Body Saw - Any Recommendations?

[moparfreak]

So I've started tear-down work on my Charger and I've found that a high speed body saw would be a good tool here, especially getting into seams and cutting through bolts. I've had an older Harbor Freight saw that is probably around 12 years old, and I find that it stalls out quite easily and just exhausts air most of the time. I'm running an IR 60 gal SS3L so there's definitely enough air behind it.

Any suggestions on a good brand?

This is the first one that comes up in Amazon, but it looks nearly identical to the HF I have. I don't want to just buy a rebranded no-name.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IU0CSW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Also a few others come up:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CY9XNXU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004XOT3/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006RF96AM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Also any suggestion on good sources for blades?

 

[danielbuck]

I had a CP saw that worked well. It, along with alot of my air tools were stolen a while back, and when I replaced them I started replacing alot of things with AirCat brand. I like the Aircat, it seems quieter. Luckly home insurance covered most of it, and they told me I didn't need to replace with the same brand, just the same type of tool. So I took the opportunity to try different brands, and I knew I liked the Aircat tools that I had before.

They both work very well. They both would stall if the blade gets pinched hard, but I was often cutting material considerably thicker than body panels, when I couldn't get a little cutoff wheel in position easily.

Of the ones you listed, if I were to pick one I'd be curious to try the Astro, I have a few Astro air tools, and they seem to be real good.

 

[The Cobbler]

+1 on Astro, they have great customer service IMO

 

[M6erfan]

Jeez, I read the title and I was thinking a Dexter type scenario...

 

[ChrisLS8]

Aircat with Morse blades for air. I use my M12 hackzall with Diablo high TPI for body work lately. I replaced my whole core support using it. Cut cleanly but not as clean as a body saw for sure

 

[Stooge]

I've had the IR 429 that was linked, for probably the last 5 yrs, and although its basically worked, i wouldnt buy it again. Fairly clumsy/cumbersome, jams up pretty easily, doesnt like a slightly curved line. The blade holder is ok, but needs to be retightened during use, its loud and vibrates quite a bit which makes it less accurate. Fortunately, i dont need a bodysaw too often, but if this one died tomorrow, i would step up a tier, ( i think the 429 was closer to $90+ when i bought it) and spend a little more, and honesty probably get the snap on one that is capable of holding the full size reciprocating saw blades, though it is rather expensive.

 

[JoeR]

I have a Chicago Pneumatic cp7901 that I use almost daily for the past few years, had an Ingersoll rand before that and liked the CP much better. I also have a snap on PTS1000 that I have only used a handful of times and had to send in for repair 2 times within the 1 year warranty because it kept spitting blades out and stalling, needless to say I prefer the CP over it and its less then half the price

 

[moparfreak]

I'm looking at that Astro and it has good reviews. THe CP as well but it's twice the price.

What TPI blades are best for sheet metal? It looks like either 24 or 32, looks like Morse has a decent selection available in lengths and thicknesses.

 

[theoldwizard1]

It really is all about the blades !

I can't find it now, but somewhere on YouTube is a video about a guy using a Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hackzall as a body saw ! He had a couple of issues.

• The battery did not last all day
• The Milwaukee blades just were not "up to snuff" and they use a non-standard mount.

The first is easily solved (have a couple of spare batteries). The second took some ingenuity ! He took a stack of his favorite metal cutting blades, clamped them in a vice and carefully ground them to match the Milwaukee pattern.

Cheaper blades, more suitable for the job ! Plus he had a truly portable saw for many other jobs !!

 

[Stooge]

what seemed to happen to me with the body saw specific blades is they were just not stout enough and would get a little wavy prematurely, plus they were fairly expensive. I started buying the packs of Lenox hacksaw blades and snipping them into thirds. the 24 and 32 blades seem to work the best for most car sheet metals. still good to have some of the specific body saw blades on hand, but for big long cuts, that don't involve tight curves, the hacksaw blades work well. and with the blade holder that is on most body saws with the 2 set screws securing the blade, the hacksaw blades fit no problem...its just getting the set screws to stay in place, but I think that may have more to do with how much the 429 vibrates.

 

[moparfreak]

Funny enough, when my HF saw kept stalling out, I switched to just using a spare hacksaw blade w/ a good set of gloves (so I could grip the blade tight w/o slicing my hand), and that basically did the trick. That is a very good tip. I'm leaning toward ordering the Astro as it's well reviewed and the company is well regarding here, but also doesn't break the bank.

I also tried my M18 Hackzall w/ a Diablo thin metal cutting blade (the one w/ a carbide strip, rather than individual teeth), and I was sorta shocked at how it didn't really work well. It did make progress in the cut, but since the tool is bigger and less precision, it started causing damage to the valence itself, and when I pulled it out of hte cut, I noticed that several of the carbide teeth were chipped right off, after only about 15 seconds of cutting. So, not sure if that's quite the tool for the job in this case.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

Sp air has a geared saw that will make those linked look like toys.