Thinking about a power hack saw

[Ironhorse74]

I need to have a saw for cutting steel in the shop. I don't like the mess of a friction chop saw. Cheap horizontal band saws can be an exercise in frustration. Since I am not in a big hurry I am thinking about finding a used power hack saw. Any words of wisdom out there?

Brad

 

[zkling]

Eh, the commercial ones are nice, blades can be a pain to find. Not nearly as practical these days as a horizontal bandsaw. Neat to watch though. If you must, stick with a industrial unit such as Keller, Racine, Marvel. Cheap horizontal bandsaws can be an exercise in frustration, but so can rebuilding a worn out industrial machine that is not well supported these days.

 

[DenisG]

I have a small Keller 601 that I still use. I used to get discarded 1" wide bi-metal bandsaw blades with sections of missing teeth. I'd chop them up for the good sections and made the blades for the Keller. I used carbide drill bits for drilling the fixture holes.

 

[jaker10]

I've got a wilton power hacksaw. It works great but it is slow cutting.

 

[Fretters]

Eh, the commercial ones are nice, blades can be a pain to find. Not nearly as practical these days as a horizontal bandsaw. Neat to watch though. If you must, stick with a industrial unit such as Keller, Racine, Marvel. Cheap horizontal bandsaws can be an exercise in frustration, but so can rebuilding a worn out industrial machine that is not well supported these days.

Honestly, you young uns. No sense of adventure. Power hacksaws are slow working machines. Any wear and tear is likely to be easily sortable, and probably fairly simple things like bushes etc. Rigidity wise, the construction of them will usually put the best of the horizontal bandsaws to shame. Saying that though, I know someone who fairly recently rebuilt a horizontal bandsaw, (it was literally a box of bits when he got it), and fettled and modified it whilst doing so, and that machine works a treat and is still cutting reliably and perfectly square.

Time is likely the motivating factor in the purchase. If this is something which needs to be just bought and working, with no time for tweaking or restoring, then buying a new heavy duty horizontal is the way to go. If it's something which the OP wants to spend some time on and know that it'll still be running fine years from now though, the old hacksaws are likely the best bet. The simple fact there's still so many of them around testifies to their ruggedness.

We're quite spoilt over here on the old hacksaw front. We had the Likes of the Rapidor, Qualter's, Wicksteed's etc., so plenty to choose from, and many are still in daily use.

 

[ken w.]

I see power hacksaws on CL for $ 300.00 down to as low as $50.00 just to get them out of peoples way. If I had more room I would also have one. I have a Wellsaw # 5 that is one HD metal cutting bandsaw,but it can be a bit of a pain to use. I would like to see a bandsaw and power hacksaw next to each other and see which one makes the nicer cut.

 

[Rileysan]

There are cheaper versions out there that won't cost nearly as much as quoted here. This one is a "Made in Taiwan" Milwaukee 6.0A model. I think it's out of production ...

Brian

 

[chornback]

Why not get a dry cut chop saw? That's what I have. Some of the better ones have chip collection pans under them and do a great job of collecting MOST of the chips. No dust or sparks to contend with, and the blades last a LONG time if you take care of them. I have a cheaper evolution 14 inch, and it will cut like butter, and cleanup is a snap, even after dozens of cuts.

 

[phred]

I bought a 7" evolution chop saw. It cuts anything up to 4" tubing. Quick and clean. Got it on sale for less than 300 and it came with an extra blade.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yaidunno]

Cheap horizontal bandsaws can be an exercise in frustration, but so can rebuilding a worn out industrial machine that is not well supported these days.

I like to think of it as more of a challenge . Then again, my **** has been deemed nothing more then a fantasy by some free parking troll, so what do I know?

In all seriousness, find the best machine that fits your budget. Zkling mentioned some of the nicer, and more reputable brands. As with any used machine, expect to spend some time cleaning it up, looking it over, and replacing any wear items. After that, it should provide years of service. A thorough inspection before purchasing can save you substantial time and money in the long run, so be attentive.

 

[DBendr]

They make a fantastic cut and are really special if you work time and materials
HINT: Time will be 10X the material

 

[zkling]

Honestly, you young uns. No sense of adventure. Power hacksaws are slow working machines. Any wear and tear is likely to be easily sortable, and probably fairly simple things like bushes etc. Rigidity wise, the construction of them will usually put the best of the horizontal bandsaws to shame. Saying that though, I know someone who fairly recently rebuilt a horizontal bandsaw, (it was literally a box of bits when he got it), and fettled and modified it whilst doing so, and that machine works a treat and is still cutting reliably and perfectly square.

