• RME Gear & Apparel

Tool Talk!! Metal Bandsaws

Coreshot

Coreshot

Resident Thread Killer
Location
SL,UT
I am sick of my chop saw making a mess and noise and generally not doing the job I hired it to do. I want a bandsaw. I can't spend too much, although I would love to drop a grand on a nice one. Whatcha got? How do you like it? I am leaning towards something from Northern Tool, but have been looking at HF as well.
 
S

STAG

Well-Known Member
I have the HF bandsaw and love it.. The blade that comes on it is junk and will need to be replaced with a good quality one after a few cuts. but it cuts nice and quiet and fast. I included some links to some good blades at the end of the post..

Vertical Postition. (excuse the mess)

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Horizontal position-
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I could go a lot thinner on this cut but I didn't care that much to try again. Looks like it cuts pretty straight to me.

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And I got it when it was on sale and I had a %20 off coupon so I paid like $150 for it. But X2 on the Harbor Freight blade that comes with it being poo. Replace it with-

Matrix II 5' 4.5" x .5" 10-14 varying TPI Bi-Metal Blade--$29
Or maybe
Matrix II 5' 4.5" x .5" 14-18 varying TPI Bi-Metal Blade-- $23
Or on the cheaper side,
Morse 5' 4.5" x .5" 18 TPI Blade --$13
Or maybe a higher tpi?
Morse 5' 4.5" x .5" 24 TPI Blade --$13
 
Coreshot

Coreshot

Resident Thread Killer
Location
SL,UT
Chocflip201 said:
I have the HF bandsaw and love it.. The blade that comes on it is junk and will need to be replaced with a good quality one after a few cuts. but it cuts nice and quiet and fast. I included some links to some good blades at the end of the post..
Click to expand...

Have you had any issue with the pulleys not being aligned correctly? I've read of a few that had to return them to get a good one. I guess that the blade will move toward the edge, and wear the teeth off the blade prematurely.
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
Shawn said:
This is what I have, this is the best one I have ever used. Save your money and don't waist it on a cheep HF one.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCcQ8wIwBA#ps-sellers
Click to expand...


Not for nothing, but if the HF saw holds that kind of tolerance, sweet, esp. if you don't use it much...

That said, I love Jet. Powermatic stuff is made in the same factory, so you can get the nice cheap white Jet stuff, or pay double for mustard Powermatic stuff LOL I wouldn't trade any of my Jet woodworking tools for anything. Except maybe some Delta X5 stuff. Maybe.
 
neagtea

neagtea

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
farmington
Drop by M&M tool and machinery on 33-ish south main slc (west side of the road).
Huge show room-candy store. You may find a better deal but at least you can see and touch stuff in real life.
Warning!
You may lighten your wallet there
 
Shawn

Shawn

Just Hanging Out
Location
Holly Day
Tacoma said:
Not for nothing, but if the HF saw holds that kind of tolerance, sweet, esp. if you don't use it much...

That said, I love Jet. Powermatic stuff is made in the same factory, so you can get the nice cheap white Jet stuff, or pay double for mustard Powermatic stuff LOL I wouldn't trade any of my Jet woodworking tools for anything. Except maybe some Delta X5 stuff. Maybe.
Click to expand...

I had a HF one, trust me... they don't last....:D Humm... maybe I should say... for people that cut their share.
 
Tacoma

Tacoma

Et incurventur ante non
Location
far enough away
Shawn said:
I had a HF one, trust me... they don't last....:D Humm... maybe I should say... for people that cut their share.
Click to expand...

That's what I mean... I never expect anything from HF to hold up for more than one project's use.


I do need to get back to M&M... I lighten my wallet there quite a bit hahah
 
UNSTUCK

UNSTUCK

But stuck more often.
Why is it that we keep shooting ourselves in the foot with HF? As a rule, I don't shop there, but I was in the neighborhood the other day and stopped in. I was looking for casters for one of the welding tables I just finished. Found some that I thought would work good. I also found a nice looking QD for my air line.

I got home and installed the casters on my table. I then rolled it around about ten feet, one of the posts bent and all the bearings fell out. About ten more feet and another one did the same thing. I then plugged QD in and on the first use, the balls fell out of it. I gave those guys $25 for nothing.

Sorry for the hi jack.

I used a HF saw once, I had to reistall the blade every few minutes and hold the saw off the metal because it couldn't support it's own weight agianst the tube I was cutting. Save up for a nice one that you can set and then walk away from it while it does it's thing.
 
iamsparticus

iamsparticus

Take your Rig to the Edge
Location
Ogden,Ut
i'm in need of one too i looked at the HF ones and i was doubtful, some of their stuff is good, like my grinder or my uncles metal chop saw, he has used it heavly for many years with no complaint, same as his cement mixer, so it's not all bad, just have to take a gamble, if you do only light duty stuff the HF one will most likly be okay but if your doing constant work on heavy duty stuff i would Check out M&M tools, i know that my dad has got lots of his woodworking stuff there and they are good for prices, or check machine shops around the valley sometimes they are retiring old equipment that is fine but they got newer stuff, could find a deal never know
 
midog

midog

Registered User
I just bought HF portable band saw, with the 20% off coupon it was like $60.00 and I paid the extra $10.00 for the 2 year free replacement warranty. I figure its cheep but if it breaks I can replace it. I replaced it from a Milwaukee Port-band that finally died and did not expect it to Compare, but I was pleasantly supersized. I have used it quite a bit with no issues. I mount it up in a bench vice to cut all my bracket and it works well, especially for the money!
 
muleskinner

muleskinner

Well-Known Member
Location
Enoch, UT
I'm right in the middle of this bandsaw crap right now. I've been using my portaband with a 4'' deck on it, mounted vertically in a vice. It works great, I just want a bigger deck. I have bought a 14''Delta, 14''Rigid, and now I have a 14''Jet Metal/wood saw.

I'm using mine for cutting knives from high carbon steel.
The problem is blade speed. To cut steel you want the blade to spin around 100 bfpm. Even my Jet that was suppose to cut "metal" wont cut steel.

I have made a few changes to it, I added a 1HP motor with a variable speed freq drive, I changed out the jack shaft pulley from a 4'' to a 14'' and its now almost slow enough. I'll post pics when I get a chance.

you could always do this
http://www.swagoffroad.com/Porta_band_Modular_Mount_Product.html
 
Coreshot

Coreshot

Resident Thread Killer
Location
SL,UT
Hickey said:
Damnit, now I need a portaband too!
Click to expand...

That's not a bad option, but where I don't have a porta band to begin with I might as well get a horizontal one. I really like being able to set up a cut and be able to be doing other things while it's cutting.

Scott, which Jet do you have? What type of knives are you making?
 
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