Saws, bandsaws, hack saws, etc

I've been toying with the idea of getting a metal vertical bandsaw for a while as I'm tired of doing all my cutting with an angle grinder. I'd use it mainly for cutting sheet and stock up to 1/4" thick. Most bandsaws are either woodworking ones or horizontal cutoff saws, but I started thinking, what is the real difference between a woodworking bandsaw and a metal cutting bandsaw? The main difference would obviously be the speed which would need to be adjusted down, and I believe good bandsaws are belt-driven in case of jams. There's also the power of the motor which must come into play to prevent stalling. Am I missing something here or are vertical metal bandsaws th…

My new Jet bandsaw keeps breaking blades. Have followed the manual instructions and it is some better, but I am only getting maybe 25 or 30 cuts. Anyone have any suggestions based on experience? Also, can I mig the busted ones to get a little more use from them? Thinking about a brass backer and a real hot spot weld, then flap disk to smooth..... Thanks

This hacksaw I got at an auction for $3.50 ,I put a 1/3 HP motor on it and fixed a small broken cast peace. Today I bolted down to my shed floor and fired it up, it runs great and sounds like an old steam engine. Its a Fairbanks hacksaw and it looks to be pat in 1903. CUTS GREAT!!!! daynee

Recently acquired a Craftsman 101-22922, 3x 5 inch stationary band saw (Atlas-Clausing) and it needs a friction band... Sears Partsdirect wants $20 for one and I think its a little high for a rubber belt about 3/8-1/2 inch wide that will go on a 6 inch diameter wheel.... IF someone has a source for something like this or a idea for solution, I would appreciate it.... Dale

Post your band saw machine here. Brag yours now.. :) :)

Hello together and a happy new year! this is my first post here after learning a lot by reading the posts in this forum. I now have a task where I could do with some help. A while ago I have bought cheaply a handheld bandsaw made by Rockwell. Unfortunately the frame is slightly twisted an the band is not tracking properly. The frame has flat reference areas with which proper alignment can be checked and with which the frame could be clamped to a ridgid surcface for straightening. I am not new to metal working and have bent (and occasionally broken) quite a few parts. Since the frame is from cast aluminium, I am not shure whether to straighten the frame cold or…

Saw a couple threads this morning about bandsaws but I didnt want to hijack other peoples threads. For a small hobby shop, what would everyone recommend for a small bandsaw for steel? I wouldnt use it a whole lot, mostly rough cutting out of some various shapes. I would like one that could cut 1/4" thick material. Obviously I would like to spend as little as possible. Thanks.

I've noticed that I never break/burn-up/bend or kill a tool unless I'm using it and I'm in the middle of a large project. Funny how that works out. Current saw was a Milwaukee, the one before was a B&D and I don't remember the saw before that. Money is tight before Christmass which is what I'm working on. LOL So I'm thinking in the $200 range. What really sucks is my dry cut saw needs a $100 blade .......... So what do you like and what do you dislike...THX, Keith

Hi guys! You might want to check out this video. Interesting post from www.sawblade.com . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huHXmrHcg4A

Does anyone have any experience using one of the carbide drycut saws that are like a chopsaw but lower rpm on stainless? I have a big bandsaw that I use for most of my cutting but I have a job I am doing tomorrow where I will have to cut some 1.5" stainless after bending, and I have another job where I have to trim the ends of some bent bars. They are very awkward to set up in the bandsaw and the frame of the saw sometimes get in the way because of the bends.

So I picked up a small (9") band saw the other day for light cutting duties, stock under 1/2". I did pick up a metal cutting blade for it ( VA - homedepot special ) and it barily made a scratch in the 1/2 wrought I was trying to cut. The 1/4 a36 didn't cut any better. I know that this saw is techincally too fast for metal wook ( approx 3000 rpm ) but there has to be a better blade that can work with this. Any recomendations on manufacture and blade style that can chew threw this stock?

Just got this saw-like the filing speeds. Great for doing contours-hence the contour saw on the machine, I guess. 300 bucks-love the machine. I have an Oliver die file, but I used the filing saw to rough the blanks right to the line then used the Oliver to clean up. The Handles are for the Adnet table reproduction I am doing.

Afternoon all. I was wondering, what are the advantages and disadvantages of a horizontal bandsaw vs. a power hacksaw for cutting stock to length in a blacksmithing shop? We can probably assume the cutting of mild steel (and possibly annealed high-carbon?) up to say 2" maximum. Are there any issues or limitations of the smaller power hacksaws that take 12" blades? How does the speed and cleanliness of cut typically differ? Is any one typically noisier than the other (aside from motor noise)? Is it safe to leave a powersaw running while you're doing something else? The question is largely hypothetical/academic for me at the moment but it's fun to dream :D

We talked briefly about band saw brazing with spelter on another thread: "Hammers; Overkill". It is done by straight/bevel scarfing the ends to be joined and clamping them in the center of the jig. The brazing tongs sometimes have 1" square jaws. The tongs are heated to an incandescence and squeezed onto the joint which has been sprinkled with spelter (brass filings and borax mixture). The conducted heat melts the brass, and the braze takes place.