Time is likely the motivating factor in the purchase. If this is something which needs to be just bought and working, with no time for tweaking or restoring, then buying a new heavy duty horizontal is the way to go. If it's something which the OP wants to spend some time on and know that it'll still be running fine years from now though, the old hacksaws are likely the best bet. The simple fact there's still so many of them around testifies to their ruggedness.

We're quite spoilt over here on the old hacksaw front. We had the Likes of the Rapidor, Qualter's, Wicksteed's etc., so plenty to choose from, and many are still in daily use.

Eh, this young un has BTDT and is now at a point in his life where neat has taken a distant backseat to practicality. To me the OP phrased the question as he wanted a method to cut metal without abrasive, and didn't want to spend alot of effort working on a machine.

Now had he outright said he wanted a power hacksaw just for coolness and novelty, great, more power to him, but..

I used to have a med power hacksaw, awesome and square cutting it was, in the end the cheapo 4x6 horizontal was kept. If space wasn't a problem I'd have all kinds of neat machines just for the pure mechanical "that's cool", some day, just not now.

As you mentioned, kinda like fly presses, power hack saws don't seem to have near the modern day presence over here in the states as they do in Europe. A number of companies still produce them.

Then again, my **** has been deemed nothing more then a fantasy by some free parking troll, so what do I know?

Link? Interested to read that comment.

 

[shanny19]

blades can be a pain to find.

Weird to find, for sure. I feed mine a Starrett bluestripe variety that I can find online in a few random spots, but they don't exist on the Starrett website or print catalog.

 

[Ironhorse74]

Thanks for the input all. A nice square cut being a thing of beauty to me, it is off to find a power hacksaw. Hi ho silver away!

 

[Shiftless]

This is how they used to do it!
Seller called it a band saw but it is really a hack saw.

 

[Cypherian]

So your looking for one of these :}



It is on the list for a tear down and rebuild. I do not have the need for speed nor the room for a horizontal band saw and already own a chop saw. I have used one before say lol over 20 years ago start it some oil on the cut and wait . I have used these blades http://www.starrett.com/saws/saws-h...ades/power-hacksaw-blades/redstripe-solid-hss they last a good long while. They also make nice blade chisels when they are worn out.

Cypher

 

[Boilerhouse]

I have one, slow and reliable. It has seen a lot of action. Mine is fairly light duty, not one of the heavy industrial models. As a result, cut quality can be marginal at times, especially as the blades teeth are wearing.

 

[Fretters]

So your looking for one of these :}



It is on the list for a tear down and rebuild. I do not have the need for speed nor the room for a horizontal band saw and already own a chop saw.

Nice. Same here on speed. Slow and steady always does me fine. I have a couple here which both just need a little finishing off to get them ready for use; Both Rapidor machines. The little one just needs a motor connecting and the vice jaws fettling. The big one needs some new bushes, pulley sorting and the motor mounting plate bracket sorting. I'll get them finished one day.

As you mentioned, kinda like fly presses, power hack saws don't seem to have near the modern day presence over here in the states as they do in Europe. A number of companies still produce them.

It is unusual seeing the difference between over here and over there when certain suggestions are made. Both hacksaws and flypresses are still perfectly acceptable suggestions over here. You literally get treated like a loon for making that suggestion over on your side.

 

[Cypherian]

Nice. Same here on speed. Slow and steady always does me fine. I have a couple here which both just need a little finishing off to get them ready for use; Both Rapidor machines. The little one just needs a motor connecting and the vice jaws fettling. The big one needs some new bushes, pulley sorting and the motor mounting plate bracket sorting. I'll get them finished one day.




It is unusual seeing the difference between over here and over there when certain suggestions are made. Both hacksaws and flypresses are still perfectly acceptable suggestions over here. You literally get treated like a loon for making that suggestion over on your side.

Fly Press !!! Did someone Say Fly PRESS!! That is one of my ultimate machines learned on one a very very long time ago and if one ever comes up in my price range it will live in my shop :} I have seen 1 on CL here don't remember the model but do remember the top had been welded back together ... badly . Guy still wanted top dollar for it:{ I would have bought it for parts and found another machine.

