Fabricators, Which saw would you choose?

[Scotts Elle]

I do a bit of fabrication work on the side building displays for industrial equipment so I cut everything from aluminum, brass, copper to stainless and mild steel. I have been using a chop saw for hard metals and a standard miter saw for aluminum. Its time for an upgrade as I am getting busier and the quality of the cut needs to improve... I am also sick of getting showered in sparks and chips.

I am looking at basic cold saws for the $2500 to $3000 mark but I am restricted to 2.5" square stock. Also, anything bigger and I need 3 phase 400volt. I work out of my garage... 220VAC is as good as it gets. I prefer the cold saw as the cut quality and accuracy is better but now I am restricted to 2.5" stock.

The other option is a horizontal band saw. They have a much larger capacity for the very few times I would cut 6" box tubing or 80/20 extrusions but the cut quality is not as good as the cold saw. The accuracy is not as great either (or so I'm told). They are much cheaper. I can get a decent saw for around $2000.

What do you guys use? Why? Any advantages to one vs the other?

Thanks.

Scotty

 

[Strouty]

You are way overspending, mine was not more than $500 and will cut 4" on a 45 angle if I am not mistaken. I will look for some specs.

 

[Strouty]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307901_200307901

If you want, I would buy this for you and sell it to you for $1500, that way you would save a good solid $500.

 

[madjack]

Problem with abrasive saws is the steel work hardens at the point of the cut. The abrasive saw that was in my shop and was what I started with, is now unused in a storage room. Never use it anymore since I bought a portable Milwaukee 6370-21 metal cut circular saw for under $300. A table type vertical bandsaw will do most anything needed if it has a deep enough throat and a miter gauge. A commercial grade drop saw is a great tool too but has limitations in that making small material cut are nearly impossible. I'm lucky in that I've got room for all of them in the shop. If I could only have one, it would be the Milwaukee with a saw guide

 

[TOOL MASTER]

Horizontal band saw .......clean cuts...cheaper blades.....

 

[Strouty]

Problem with abrasive saws is the steel work hardens at the point of the cut. The abrasive saw that was in my shop and was what I started with, is now unused in a storage room. Never use it anymore since I bought a portable Milwaukee 6370-21 metal cut circular saw for under $300. A table type vertical bandsaw will do most anything needed if it has a deep enough throat and a miter gauge. A commercial grade drop saw is a great tool too but has limitations in that making small material cut are nearly impossible. I'm lucky in that I've got room for all of them in the shop. If I could only have one, it would be the Milwaukee with a saw guide

The saw I showed him was not an abrasive, it was a true cold cut with a saw blade. Abrasive saws have there place, but the cold cut saws truly make a beautiful cut. I can cut a piece of pipe and it will be flat and smooth. Plush the material stays pretty cool to the touch.

 

[alex71]

That Milwaukee is not a cold saw. This is a cold saw:

 

[rodm1]

Repost hear:

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/index.php

 

[ibedayank]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307901_200307901

If you want, I would buy this for you and sell it to you for $1500, that way you would save a good solid $500.

thats a dry cut saw
I think what the OP wanted was one like you listed but liquid cooled/lubed

 

[Scotts Elle]

Thanks for the replies. I am referring to a "wet" cold saw. The links being posted make horrible cuts, spray sparks and chips all over, and are not very repeatable in cut accuracy.

With either saw, I definitely want a coolant system.

Either isn't cheap but the work I do can't look cheap.