Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
I've been wanting a better way to cut tubing at home, so I finally broke down and bought a new saw. I weighed all of my options, and ultimately decided on a mitering head band saw. I love band saws because they are quiet, make clean cuts, and make a minimal mess........everything an abrasive saw fails miserably at.
I've seen various Taiwanese saws, but I was leary over parts availability down the road, so I went with the Italian Stallion Femi 782xl. It wasn't cheap at $500 delivered, but these days quality costs money. I settled on this particular model as I don't need a power down feed and the biggest tubing I will likely cut is 3" square, with most being 1.5" or less round tubing. I won't break down the spec's, but here they are if you're interested: http://www.femi.it/en/femi-machine-professional-processing-wood-metal.aspx?l=51&f=28&p=127
Out of the box you have to cut a bunch of zip ties and remove a small amount of packaging. You then attach the handle using a 2mm allen key. I quickly went over it to make sure everything was tight, and all appeared proper. I plugged it in, grabbed a piece of 1" .120 HREW tubing and gave it a whack. I didn't expect it to cut straight without adjustment, but to my surprise it was dead on!
Pros:
- Quiet
- Accurate out of the gate
- Minimal mess
- Head miters up to 45°
- $25 blades that should last hundreds of cuts.
- Large capacity (4.125" depending on material)
- Vise is far better than any chop saw I've used
- Portable, weighs about the same as a chop saw
Cons:
- Price when compared to saws performing the same function
- Blades are a ******* size, but readily available online (not locally that I'm aware of)
- Handle is plastic, but should hold up if not abused.
- Included material length stop (not pictured) is plastic, but should also hold up if not abused.
In summary, this thing is badass and I wish I would've bought one much sooner. I can't speak for longevity, but initial impressions are positive.
I've seen various Taiwanese saws, but I was leary over parts availability down the road, so I went with the Italian Stallion Femi 782xl. It wasn't cheap at $500 delivered, but these days quality costs money. I settled on this particular model as I don't need a power down feed and the biggest tubing I will likely cut is 3" square, with most being 1.5" or less round tubing. I won't break down the spec's, but here they are if you're interested: http://www.femi.it/en/femi-machine-professional-processing-wood-metal.aspx?l=51&f=28&p=127
Out of the box you have to cut a bunch of zip ties and remove a small amount of packaging. You then attach the handle using a 2mm allen key. I quickly went over it to make sure everything was tight, and all appeared proper. I plugged it in, grabbed a piece of 1" .120 HREW tubing and gave it a whack. I didn't expect it to cut straight without adjustment, but to my surprise it was dead on!
Pros:
- Quiet
- Accurate out of the gate
- Minimal mess
- Head miters up to 45°
- $25 blades that should last hundreds of cuts.
- Large capacity (4.125" depending on material)
- Vise is far better than any chop saw I've used
- Portable, weighs about the same as a chop saw
Cons:
- Price when compared to saws performing the same function
- Blades are a ******* size, but readily available online (not locally that I'm aware of)
- Handle is plastic, but should hold up if not abused.
- Included material length stop (not pictured) is plastic, but should also hold up if not abused.
In summary, this thing is badass and I wish I would've bought one much sooner. I can't speak for longevity, but initial impressions are positive.
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But, the longest length I cut are 4' so it works out well. If I do have to cut something longer its not so bad to roll it around or I'll cut the stick shorter to fit inside or hang it out the door, hah.