Which would be best

[cspcrx]

Right now all i have for cutting metal is a small HF disk type chop saw, 4 1/2 grinder, air angle grinder with cuttoff wheels and a dremel tool.

I want to be able to cut angle iron and square stock square and some 45s for welding projects. My question is which would be best.

Option #1 Dewalt 14in cold cut saw like the DW872 or other similar saw?
Option #2 milwaukee 6232-20 deepcut portaband with SWAG stand?

Which will give best cuts and be the best all around tool? Thanks for your input!

 

[evintho]

I vote for the Milwaukee porta-band and SWAG stand. I'm cheap so I built my own stand and bought a used Craigslist Milwaukee porta-band. I cut everything with my saw from sheetmetal to 1/2" steel. I've probably cut a thousand pieces of steel with this thing since I built it. You can't go wrong with a Milwaukee porta-band!
Converting from portable to stationary bandsaw

 

[cspcrx]

Thanks do you get square,90 deg, cuts with it?

 

[johndeereman]

MILWAUKEE PORTA-BAND for sure we just switched all the old corded models to 18v fuel at work. and i snaged one for the home shop although i still have the corded one on a stand. AWESOME

 

[TauntDevil]

The chop saw would serve you best for what you are looking to use it for. Band saw is great, dont get me wrong. Especially since its portable but in this case, teh chop saw for sure. Something we use often here at the shop. Barely use either of our band saws.

If you are buying it new than I would recommend a vertical/horizontal band saw from Craigslist as that will do far more use. We use that the most.

 

[zkling]

Horizontal bandsaw. Mitering or even true 90 cuts with the port a band is pretty difficult.

 

[eddiemeddiem]

Portaband... It's portable, you can cut as accurate as you want, and doesn't take nearly as much garage space as the horizontal bandsaw. Only thing you give up is potentially a small amount of capacity... But who cuts 6" pipe vey often?

 

[rockinacummins]

Portaband. They're cleaner and quieter

 

[cspcrx]

Thanks all space is an issue more so than being to take it places. I just know with my HF disk style cut off saw the cuts are not square which means more work before i can weld things. It does seem the portaband in a swag mount would give some extra abilities that a cold cut saw would not.

The horizantal/verticle saws just take up to much room, that i do not have. I do not do a lot of fabricating which means it woul sit more than get used.

Thanks all

 

[trackwelder]

Chop saw would be my choice. Especially with limited space

 

[bcradio]

Go with the dry cut saw. They are great.

Full size band saws are definitely not worth it unless you have a large dedicated shop.

 

[Finky198]

+1 for chop saw we have both the portable Band saw rarely gets used as its no where near as accurate as a properly Squared Chop saw

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Chop saw for angle iron, precision cuts/angled cuts. It's fast and accurate if you set it up right.

Horizontal bandsaw works great for quiet work on pipe, box, channel, and more. I like being able to set it up and walk away while it churns through a cut. But the blade can wander a bit as it goes through the material, so you may end up with not true right angles. The blade does flex a bit.

Right angle grinder: I prefer to have three of these handy. Heavy duty one for grinding, a light one with cut off disk, and another with a flapwheel sander. They are inexpensive enough to have them all present and not have to keep swapping bits when you're working in metal.

Bench grinder with 8" wheels, or a good HP 6" one. Wire wheel also needed.

Drill press. Bench or floor. Floor type if you have the space.

 

[kelpaso1]

This is what I use. I made a table for the horizontal band saw so I can use it vertically also. Added an aquarium pump and hose to blow away the shavings, and a led flashlight so I can see the line I'm cutting. I cut everything from 2 inch thick steel to wood sticks with it. I haven't touched my hacksaw or abrasive saw since I got it over 10 years ago

Also another must have is the belt/disk sander with metal belts. I use both of these machines daily and couldn't live with out them.

 

[bobcatdan]

Both. I use a chop saw often. Only use a portaband when cutting something that doesn't fit in a chop saw well. Like others said, a horizontal bandsaw is the cat's ***, but a good does take up a lot of room.

 

[cspcrx]

Thanks all!

 

[tarbellb]

Dry cut for me.

 

[cspcrx]

Is the dewalt a good dry cut to get or is there a better one?