Bandsaw question

[Johnny A]

Guys,
I needed a band saw a few times this past month for some metal work.
I was wondering what you guys recommend for a DIY person?
A bench model? Stand alone model? Or maybe a hand held bandsaw?

Just looking for feedback. I don't plan on using it more than a dozen times a year.

Thanks Guys

 

[Old Man Roger]

I never knew how bad I needed a horizontal band saw, till I had one. No idea how I could ever live without it ever again...lol

If you have it you will use it. Even the cheap harbor freight band saws aren't too bad, once they are properly adjusted.

 

[jack stand]

Get a Milwaukee "Porta Band" and save your floor space. Imo an abrasive chop saw would be your next step (after the porta band) as they can handle "a little bigger" everything pipe's, channels, angles, etc.

 

[ishiboo]

Guys,
I needed a band saw a few times this past month for some metal work.
I was wondering what you guys recommend for a DIY person?
A bench model? Stand alone model? Or maybe a hand held bandsaw?

Just looking for feedback. I don't plan on using it more than a dozen times a year.

Thanks Guys

Some ideas on what you are cutting/making would be useful. I use a combination of a Milwaukee M18 deep cut bandsaw (the most), M18 metal saw for cutting plate, and an Evolution chop saw sometimes. The bandsaws are the cheapest of course. If you are cutting a ton of structural stuff, a horizontal bandsaw that flips up into a vertical bandsaw with a table might be the best option.

 

[PT Doc]

Dewalt DW872 needs to be considered when considering metal cutting needs.

 

[Steevo]

I had an abrasive cut-off saw for several years, and got by using it for a lot of metal-cutting needs. Then I picked up a horizontal bandsaw from a Craigslist ad for $75. It is just a Dayton version of the same saw that is sold everywhere from Harbor Freight to Northern Tool. Nothing very precise or smooth about it. But, I sold my abrasive saw within a month after I got it, and I have used the band saw for almost five years now. It uses the low-cost 64-1/2" band saw blades that can be found anywhere, and it cuts reasonably straight. One of the best tool upgrades I have made.
Porta-bands are nice and they are portable, but being able to clamp your stock in the saw, lower it onto the material, and walk away while it cuts is a HUGE advantage!
IMO, of course . . .

 

[TheOtherChris]

I had an abrasive cut-off saw for several years, and got by using it for a lot of metal-cutting needs. Then I picked up a horizontal bandsaw from a Craigslist ad for $75. It is just a Dayton version of the same saw that is sold everywhere from Harbor Freight to Northern Tool. Nothing very precise or smooth about it. But, I sold my abrasive saw within a month after I got it, and I have used the band saw for almost five years now. It uses the low-cost 64-1/2" band saw blades that can be found anywhere, and it cuts reasonably straight. One of the best tool upgrades I have made.
Porta-bands are nice and they are portable, but being able to clamp your stock in the saw, lower it onto the material, and walk away while it cuts is a HUGE advantage!
IMO, of course . . .

+another!
A few years ago I bought a HF saw. I spent a little while getting it adjusted right but I now use it quite often (for a non production type of guy).
As mentioned above it is REALLY nice to be able go full RONCO on the thing and "Set it and Forget".

 

[bullnerd]

This is the one you want. I have two, one went through a fire and will be restored.

You didn't mention a price range.

If you want to take a road trip there another in MD for $300, same saw.

Look on CL in your area, I just guessed. You can find them. Wood and metal! Fantastic saw.

https://worcester.craigslist.org/tls/d/rockwell-delta-14-wood-metal/6393422147.html

Boom! 300 bucks for one of the best saws ever made!

https://easternshore.craigslist.org/tls/d/band-saw/6420142408.html

 

[e015475]

I have a Porta Band in a SWAG stand. There's hardly a day goes by that I don't use it for fabricating something. It sits on a four foot tall stand and has a 'stomp' switch to turn it on and off.

I had a horizontal Kalamazoo for cutting long stock in the 'set it and forget it' mode, but after I'd had the Porta Band for a year or so, I wasn't using it much, so it went on Craigslist.

I don't do much these days where I'm cutting steel for structural purposes, but if I did and could afford the footprint for both, I'd have the Porta Band and the Kalamazoo. If I had to have just one, it'd be the Portaband in the SWAG stand,

 

[BFBOB]

I'm glad someone else mentioned the 14" vertical wood/metal bandsaw. I have the Sprunger version, intended for woodworking. I added a jackshaft for a lower speed, metal cutting blades, and have cut up to 3/4" steel. Of course it doesn't have the advantage of automatic cutting like a horizontal saw, but I like the versatility of being able to do far more than just cutoffs.
Depends on what you do ... for me the vertical is better; others have other opinions and other needs. (and maybe more room!)

