

I am going to have to work this out I see.

For now I feel much closer to the tool I've been needing and at a price I can live with easily.

Mounting this in a bolted/riveted together ( or welded if I get ambitious ) square tubing frame shouldn't be too tough and it would be more portable than the cast iron base too.................

I am open to other suggestions btw.

Thanks

Syn
 
At a garage sale I once got a WW2 Case OSS dagger with original sheath for $10.
 
I once got a big roasting pan and a bunch of old candles for goop quench for $4 total. You got a very nice saw. I am jealous.
 
A friend of mine once found a WWII german pilots watch for about 20$.
He sold it for 2300$ :D
I'm always looking for cheap antler and such.
Great saw - you're a lucky man.
 
Ha, there was a lady on the news quite a while ago. She bought a large painting for a few dollars. it was just a bunch of splashed on paint. turns out it is one of the largest surviving painting of some dude who gave his paintings away, then when he died, they were super hot items. $4 painting at a garage sale, put it in your attic for many years, find out it is worth 10,000,000 right in time for retirement.....priceless!
 
Great score:thumbup: 18 tpi bi-metal x 1/2" would be the best all rounder. Course enough for 1/4" stock and fine enough for thin stock for spacers or pocket knife liners. If you make a lot of pocket knives you may prefer 24tpi.

peter
 
I like using bi-metal blades with 24 TPI on mine. The 18 TPI for me tended to jump off but going to more teeth per inch solved that problem.

Definitely stick with bi-metal, they last much longer.
 
I've had a couple of the Milwaukee portabands. A piece of 5/8" plywood 4" X 8" clamped in a vise and then slide the handle onto it will hold it in a vertical position. You can also use the little table thats on it to mount a larger table. Only bad thing I can see on this one is it doesn't look to be var. speed so it may run faster than you want to cut stainless steel. A zip tie will hold the trigger down. I've had good luck with the Morse blades they sell at HF. With the pipe cutting set up I'm sure a plumber has used this tool so you will want to wash your hands after using it. BTW I have had one of the HF models for a couple years and just blew a tire on it last week. For a cheap tools it really is pretty good.
 
Yup this particular saw is 2 speed (250 and 375) deep cut not the variable speed, like my friend had. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not yet. I can still use his if I need to go super-slow.

I appreciate the hints and tips on blades and set-up also. Thanks

Syn
 
synthesist said:
Yup this particular saw is 2 speed (250 and 375) deep cut not the variable speed, like my friend had. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not yet. I can still use his if I need to go super-slow.

I appreciate the hints and tips on blades and set-up also. Thanks

Syn
Click to expand...

Actually I would rather have the two speed. Your slower speed should be just fine. Not a bad price, I just bought another new Milwaukee at $300.00. I lost my first one in a fire.
 
I used a newer? one of those a lot on cutting stainless pipe. We always used Milwaukee blades, don't remember the tpi, but the pipe was soft. The only thing I would mention is that the killer on those is binding the blade sideways and taking the set out of the teeth. If you don't kill the set, the blades last a long time.
 
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