Kalamazoo horizontal bandsaw

[R_Holiday]

Looking at this Kalamazoo band saw and wanna know if it’s worth it. I hear they are very good saws. Here are pics and what the guy selling it says it needs. I don’t mind fixing up something good but don’t wanna have to bring it back from the brink since I’ve never repaired a metal cutting bandsaw. It comes with the original manual as well. Asking price is $200.
His response to me asking what attention was needed…
The blade will pop off from time to time while cutting, needs better guide adjustment and new blades. It does a lot better with sharp blades. I would recommend getting the hydraulic downfeed cylinder. It cuts great if you slowly feed it down by hand through the material

 

[bimmer1980]

do you want to cut metal or fix equipment?

How much is he asking?

Considering I bought a large bandsaw a couple of years ago that "just needed a new band saw drive wheel" and now it is in pieces as I restore it with new wheels, bearings, etc..... Frankly, until it's back together, its a huge paper weight.

If you want to cut and fabricate, I would buy a saw in better shape, but that's just me....

 

[R_Holiday]

do you want to cut metal or fix equipment?

How much is he asking?

Considering I bought a large bandsaw a couple of years ago that "just needed a new band saw drive wheel" and now it is in pieces as I restore it with new wheels, bearings, etc..... Frankly, until it's back together, its a huge paper weight.

If you want to cut and fabricate, I would buy a saw in better shape, but that's just me....

I’m really just making custom exhausts out of my garage. I have a 12” dry cut saw with an evolution stainless steel blade that didn’t do a good job cutting tube for me to practice on. That’s what prompted me to look into a horizontal one. I like good made in America tools but don’t wanna have a project for a tool that I want to put to use in short time. Maybe I will get the klutch one from northern tools.

 

[GeoBruin]

I’m really just making custom exhausts out of my garage. I have a 12” dry cut saw with an evolution stainless steel blade that didn’t do a good job cutting tube for me to practice on. That’s what prompted me to look into a horizontal one. I like good made in America tools but don’t wanna have a project for a tool that I want to put to use in short time. Maybe I will get the klutch one from northern tools.

If the main thing you're cutting is thin wall tubing, I also recommend a hydraulic downfeed.

Also, that's a fairly large saw in terms of cutting capacity and footprint for something that's going to spend it's life cutting exhaust tubing.

Don't get me wrong, that's the smallest Kalamazoo saw I've ever seen, it just still seems like a big saw for exhaust tubing.

That said, unless you retrofit something, there really aren't many smaller saws with true hydraulic downfeed. About the smallest I can think of is the grizzly/baliegh 5x6. That's an awesome saw, and the head pivots so miters are easy, but it's not much smaller than your Kalamazoo when all is said and done.

The Femi/Dake benchtop saws are awesome in their own way, but their spring/clutch downfeed is a far cry from a hydraulic downfeed.

 

[R_Holiday]

@GeoBruin thats some good advice. I already don’t have too much extra space with the tools I’ve gathered since joining GJ. I’ll keep watching marketplace while considering a small jet or grizzly band saw as you recommended.

 

[GeoBruin]

@GeoBruin thats some good advice. I already don’t have too much extra space with the tools I’ve gathered since joining GJ. I’ll keep watching marketplace while considering a small jet or grizzly band saw as you recommended.

Maybe wait for a few more posts. I'll probably get castrated for telling you to pass up "old iron" for an import saw but a bandsaw is one of my most used tools and the swiveling head and hydraulic downfeed are nice features.

I actually sold my grizzly because I just couldn't spare the space and replaced it with a tabletop Femi saw I store under my welding table. The Femi sure cuts straight and I let it "auto feed" on solid stock, angle, and thick walled tubing but for thin wall stuff it just doesn't have the finesse of the hydro. If you find you don't mind handholding it, theyre nice little saws as well, but they don't go cheap, even used.

 

[R_Holiday]

Maybe wait for a few more posts. I'll probably get castrated for telling you to pass up "old iron" for an import saw but a bandsaw is one of my most used tools and the swiveling head and hydraulic downfeed are nice features.

I actually sold my grizzly because I just couldn't spare the space and replaced it with a tabletop Femi saw I store under my welding table. The Femi sure cuts straight and I let it "auto feed" on solid stock, angle, and thick walled tubing but for thin wall stuff it just doesn't have the finesse of the hydro. If you find you don't mind handholding it, theyre nice little saws as well, but they don't go cheap, even used.

I never thought about the tabletop ones. More things to look at. I’m still getting good at my tig welding before I do the real exhaust build so I have the luxury of time to look for a good used one before I drop the coin on a new one. Thanks for the advice. It’s appreciated.

 

[Hondo78]

I also bought a Kalamazoo, model A9h when the market crashed in '08 that needed some love for $100. I replaced the motor with an ebay USA made unit for $25. a blade and a new set of springs and is good for tailpipe to schedule 40 to axle tubes so money well spent. I do however need a monitored hydraulic feed system, and would like to piece one together using a 7" pneumatic cylinder but do not know how to assemble the Check valve and control valve. The springs are not great for 1/4" or thicker material with double walls. Any advice?