Do righteous benchtop band saws exist?

[jmarkwolf]

Can anyone on the forum recommend a decent benchtop band saw?

I have a nice old Delta 14inch floor standing band saw and a horizontal saw at home, but I'd like a benchtop for my hangar. Can't run home every time I want to cut something.

Needs to have enough power to cut aluminum stock up to 3/16in thick. Wood cutting blades work well for this if adequate power is available.

I've read some on-line reviews but they all seem kind of wimpy with 1/3hp typical.

 

[truckdriver]

Would a porta saw like the Milwaukee and Dewalt work?
http://www.cpomilwaukee.com/milwauk...Cs_nnmhMYbFhsKZUkhrvBpCpjnnSRgs9RSRoCY2bw_wcB

 

[Irongrave]

Porta saw with a SAWG offroad stand.

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

 

[Rag Roc]

Porta saw with a SAWG offroad stand.

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

X2 have the SWAG stand and love it!

 

[Furious Filipino]

I have this exact setup pictured. Harbor Freight Portable Band saw with the Swag Offroad V-3.0 table kit and the foot power switch (I just zip-tied the trigger down).

I'm thinking since I'm fairly happy with the above, I would get a bench-top horizontal bandsaw like this one since my old Grizzly horizontal is taking up too much room

 

[Packard V8]

The best benchtop band saw ever made is the rare Delta Model 768 10". It makes the new bigbox stuff look like kid toys.

Do your research over on OWWM and if you're interested, PM me, as I've got one I'm thinking of letting go.

Jack Vines

 

[MoonRise]

+3 on a Portaband, stand is optional depending on what and how you want/need to do the cuts.

The SWAG table is supposed to be very nice.

A 'decent' portaband will usually be near 1 hp on the motor power, give or take depending on the exact model saw.

Portable if or when you need it, more power than most 'benchtop' band saws, about the only drawback is the blade is typically wider than the little benchtop saws (so you couldn't turn quite as sharp of a curve when cutting as with the 'smaller' blade.)

 

[pepi]

The best benchtop band saw ever made is the rare Delta Model 768 10". It makes the new bigbox stuff look like kid toys.

Do your research over on OWWM and if you're interested, PM me, as I've got one I'm thinking of letting go.

Jack Vines

Maybe for wood work, metal requires that thing to be modified. Did I mention that's not a bench top saw, I can still see the stand.

 

[454ragtop]

Maybe for wood work, metal requires that thing to be modified. Did I mention that's not a bench top saw, I can still see the stand.

It's only about 30-36" high, so is able to be easily bench mounted, and a simple pulley change will slow it down enough to cut aluminum. Quite the capable saw for its size.

 

[Packard V8]

Maybe for wood work, metal requires that thing to be modified. Did I mention that's not a bench top saw, I can still see the stand.

Not strictly accurate. The OP cuts aluminum with a very similar 14" Delta BS. The 10" is easily bench mounted. BTDT.

I have a nice old Delta 14inch floor standing band saw . . .Needs to have enough power to cut aluminum stock up to 3/16in thick. Wood cutting blades work well for this if adequate power is available.

You'll note the OP is quite comfortable cutting aluminum with his 14" Delta wood saw. For that reason, I recommended the 10", because it is same frame, same trunions and guides, just with smaller wheels to make it shorter and easier to mount on a bench if desired. As to power, since Delta utilizes a separate motor, it can be any horsepower desired. On idea might be to use say a 1hp 3-phase motor with a VFD. Then, SFM speed could be perfectly matched to materials.

It's only about 30-36" high, so is able to be easily bench mounted, and a simple pulley change will slow it down enough to cut aluminum. Quite the capable saw for its size.

For true. You've actually seen or used one and thus know it's the heaviest-built small band saw ever.

jack vines

 

[pepi]

Are you telling the there is not a drive pulley with a belt on the other side, and the motor below?

I have the saw, and modified to cut steel, channel, tubing and sheet metal, uses a Jack shaft, Jack.

 

[Packard V8]

Are you telling the there is not a drive pulley with a belt on the other side, and the motor below?

I have the saw, and modified to cut steel, channel, tubing and sheet metal, uses a Jack shaft, Jack.

When the 768 is mounted on a bench, the motor is behind, also on the bench, rather than below on a stand.

One more time, the OP hasn't to this point mentioned cutting steel. He's cutting aluminum with a standard wood blade and speed.

jack vines

 

[jmarkwolf]

When the 768 is mounted on a bench, the motor is behind, also on the bench, rather than below on a stand.

One more time, the OP hasn't to this point mentioned cutting steel. He's cutting aluminum with a standard wood blade and speed.

jack vines

Correct.

My old floor standing 14" Delta has the gear box for slowing the blade speed for cutting steel when I need to. I also have a horizontal saw for cutting steel.

But in a benchtop for the hangar I just want to cut aluminum for the most part, wood sometimes, for which the same blade and speed works just fine. Provided the motor has adequate power.

Intrigued by the 1hp porta band and stand idea.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[zkling]

What type of cutting are you going to be doing? Straight line cuts or intricate contour work? If the latter the portaband w/stand will be a poor choice as they aren't real good at contour cutting due to the wider blades they are designed for. With a good blade and cautious feeding you can get away with that range of aluminum (although about max) on a wood designed saw. Honestly though, unless you need to pick the thing up and walk it around, a 14" free standing unit isn't much larger than a bench top unit. Rikon makes a nice little benchtop unit that has a welded frame. A number of the guys at the local hanger have one, especially those RV guys.

 

[rsanter]

I have the little cheap riobi bench top bandsaw.
I bought it for a specific one time job that I figured that if it got through the job great and if it was not up to par I could take it back and then look at a bigger unit.
I was really impressed with the unit for the $100 it cost.
In fact when I later bought a floor model band saw I have kept the little riobi unit in case I ever needed a unit I can take somewhere. It was such a good unit I did not want to sell it

Bob