 

[bobabuee]

my choices depending on price point and what you intend to cut?

1.portaband and stand either homemade or swag off road (depending if you have a welder) this way you can have bench and portable one

2. a stand alone horizontal version can be a vertical on too if you have space want to cut more accurate cuts on bigger stuff.
harbor freight is ok but need to make some mods to make it good
look for a used jet,wilton, grizzly much better brand.

3. not band saw but metal cutting chop saw like evloution brand like rage3 can cut anything or evo 380 only metal

i have all three but thats me

 

[matt_i]

Imo the gold standard in 14" is a Powermatic 143 which has an oil-filled geared metal transmission for your metal-cutting reduction, stop and shift a lever. Then back over to wood speeds when needed.

Powermatic 87 is the 20" version, DoAlls are nicer with bigger tables, etc.

A portaband works well enough for lopping things off but its ability to cut straight thru a 2" bar is about 1:10,000 tries. A horizontal saw is much more accurate and usually has adjustments to tweak everything into a cut quality that's pleasing.

Some horizontal saws also have a mode where the saw stands straight up and a small table is temporarily bolted to the lower guide. You sit on a pack of shop towels and do your work. Its not ideal for big work like a dedicated stationary saw but it works quite well for what it is.

 

[RWorth]

need more info on what you are expecting out of it? I have an enco horizontal saw, I also have a large power hack saw for bigger or more accurate cuts, and I have a metal cutting Dewalt cordless circular saw for sheet.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=715691&stc=1&d=1513680648

 

[Falcon67]

As above - what are you cutting. Iron,steel - need slow like 100 FPM saw. For aluminum, I use my Craftsman 10" band saw on a HF stand with a bi-metal blade. Works good, could stand more throat. Aluminum cuts OK with higher speed an some squirts of WD-40 or ATF as cutting fluid. For iron/steel I use a HF metal saw with a good blade and stick lube. Also have a 14" HF chop saw for larger projects. Don't use that very much, but use the smaller saws all the time.

 

[Firebrick43]

I do quite a bit of fab work both at home and at work.

At work we have two marvels with hydraulic feed,clamping, and measuring. One is fully automatic. These are massive machines and will cut through a 20" round like butter.

We also have a pair of vertical 20" do-Alls and some Milwaukee portabands.

I am glad we have the marvels for structural shapes. But the doAlls I use very infrequently. It's faster/easier to shear, nibble, and grind/sand to final shape than cut on the bandsaw.

At home I just have a variable speed dewalt portaband. It serves me well and if I do my part cuts are straight. You must mark the cut all around what you are cutting and watch that you are cutting to the line. I would say my strait cut success is ten to 1 fail. The swag stand does fine for smaller band sawing and serves me well. If I need to do larger cuts I either send out a dxf file to my local plasma table guy or I use a varible speed jig saw with metal cutting blades and a small plastic tank drip lubricating the blade with a water/dish soap solution. Not much slower(actually more accurate) than a big bandsaw on 1/4" and thinner sheet/plate.

 

[mcbassin]

I have a Milwaukee port-band it's a great tool for most everyday cutting jobs.

 

[exmaxima1]

This is the one you want. I have two, one went through a fire and will be restored.

You didn't mention a price range.

If you want to take a road trip there another in MD for $300, same saw.

Look on CL in your area, I just guessed. You can find them. Wood and metal! Fantastic saw.

Yes, the old Deltas are nice saws. I have one waiting for restoration (circa 1954, same as me!), but the weather got cold too fast for me to commence. Should be a great spring project.

 

[ford33]

I have a Milwaukee standard portable band saw and find it works well but I don't cut metal every week.

The horizontal bandsaw would be nice but it takes up too much room.

 

[ez-duzit]

For metal work you want a combination vertical/horizontal 4" x 6" machine. For wood and metal I'd recommend the Delta 14" wood/metal with gearbox.

 

[Johnny A]

I would use it for Brackets/ Fabrication/ nothing thickest than 1/8 inch.
I have a plasma cutter for larger pieces.

 

[bullnerd]

You want a stand up model then. The horizontal ones that stand up are ok, but leaning over the base starts to **** after a while, and they don't have or have a really small table.

The other nice thing about the stand up 14s is they have a really small footprint if your tight on space.

