Show us your band saws

[PCO6]

I haven't seen a thread on this so I thought I'd start one.

First up, because I just want to get it out of the way, is my cheapo portable band saw from Princess Auto. This is probably the worst sounding tool I own. It growls and whines every time I use it. It sounds as if the blade is way too tight but I know it's not. Despite giving me no confidence that it's going last through an entire cut it works great! ... for now any way.

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Next is a 4"x6" band saw I bought in the mid 80's. A lot of people complain about these saws but mine has worked flawlessly. It seemed to go out of whack after about 10 years but when I figured out how to adjust it I enjoyed using it again.

I bought a second 4"x6" band saw a few years ago. It has a "swivel head" ... more to follow. I decided to sell my original 4"x6" but realized I'd be lucky to get $50 for it given it's age. I decided instead to convert it in to a dedicated vertical band saw. It has its limits compared to larger, better, etc. metal band saws but it meets my needs.

I had a stand I made years ago and decided to use it as the base.
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I cut most of the original cast iron "vice" section of the saw off and bolted it to the base.
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I capped off the altered base with a piece of 1/8" steel plate that I cut to fit.
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I dismantled most of the saw then cleaned, painted and reassembled it.
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Here's the finished product. I made a table out 1/8' steel plate and mdf and put an old milk crate underneath for band saw related clamps, jigs, etc.
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Finally, here is the 4"x6" swivel head band saw I mentioned. It currently sits on a stand I have mocked up. The stand for these saws is MUCH better than the flimsy 4"x6" saws but I wanted something that provided some storage. I bought a simple intermediate tool box and it will work well for that purpose.
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These 2 shots show the benefits of a swivel head saw. Unlike the standard 4"x6" band saw, when you want to cut on an angle you don't have to reposition the material being cut. This makes things a LOT easier in tight quarters.
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Finally, you need a good material support for the piece being cut. I made this from an old single jack stand I had. I have no idea where the other stand got to.
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Let's see what you have.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

saw this on the side of the road for $100 still in business and parts available. got it to work almost perfect and bought a new bimetal blade and is the go to saw for out cage work on the baja bugs. also have a Rung Fu like the HF small that works perfect for what it is.

 

[Paticus]

Dayton

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[y5e06]

Basic JET band saw, strangely enough I had to order this from a local woodshop place a number of years back.
I plopped in a new plate for vertical service which really helped.
Not much else for changes. I do use this quite a bit and think its fantastic, other than adjustments to getting it to cut perfectly square for horizontal cuts.

 

[astroracer]

My 36 year old Tiawan 4 x 6 saw.

And my cheap tiawan wood saw. Converted to metal cutting. Purchased and converted for a total of 200 bucks.

Been using it for almost 20 years.
Mark

 

[dr_clyde]

Here is my 16" DoAll vertical saw. I love this thing. This spring I'm hoping to strip it down and give it a facelift. Looks kinda rough now. Works great though.

For some reason my picture of my horizontal won't upload. I'll try again when I get home.

 

[PCO6]

dr_clyde - I think you could use your band saw to cut my band saw(s) in half!

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Got tired of the sheet metal flimsy short stand and welded up a taller stand that puts the work at a comfortable height. I have a bucket with cutoffs and a 25 pound barbell weight on the base now for a very stable platform.

Next up is to come up with a cutting fluid solution with pump and recovery tank.

 

[readymix]

HE&M and a Scotchman

 

[PECVD2]

Delta Milwaukee

Craftsman horizontal

 

[brianpgriset]

My freshly restored Johnson Model B, circa 1957. Taking the place of my Jet 4"x6" (which is going up for sale FYI).

 

[TerryH]

Grizzly G5013

 

[Revere Cycles]

Here's my Parks No. 2 that I picked up for $100 off CL in the fall. I treated it to some new wiring, two new Accu-Link belts, and after I get my tax return, I'll replace the blade.

 

[INSP380]

My old work horse, Craftsman (King Seeley) ...add a 1/2 stainless blade and it cuts thru anything!

 

[carbon]

INSP380, was that originally a wood-cutting saw or a metal-cutting saw? If it was a wood saw, how did you slow it down?

My old work horse, Craftsman (King Seeley) ...add a 1/2 stainless blade and it cuts thru anything!

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

I have a HF like one from Rung Fu, I have a craftsman wood with speed reducer and I have Wells I think 6x12. purchase for $100

 

[catalytic]

Here's my baby -- a late model 20" 900lb Davis & Wells woodworking band saw:



This pic is on the day the shipping co. picked it up from the P.O. in the Los Angeles valley just a few miles from where it was cast in the east side of LA. It was my first experience moving and restoring big iron, and in retrospect, it's just incredible that everything went so smoothly.

It now rides on a custom mobile base fabricated partly from vintage railroad tie plates.

It does not cut metal. They did make a nearly identical version with a speed reduction system to cut metal, though.

 

[thundermug]

Just got my first band saw in a garage sale today. 50s Craftsman.

https://scontent-a-ord.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10649746_719017077672_940503330755523184_n.jpg?oh=5676542df7eb9067bfde7fe40565246c&oe=54874658

 

[NUTTSGT]

My Craftsman bandsaw.

 

[Monte]

Femi NG120

 

[gus1962]

Love that HEM band saw but I can hardly afford it.