Chop saw suggestions needed, Harbor Freight???

[jobguy]

I need a metal chop saw for intermittent home use. I want to make some small projects and find the 7.5 inch hand held grinder with a cutoff disk jumps too much. Don't want to cut into my leg. Any suggestions would be welcome. I have had good luck with Harbor Freight tools which I only use occasionally.
What do you think?

 

[k0ua]

I need a metal chop saw for intermittent home use. I want to make some small projects and find the 7.5 inch hand held grinder with a cutoff disk jumps too much. Don't want to cut into my leg. Any suggestions would be welcome. I have had good luck with Harbor Freight tools which I only use occasionally.
What do you think?

While I dont have a HF chop saw, a friend of mine does and he says it is OK for his use. I thought about buying one, but I opted for a bandsaw, and I am glad I did. Sure they cost more, but there are several upsides, they are quiet, and have much less mess to deal with, and no fiery trail of burned metal particles. If there is any way you could swing it you should consider a band saw.

James K0UA

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a Milwakee metal chop saw with a 14 inch blade that does the job. It's loud and it sprays sparks all over the place. I use the abrassive disks in it and they last a decent amount of time. It was $125 and I use it a few times a year. For the money, it was a good buy and I'd do it again. I'd love to have a ban saw for cutting metal, but can't really justify the expense. The problem I have with Harbor Freight is that their reputation on power tools is that it will fail early, and things get loose on their stuff. It's not worth the small savings to have to bring it back for a replacement in my opinion. If you have to stop working, drive down there and get another to finish the project your working on, the savings you spent on it just isn't there anymore. While I'm not a big fan of Milwakee tools, it's a decent tool for occasional use. I also cut cultures stone and bricks with it.

Eddie

 

[600rider]

I wish you lived in Northwest PA, I have a HF chop saw that I bought second hand and will sell cheap, I just dont use it as much as I thought I would. I have a HF bandsaw that I bought in 1997 and that is the machine I turn to when cutting steel or anything for that matter! I to am concerned with the noise and trail-o-sparks from the chop saw. Check Craigslit you can find stuff on there most of the time and get good deals too! You might even find a bandsaw on there and if ya do I'd jump on it!!! :thumbsup:

 

[jobguy]

Can I use a metal cutting disc in my 10 inch table saw or skill saw to cut metal without wrecking the table saw?????

 

[600rider]

I have used a skil saw with the blade turned arround backwards to cut sheet metal but WOW WAS IT LOUD!!! I wouldn't try it on angle or structural steel.

 

[mechanic]

If you could look at the grizzly web site you can find the portable band saw. This is what i'm going to do. I don't like the mess the chop saws leave behind.

 

[beeforty]

Can I use a metal cutting disc in my 10 inch table saw or skill saw to cut metal without wrecking the table saw?????

Make sure you clean out all the saw dust and have a fire extingusher ready!!!!:ashamed: you don't want to burn your shop down. I too also love my Taiwan made band saw, you put your stock in, clamp it and walk away. When it is finished cutting it shuts itself off while you are doing something else. Go back and set it up to cut another piece and another...:thumbsup: It may cut slower but when you can leave unattended to do its thing , I just love it

 

[Snaker]

I bought one of those cheap chopsaws with the stamped steel base. HF, Northern Tool, truckload peddlers all sell a similar looking saw. I've boughten my share of the occasional use cheap tools and have had good luck most of the time but on this thing I either got a dud or it is just plain bad. Mine would run down to a stop if it barely started throwing sparks on metal. I did find that it works fantastic on PVC tubing and plastic rain gutters though.

 

[k0ua]

Can I use a metal cutting disc in my 10 inch table saw or skill saw to cut metal without wrecking the table saw?????

I tried one on my radial arm saw, and the table saw..Not good results. burned the radial arm saw table quick. I had to clean out the table saw really well to prevent fire.. also it threw lots of sparks on the belt.. you need ear plugs etc.. its just a mess. I cut about 2 inches in some 14 guage and quit. Not my cup of tea. The blade is still hanging on the wall. Get a band saw, you will not be sorry, and you will have it for the rest of your life. A man told me about 25 years ago to buy a good 15 inch drill press, and you would have it for the rest of your life, and would get a lot of use out of it all the time. He was right. Well the band saw might not be as universally useful as the drill press, but pretty close if you like to work with metal. I dont use it all the time, nor as much as the drill press, but when you need it, it is great to have.

