Swag portaband tables. Who is using them???

[ng8264723]

I sometimes need a band saw. i have a plasma cutter but a band saw is a nice tool. I was thinking of a reduction drive for my delta wood saw. I then thought maybe I should buy the swag table and a portaband
thoughts

 

[pbon]

I have had one for about 5 years. The new style table is improved. Versatile. I use mine to cut exhaust pipe -- mostly stainless. It will do up to 4.5 inch round stock, I think. I use it with a Dewalt just because that is what Swag revommended at the time. If you prefer horizontal, HF sells a band saw on a stand for about $250 that will do both.

 

[bad_idea]

I made my own. Very easy to make. Piece of 5/8" plate with a slot cut in it and a couple holes drilled and countersunk (for mounting the saw to the plate), then I drilled and tapped (4) 1/2-13 holes in the corners to use 1/2" bolts as legs. The theory of the 1/2" bolts for legs is I can collapse it down when not needed. I use the saw table so much that I rarely take the portaband out of the table though. It has become a permanent fixture on my workbench.

 

[zktk01]

I used them before to cut Unistrut and Angle Iron when I was installing Telco Equipment.

 

[Buckgnarly]

VERY handy for quick cuts and small stuff. Love mine.

 

[cajunfirehawk]

Lots of people on this forum use them, I have one.

 

[whyNick?]

I love mine and use it all the time, it's a great tool.

 

[ng8264723]

ducksface
Why did you use the stout table more? Is it smaller than the swag? I have a cut off saw already and an old band saw reecirocating type. It will cut anything! But it is slow. I am looking for something to cut small brakets and the like.

 

[Hounddog]

Here's my SWAG and the base I mounted it too. I like it for 90% of what I do. BUT, I'm still looking for a large one down the road for the bigger stuff.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=300923

 

[2oolhound]

I have a small bandsaw setup as a horizontal. Don't know how I lived without it. It takes 4 or 5 minutes to set it up with the table for vertical use. I hated having to put the small table on for hand held work and take it off to do cut offs so I picked up a 2nd home made unit on a 12"x12" table which I keep permanently on the bench. It gets more use than the horizontal unit.

 

[scooby074]

I made my own copy of a Swag that mounts to my welding table. Probably one of my most used things. Really made the portaband a useful tool.

 

[roche]

Pics of do it yourself models?

 

[theoldwizard1]

Reduction drive for a wood band saw is very nice, but also difficult to locate !

 

[machine_punk]

Nope...made my own.

 

[-Brent-]

I have one. I don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would.

 

[roche]

Nope...made my own.

interesting choice of legs

 

[machine_punk]

interesting choice of legs

Thanks. It allows me to set it for 'sitting' or 'standing' height. I cut them off a the right height and brazed the leftover aluminum tubing for the rest of the frame.

I have the table attached with two, large thumbscrews, so it is easy to free the table and saw from the stand, for portable work.

Kev

 

[Showkey]

Recent purchase ( SWAG) now I use the cutoff wheels a lot less. Should made the move years ago................

 

[DGersic]

Pics of do it yourself models?

Here are a few of mine. Old PortaBand from Craigslist, some square tubing, and a few other bits and pieces, plus practice with my new welder.







Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[PugetDude]

Pics of do it yourself models?

Here is mine... two pieces of scrap aluminum and four 10-24 flathead screws/nuts...

 

[2oolhound]

Machine_Punk, that's gotta be Salvador Dali inspired

Here are my 3 bandsaws. I'd been getting by with a 14" abrasive cut off that I hated and cut off discs on grinders when I bought the one on top of the bench to the right.

It's a Power Fist (HF) which detaches from the base via a bayonet mount. I made a larger base to use in the vertical position but it took 5 minutes to change so was a bit of hassle. I couldn't get it to keep blades on at first so I bought the Busy Bee in the bottom of the photo. I really love this little Power Fist now that I've learned to set it up properly.

The Busy Bee (think HF) barely ran and didn't cut straight but the price was right. I'm in the process of rebuilding it now.

I found the one on the bench top to the left at a swap meet. It's a Porter Cable the PO mounted on a C-man router base and I keep it there always. I use it the most which is for quick cuts and things that don't need clamping down. It's a little under powered so kinda slow but it's always ready so faster in the long run as it avoids having to install/remove a base on my other one.