Posted on my lunch hour. A tool I've been saving up for over the last year is a Milwaukee portable band saw (I think "portaband" is a trademark of Porter Cable). For my application, I needed a stand. I looked at the aftermarket stands and thought "gee, that's great, but it costs too much." As I have zero capability for TIG/MIG welding, slapping together a stand out of angle iron was out too. So I applied appropriate engineering technology (also known as the hillbilly fix). I took at section of 2"x12" plank, screwed a floor flange into the plank, screwed a 1" length of pipe into the floor flange and then used zip strips to secure the bandsaw to the stand. There …

Well I needed SOMETHING to spend my money on! LOL No really I think this is something that will be a great asset to my shop. My current bandsaw is a standard jet with a 4x6 inch cutting capacity. I've fought with it a lot trying to get it to cut square. It is old and has seen service in more than one full time blacksmith shop. I've had the need to cut larger stock several times in the past and either have to cut it from different directions on my saw, or use the torch and grind. I found a deal on craigslist, checked the saw out through the manufacturer, and decided to buy. I went today and picked it up! It's got an 8x14 cutting capacity and runs $3500 new, …

Well, it's been over a year now so guess I can comment about my new bandsaw. I had an old horizontal bandsaw that had a 93" blade. Looked something like this, but like I said it was old. Throughout the years I've had a lot of jobs that required mitred cutting. To change the angle on this type of saw you have to move the angle of the metal in the saw. To do this you have to reach underneath the vise, where you can't see, find the bolt and then loosen the nut on top. Then bang the clamp that holds the metal and measure the angle to what you want. To measure the angle you have to use your own tooling as they couldn't even mark anything to give you a clue where you are. T…

Ok so I had my band saw blade snap on me today during a cut. I'm out of backups so I decided to braze it up and see if I could get back to the cut list. It actually worked like a champ, saved me 25 bucks today. Im kinda p.oed thinking how many I've thrown away in the past. So now I'm thinking I've got this 7 x 12 h/v Wilton and I've been paying someone else to weld up the blades for me. I'm guessing the blades come in a roll and you just cut off 96" and braze em up...am I right. How many of you do this is it worth while and do the rolls come in varying leangths. How much per foot do ya think . Thanks Marc

Picked up this cute little saw recently, it works but has some issues. There is a hydraulic down-feed that has a pump to lift the blade on the forward stroke. I have it apart as shown in the pictures. I would like to know what I should put in the well, will TDH fluid work or should it be motor oil or even the same soluble oil that I've put in the coolant tank? If anyone has any info on these saws would appreciate it.

While visiting the solid waste disposal unit in my city today a fellow I never saw before noticed the Ron Paul sticker on my bumper and enquired on Mr. Paul's placement in the polls... I gave general and specific comments including my affirmed belief that every citizen should learn to reduse, recycle, and reuse~ He asked my occupation which gave way to further explanation of interests and asked if I would be interested in the afore mentioned saw... In un-working condition it found it's way into my truck bed then to my burgeoning laboratory.... If'n you could make it run... What would it turn into? 120volts AC, 4800 rpm... Taiwanese origin Ideas, suggestions, general he…

I have tried several different brands. I put on a new blade and it cuts good for several cuts. Then it takes along to cut. What kind of blades do you use. Have you found any last pretty good. I have a 14 inch saw. Thanks Billy

I've been looking for some time for a used cold saw. There are many out there and many opinions on them. I need one for my shop. I prefer one that is a bench model type that doesn't come with a stand. Also, I would prefer one that can cut a 45 degree angle from both side of the saw. I would appreciate anyones comments on their cold saw and what they think about the different brands out there. I think a 9 or 10" blade would be sufficient for my use.

Got tired of always having to use a square when switching the chop saw back and forth from 45 and 90 deg settings. Tonight, I stopped and set the saw dead on 90 deg then I drilled the fence and base plate and inserted a split pin and then did the same for 45 deg. To move it between the two settings, I just use a pair of vicegrips to wiggle the pin out. Frustation came be a great motivator at times.

I have two chop saws. The Milwaukee's motor is on its last leg. The Black and Decker is a heavier saw but the pivot boss was worn out and cuts crooked. The answer - bore out the boss, build a new shaft and mount the B&D on the Milwaukee base.