James K0UA

 

[banditbooker]

this may be a little off topic, but i have a dewalt chop saw, and paid 200 for it. if i had the room though, i would probably opt for a bandsaw. i also bought a metal blade for my skill saw, a blade that has teeth like the wood blade but a little different design, its NOT an abrasive blade. i cut a piece of 1/2 inch plate with it and it cut smooth. but you need to watch the hot metal flakes. i also used it on some 1/8 inch wall tubing and had to stop because there was too much hot metal hitting me. so for 50 bucks, unless your just cutting 1/4 inch or more plate, i don't think i'd use one of those. hope i helped someone.

 

[EddieWalker]

Can I use a metal cutting disc in my 10 inch table saw or skill saw to cut metal without wrecking the table saw?????

The metal chop saws are geared lower and they spin slower then a wood cutting saw. While it will work for a few cuts, it will also burn out the saw fairly quickly.

Eddie

 

[mjncad]

Save up your money and get a 5"x6" swivel head horizontal bandsaw. This way you can cut miters without having to pivot the material being cut.

Grizzly, Jet, and a few others make them. Definitely not as cheap as a spark throwing abrasive wheel chopsaw; but more versatile and safer as you're not throwing sparks everywhere.

 

[texasjohn]

I have a HF metal chop saw...use it from time to time over 2 years...been thru about 4 blades so far....works for me....many tasks done that wouldn't have happened otherwise....14 inch blade.... have cut 2 inch bar stock, hollow square, all in between....beats hand hack saw....right price for my uses, still working... came with spare brushes...still running on original ones.

 

[handirifle]

I have a HF 14" chop saw. Had it for years, and it has been reliable. It did not cut square at first, until I set the compass part of it so that it WAS square with the blade. I made a new mark on the saw for reference, and now it cuts square and 45's great.

If I was worried about the sparks, I'd get a band saw, but my sparks fly out onto my decomposed granite driveway, so no worries.

 

[forgeblast]

have a Milwakee metal chop saw with a 14 inch blade that does the job.
+1, when reading the reviews of the hf ones and the milwakee one, I decided that I needed the unit to work. On top of that most review sites will tell you to throw out the disk and buy a better one. I just decided to do it right from the beginning.
I cut a lot of angle iron, and rebar, works great. I love the way it has the fast clamp, and it works. Hands down worth the money.

 

[Tobias Dunlap]

I lucked out today and found an older Makita chop saw on craigslist for $20!!
Until now, I have always used a portable band saw or a cut off wheel on my grinder to do my cutting. IMHO the portable band saws are the best option they are very quiet and not much mess.

 

[tglass]

I bought one of those cheap chopsaws with the stamped steel base. HF, Northern Tool, truckload peddlers all sell a similar looking saw. I've boughten my share of the occasional use cheap tools and have had good luck most of the time but on this thing I either got a dud or it is just plain bad. Mine would run down to a stop if it barely started throwing sparks on metal. I did find that it works fantastic on PVC tubing and plastic rain gutters though.

I can be cheap too, but this is something you want from a quality dealer. Mine is craftsman, but others are as good. Also look for product support. Brushes etc. . Mine burnt out in about a year after hard use and without a problem sears had them shipped emediatly. The torque not hp is good and hangs in there when the cutting is hard and the initial extra cost was not that much.

 

[jobguy]

I ended up buying a harbor freight 14" chop saw with a pack of 5 extra blades. Found the item on sale on line, printed a copy and took it to the store. They gave me the sale price plus I had a coupon for 25% off. AND, since reading about their electric tools unreliability I bought the additional 2 yr warranty (which I never done in the past).
I crushed my hands a few years ago so had trouble holding the trigger switch.
Modified the saw to make it semi-automatic. I zip tied the switch on, then hung a 4 lb weight on the handle to saw through a solid hitch insert hands free. The weight cannot be too heavy or the motor bogs down and a circuit breaker will open. Yes I kept a close eye on it. I kept a hand on the plug ready to unplug should anything go wrong. The comment on this site about dressing the cutoff disc periodically to maintain cutting speed is probably the most important practical/useful information anyone who will use a cutoff saw can know, thank you.

 

[TRR]

I bought the 14" Harbor Freight cutoff saw as well. It was worth the $50 I spent. But, I want to get a better saw. It is "wimpy". It will cut 1/8" bar on edge, but not 3/8".