Cypher

 

[Fretters]

Finally, someone over there who appreciates them. I usually get practically clubbed for even mentioning them. They seem to be another thing which we still have a fair old glut of, over here. A bit of patience and £50 to £100 or so would probably get you sorted with a decent size one. A lot tend to be listed for silly prices, but bargains are still to be had, if one is patient.

I think we as a country are generally quite well catered to for old machinery & equipment, to some degree. We're a small country which had a long running, industrial setup which probably dwarved plenty of others, so the amount of machinery in this country at one time would have been immense. Even allowing for the stuff which has been scrapped and such over time, there still seems to be a good amount of old gear out there, and coupled with a lot of people these days not being willing to get their hands dirty, it works in our favour. The price of vices is a good indication of the differences between here and there. We probably have less knocking about over here than you do over there. but when you consider the size of our country compared to yours, we probably have more per person knocking about than you do, which is likely why our prices are more down to earth than the prices over there.

 

[Billy738]

I use the Milwaukee M12 Hackzall. It works pretty good with metal copper and wood. Pretty much anything you throw at it. It's nice and compact and runs of the M12 system. If you need more power you can upgrade to M18.

 

[lilredex]

Cannot go wrong with one of these. This is my second one, and you can use regular hack saw blades if you want to. They go for around $100.

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/bytype.aspx

My current one is a Sears Craftsman 108.1502 version.

 

[Shiftless]

Finally, someone over there who appreciates them. I usually get practically clubbed for even mentioning them. They seem to be another thing which we still have a fair old glut of, over here. A bit of patience and £50 to £100 or so would probably get you sorted with a decent size one. A lot tend to be listed for silly prices, but bargains are still to be had, if one is patient.

I think we as a country are generally quite well catered to for old machinery & equipment, to some degree. We're a small country which had a long running, industrial setup which probably dwarved plenty of others, so the amount of machinery in this country at one time would have been immense. Even allowing for the stuff which has been scrapped and such over time, there still seems to be a good amount of old gear out there, and coupled with a lot of people these days not being willing to get their hands dirty, it works in our favour. The price of vices is a good indication of the differences between here and there. We probably have less knocking about over here than you do over there. but when you consider the size of our country compared to yours, we probably have more per person knocking about than you do, which is likely why our prices are more down to earth than the prices over there.

Fretters:
Well written post about cultural differences. Although we share the same language, there are significant variations in overall attitudes about machinery. Growing up in San Francisco, I remember visiting friends whose fathers had white collar jobs but most of them had workshops in the basement with homemade wooden workbenches with vises and lots of tools around. Nowadays, as I go to estate sales in similar neighborhoods, I almost never see that kind of thing. Your comment about getting your hands dirty rings quite true!

Let's all raise a pint to dirty fingernails!

 

[Fretters]

There's definitely something satisfying about getting the sleeves rolled up and hands dirty. Women don't seem to appreciate the rough hands though.

 

[johninct]

I would love to get a powered hack saw in really good shape!!!

 

[Ironhorse74]

I have an appointment to look at a Dunlap which I believe is the same as the Craftsman that lilredex posted on Saturday. 100 dollars if it is a go, I will post a picture.

Brad

 

[ez-duzit]

A horizontal band saw is the way to go.

 

[lilredex]

I have an appointment to look at a Dunlap which I believe is the same as the Craftsman that lilredex posted on Saturday. 100 dollars if it is a go, I will post a picture.

Brad

Probably is, this came up when I searched for a Dunlap.

Note that the cutting speed is about right and the blade lifts on the return stroke........when set up properly.

 

[Ironhorse74]

This little saw was in such nice shape I couldn't even argue with the price. I think we will have a lot of good years together. Now I have to give some consideration to a stand.

 

[63f100eba]

Brad, I have a Craftsman power hacksaw, from the early 1960s I think, and it's definitely not for speed. It's for tedious cuts that take so long you have time to go get a beer and watch the saw do the work. Spray a little foaming cutting fluid to help the blade last much longer. But for $40 at at garage sale 10 years ago it can't be beat. Although most of the time I use an Evolution Rage dry cut saw which makes a very clean cut, leaves a nice edge and doesn't heat the metal like an abrasive saw. You can find thick, wide blades for the power hacksaw lots of places (Harry Epstein has them) but sometimes you might have to buy a longer size, cut them to length and grind a new hole for the frame pin. Brian

 

[Fretters]

This little saw was in such nice shape I couldn't even argue with the price. I think we will have a lot of good years together. Now I have to give some consideration to a stand.

Glad to see you're sorted, and that looks like a quick fettle should get that looking a treat.