Good luck, let us know what you end up with.

 

[K13]

Use the plasma it's all I ever use for making brackets.

 

[barsss]

I second what e015475 and bobabuee said. I have the Milwaukee *********** portaband on a swag stand. It can cut 5" x 5" if needed. Most cutting I do is small things. They make a couple different stands for different saws. A bonus going this route is with the removal of one hand knob you can remove the saw from stand and take with you. I purchased the power switch you see in the background from rockler which makes turning saw on and off easier.

Swag Stand:

http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Portaband-Tables-Accessories_c_35.html

Rockler Switch:
http://www.rockler.com/safety-power-tool-switch

 

[Buck41]

I have a Jet vertical/Horizontal with coolant. I have used the heck out of it. If you weld at all,you can't live with out a saw.

 

[NUTTSGT]

A porta-band and SWAG stand is on my list to get. I'd imagine it would work good for your brackets.

 

[Roberts210]

Ditto on the Rockwell/Delta wood/metal saws. I got this one for $375 from a school auction on ebay 15 years ago. I use it a lot.

 

[DGersic]

Porta Band and home made stand here. Won’t do everything one of the big horizontal saws can do, but takes up a lot less space in my one car garage.


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[bullnerd]

Ditto on the Rockwell/Delta wood/metal saws. I got this one for $375 from a school auction on ebay 15 years ago. I use it a lot.

Nice!

And flip the lever and add a wood blade and cruise through wood like butta!

I used to make 3d puzzles with an 1/8" blade, scrolls great.

 

[evintho]

A Craigslist Milwaukee portaband and a homemade stand. I've cut tons of steel with this thing!

 

[bobabuee]

I second what e015475 and bobabuee said. I have the Milwaukee *********** portaband on a swag stand. It can cut 5" x 5" if needed. Most cutting I do is small things. They make a couple different stands for different saws. A bonus going this route is with the removal of one hand knob you can remove the saw from stand and take with you. I purchased the power switch you see in the background from rockler which makes turning saw on and off easier.

Swag Stand:

http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Portaband-Tables-Accessories_c_35.html

Rockler Switch:
http://www.rockler.com/safety-power-tool-switch

want to add something better for switch add harbor freight foot control pedal https://www.harborfreight.com/power-maintained-foot-switch-96618.html

 

[James-W]

How much are you willing to spend? Several years ago I knew a guy who had a really nice bandsaw. The saw had changeable speeds so it would cut wood or metal, depending on what blade you put in it. It even had a built welder so he could buy a roll of blade material and make his own blades. I am not positive, but I think he paid around $5,000 for it. I realize that is likely more than you want to spend for a bandsaw, but if you are looking to get into a business type setup, then it may be something for you to consider.

 

[matt_i]

Imo, the weld-your-own-blades is not all its cracked up to be. Inevitably you end up with a tooth space that's not standard (usually larger) at the weld joint and it becomes a problem as it gets sheared off under load and now you have a bigger space with no teeth. Which starts the same problem over except faster decay of the next tooth.

Blades you get prewelded via Starrett, Lenox (and many others) are welded in a sophisticated (meaning: repeatable) process that is tuned to give you a blade that has a tooth pitch at the weld joint that's nearly perfect, and so gives much longer life.

But, if you have a blade welder you should wait until all your friends come over, and are scratching their heads about roughing out an internal shape. You calmly drill a hole and weld a blade thru the opening to cut it out. Your local legend status is now raised a notch

 

[exmaxima1]

A Craigslist Milwaukee portaband and a homemade stand. I've cut tons of steel with this thing!

Is that a CM vise mounted down below to hold the bandsaw?

 

[6PTsocket]

I have a Rockwell 280-300 for many years. A used machinery dealer got two of them when Arrora plastics (model airplanes) went under. He had stripped one to make a good one, that he sold. I bought the stripped one. I think I paid $ 300. In those days you could get every last part from Delta. It cost me another $200 to get it up and running. I primed the base with epoxy and shot it with OEM gray from Delta. I am running Mobil synthetic in the gear case. You are supposed to be able to run with the wood and metal cutting belts both installed, using Delta's matched belt set, but I never could The motor mount has too much flex and I could never get both belts tensioned correctly at the same time. It is an oldie. No dust collection. The doors are each held by two knobs; no hinges. Mine had a 1/2hp motor but I changed for a 1hp Baldor that came my way. I agree, great saw.

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[jgorm]

I have the portaband and mounted it to my 1/4" welding table. I unhook the guide and use this screws to mount it to the table.