Metal bandsaw need

[countryss]

Currently have a delta 14" metal wood bandsaw but with the recent popularity of metal circular saw i rarely use the bandsaw. What situation do you see yourself using the bandsaw over a metal cutting circular saw? Is there a need for it?

 

[PCustoms]

Cutting tubing.

Any cut where I want to walk away and do something else.

Anytime I want to make a cut without waking up the cemetery across town.

 

[exmaxima1]

Cutting tubing.

Any cut where I want to walk away and do something else.

Anytime I want to make a cut without waking up the cemetery across town.

The Delta wood/metal bandsaw is exactly like the wood-only version except it has a gear reducer to cut ferrous metals. You can't walk away from it.

 

[PCustoms]

The Delta wood/metal bandsaw is exactly like the wood-only version except it has a gear reducer to cut ferrous metals. You can't walk away from it.

Guess I was thinking more a.4x6 style saw

 

[countryss]

I have a kalamazoo horizontal that I use often. Yes that one i can set the feed and walk away

 

[Sawmill7]

I have a Wellsaw 8 and one of the best tools I bought. And I also can walk away.

 

[niget2002]

I wish I had one. I cut a lot of flat stock with a cut off wheel that would cut way better on a bandsaw.

I keep eyeballing large do all bandsaws on FBM that are variable speed. I'd have to rearrange half my shop to make it work.

 

[The Cobbler]

not sure I would have much use for a vertical bandsaw, but I won't be without my horizontal one

 

[whateg01]

If you are cutting out shapes by hand or trimming odd shaped pieces, it's handy. I have a 7x12 horizontal for stuff that comes in stick form but my portaband in a swag-like table gets a lot of use for snap stuff.

 

[DGersic]

Currently have a delta 14" metal wood bandsaw but with the recent popularity of metal circular saw i rarely use the bandsaw. What situation do you see yourself using the bandsaw over a metal cutting circular saw? Is there a need for it?

I bought my PortaBand specifically for making it in to a vertical with a table for cutting things like this.

 

[GeoBruin]

You can't compare the usefulness of a vertical bandsaw with a TCT circular saw. Cutting long things to length with a vertical bandsaw is tedious and inconvenient. On the other hand, It's loud and messy with a TCT Circular saw.

Now a horizontal bandsaw can be a accurate, quiet, and a joy to use.

If I could only have one, it would be a horizontal saw.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Once in a while...
I wish I had a vertical bandsaw.
Metal cutting of course.
But for my purposes a horizontal is way more practical.
As said above, set it and forget it while you do something else.
Here's my 10x18 Kysor Johnson - Model J.
I built the skateboard for it so I can move it as needed. It only raises the saw about 1".

 

[MushCreek]

Different tools for different jobs. I have a vertical wood/metal bandsaw for when I need to cut curved shapes or for cutting notches, etc. I have a horizontal bandsaw for making square or angle cuts in stock.

 

[niget2002]

I bought my PortaBand specifically for making it in to a vertical with a table for cutting things like this.

This is what I should really do.

Although, a 16" doall did pop up on FBM last night for 1800 complete with working blade welder.

 

[shoot summ]

Cutting tubing.

Any cut where I want to walk away and do something else.

Anytime I want to make a cut without waking up the cemetery across town.

When I don't want razor sharp cuttings within a 50 foot radius of the cut...

 

[slowtwitch73]

I don't need my Doall, but ******** I love it.

 

[GeoBruin]

Best of both worlds?

 

[ez-duzit]

For a small shop, a combination vertical/horizontal bandsaw is very handy (mine has a mitering head that swivels). But I wouldn't want to give up my DoAll.

 

[Aaron_W]

Sheet metal or plate, small pieces (under 12") and anything with a curve to the cut is where I'd use a vertical bandsaw. Horizontal bandsaws, power hacksaws and miter saws are best for cutting long stock to length. Bandsaws and power hacksaws are relatively quiet compared to circular type saws, and much cleaner than abrasive saws and most circular saws.

If you are talking about a handheld metal cutting circular saw, that can do a lot of what a vertical bandsaw does, but I wouldn't want to try and cut small pieces with one.

Wood or metal all the different saws have a place, which is why I have so many saws and keep finding a need for saws I don't yet own.

 

[danielbuck]

Circular saw doesn't really replicate what a vertical band saw can do at all. bandsaw can cut nice curves or even odd notches.

 

[Xti04]

I bought my PortaBand specifically for making it in to a vertical with a table for cutting things like this.

Same reason I bought one. Saw a swag table conversion for it and had to have one. Had a guy bend up some 1/4 plate and I made the rest of it. About to use mine to cut some aluminum plate.

 

[BigMike782]

I have 3 bandsaws. A 14" delta that was my dads that is used exclusively for wood, mostly resawing. I have a Powermatic 141 that will be used for wood once it get the tires installed and crowned. The most used one is my Powermatic 143, I use it exclusively for cutting metal. I have no room, need or use for a horizontal(had one and got rid of it).

 

[KwikFab]

I have a horizontal bandsaw I use for everything.

It's almost embarrassing to post because everyone will laugh at it, but it's a 20 year old (Made in Taiwan) Harbor Freight brand.

Got it for free, and I invested a whopping $47 to bring it up snuff which included - new bearings (skateboard type), new blade, new starting capacitor, and some set screws to modify the guide so it can cut straight.

I just got done cutting a 1" diameter leadscrew a few minutes ago, and have cut tons of round tube, square tube, solid rod, and more without issue. I've had it for almost 3 years and I'm still running the same blade with constant use.

Works so well I gave away my twice used Evo circular saw.

 

[whateg01]

Circular saw doesn't really replicate what a horizontal band saw can do at all. bandsaw can cut nice curves or even odd notches.

I hope my horizonal bandsaw isn't cutting curves!

 

[ez-duzit]

I hope my horizonal bandsaw isn't cutting curves!

Yes. It is a rare event that I want to cut a curve on my metal-cutting bandsaws. By far the greatest demand will be for precise, square, straight cuts. For these, the horizontal bandsaw is hard to beat. Mostly curves will be produced by a series of straight cuts, to remove most of the waste, followed by the stationary disc or belt grinder.

 

[danielbuck]

I hope my horizonal bandsaw isn't cutting curves!

HAH! I meant vertical

 

[PowerWagonBuilder]

Once in a while...
I wish I had a vertical bandsaw.
Metal cutting of course.
But for my purposes a horizontal is way more practical.
As said above, set it and forget it while you do something else.
Here's my 10x18 Kysor Johnson - Model J.
I built the skateboard for it so I can move it as needed. It only raises the saw about 1".

I have the same saw, but maybe just a hair older. Great piece of machinery; I have cut some rather large structural shapes with mine and it doesn't care at all. Best thing I have done was buy the IC rated blades from Sawblade dot com and man, those things will WALK through an interrupted cut in stuff like tubing and weird stacks of angle when I am gang cutting, and NEVER snags.

I don't know the life that mine had before I bought it, but it certainly seems to be enjoying its new life in my garage after some TLC. I do know that somehow, it is actually still heavier than it even looks. Good lord there is some metal in these things.



A little degreasing goes a long way.

 

[Sweetcorn]

Best of both worlds?

I'd be lost without mine.

I use it on everything from large beams and tubing, to oddball setups like in the one picture, to notching corners out of something.

Truly versatile for a saw. Let it feed itself or use the blade stationary.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have a vertical band saw, that is for wood working.

I have a horizontal band saw, that is for cutting steel to length and such.

I also have a DeWalt portable band saw in a SWAG table. That is for fabrication work.

Each one has a purpose in life.