Metal Band saw

/ Metal Band saw #1  

Blaneypark

Silver Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2012
Messages
154
Location
Charlevoix Mi
Tractor
JD 790, JD4100,JD318,JD216 Grasshopper 322D,Wright 52 Stander
Looking at buying a metal band saw. I have a hand held porta-band just want one to make more accurate cuts. any suggestions. Looking at a $350.00 to $500.oo range.
 
/ Metal Band saw #2  
I have one similar to the Tractor Supply Store unit (which is on sale for $150 if you can find a store that has one). I built a new stand for mine (taller) so I don't have to bend over to operate. It works very well for general use in the garage. Has adjustable gravity down pressure. Standard 64 1/2" saw blades are available most anywhere. Higher priced units have hydraulic down pressure which I don't need. I think regular price is around $200. and it seems to be better quality than the one sold at HF.



Black Bull™ Metal Bandsaw - Tractor Supply Co.
 
/ Metal Band saw #4  
Looking at buying a metal band saw. I have a hand held porta-band just want one to make more accurate cuts. any suggestions. Looking at a $350.00 to $500.oo range.

Central Machinery, Harbor Freight, Grizzly, Jet, and I probably forgotten a few others, all sell the same metal band saw the only difference being the paint. (the Jet version maybe machined to closer tolerances) Its a decent saw needing a few adjustments and tweeks to work properly but would fit your price range. I have had one for years and it does a decent job but I don't use it everyday. Its a step up from the mess and noise of a abrasive chop saw in cleaner cuts.
 
/ Metal Band saw #5  
Grizzly.com


I have THIS one (for 8 years) and would NOT recommend it to anyone, it is always broken or needing an adjustment. It simply needs babysitting full time!

Stay away!

Regards, Fred
 
/ Metal Band saw #6  
You didn't say how big that you need to cut.

For accuracy I have a cold cut saw, it is amazing.

ALFRA RotaDry® 355
Motor 120 V/60 Hz
RPM 1300 min
Cutting area 90° 13 mm wall thickness rect. 7 x 4 inches, 180 x 105 mm
Cutting area 90° 13 mm wall thickness sq. 4.7", 120 x 120 mm
Cutting area 90° 13 mm wall thickness round 5.3", 135 mm
Cutting area 45° 13 mm wall thickness rect. 110 x 100 mm
Cutting area 45° 13 mm wall thickness sq. 100 x 100 mm
Cutting area 45° 13 mm wall thickness round 105 mm
Saw blade diameter 14 inch, 355 mm

P4130011.JPG circular-saw-manual-19772-2547447.jpg

There are several brands, I got mine from the local welding supply store.

Also have an old Dayton band saw with the vertical cutting table. I use vertical more than horizontal.

P4130014.JPG P4130015.JPG
 
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/ Metal Band saw #7  
L
Looking at buying a metal band saw. I have a hand held porta-band just want one to make more accurate cuts. any suggestions. Looking at a $350.00 to $500.oo range.
I bought one of the cheap 64 1/2" blade, 4x6 saws back in 1987. 3 motors later, and some minor tweaking on the blade guide rollers, the saw is still functioning very well. I recently purchased a used Dayton 9x16 for $500. I find myself using the little one most of the time, but when the cuts are long and deep, or at an angle, it's worth setting up the Dayton. I run a 10 tooth per inch blade and it makes short work of thick steel plate 1/4" and thicker. I highly recommend the cheap saw for the money, but if you are going to use it commercially, step up to a bigger saw. I found mine on Craig's list after 2 weeks of looking. Hope this helps and you find the saw that fits your needs. 445A
 
/ Metal Band saw #8  
Grizzly.com


I have THIS one (for 8 years) and would NOT recommend it to anyone, it is always broken or needing an adjustment. It simply needs babysitting full time!

Stay away!
LOL ...

I have that same one, under the Tool Gypsy brand/label (Homier) ... probably for about the same length of time.

Picked it up cheap, second hand ... it has cut lots of steel, including stuff larger than it's spec'd for and it's been relatively trouble-free until very recently ... looks like some bushings for the drive wheels finally need replaced.

I'm kinda amazed that it even still working ... about a month or so ago I had it set up and doing a cut and I went outside to do some grinding came back in and the saw had stalled in the cut (my fault: too much feed rate for the size of the cut and the blade being used) and smoke was pouring out of the motor ...

I shut it off and let it cool down ... so far, it doesn't seem any worse for the abuse.

For what I paid (I think around $175) I considered it a steal.

Having said that, I'd love to have a larger or better (Ellis ?) bandsaw ... but it ain't in the cards right now.
 
/ Metal Band saw #9  
Grizzly.com


I have THIS one (for 8 years) and would NOT recommend it to anyone, it is always broken or needing an adjustment. It simply needs babysitting full time!

Stay away!

Regards, Fred

I have had that exact same saw for several years now, and I love mine!.

DSCF0386.JPG
 
/ Metal Band saw #11  
I bought one of the 4X6's a Clark I think from Tractor Supply about 5 years ago. Worked pretty well I thought. I got a machining job making some 3"diaX1"long steel blanks with a threaded 1" hole drilled in the middle. I had to cut the blanks out of a 20' long stick of A36 hot rolled steel. It took 15 minutes for my little Clark to saw through the 3" dia. I had been wanting a better saw for a while so I started looking. I finally settled on a TurnPro 7X12 gearhead drive horizontal/vertical bandsaw from Enco

Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Measuring Tools, Cutting Tools and Shop Supplies

I got this saw about 3 years ago, after a discount and free shipping for about $800.00 to my front door. Then I turned around and sold the old Clark 4X6 for $100.00.

The Turnpro would cut through the 3" dia A-36 in 3 minutes flat. I more than paid for the saw on that first job. One of the nice features it has is a coolant system. I don't always use coolant, but when I am doing a lot of cutting I turn it on and I think it cuts a little faster and certainly has less blade wear.

I highly recommend the Turnpro saw. It worked well right out of the crate and required little or no adjustment.

Tim
 
/ Metal Band saw #12  
I have had that exact same saw for several years now, and I love mine!.

View attachment 398393


HaaAaAaaaaa Of course you love it because you haven't used it yet! LOOK AT THAT THING IT'S BRAND NEW!!!!

Just kidding having a fun moment on you. But really have you used it yet?

Regards, and regrets for buying my saw. I do have a milling machine from Grizzly that has been trouble free since 2000. Of course they don't offer it any longer.

Fred
 
/ Metal Band saw #13  
HaaAaAaaaaa Of course you love it because you haven't used it yet! LOOK AT THAT THING IT'S BRAND NEW!!!!

Just kidding having a fun moment on you. But really have you used it yet?

Regards, and regrets for buying my saw. I do have a milling machine from Grizzly that has been trouble free since 2000. Of course they don't offer it any longer.

Fred

Yep, I have used it Fred:D If you notice the first thing I did was make a foldable handle system to assist in moving it around. Of course I cut the steel on the bandsaw. I have used it many times and I especially like the ability to cut angles easily with the swivel head feature.
 
/ Metal Band saw #14  
HaaAaAaaaaa Of course you love it because you haven't used it yet! LOOK AT THAT THING IT'S BRAND NEW!!!!

Just kidding having a fun moment on you. But really have you used it yet?

Regards, and regrets for buying my saw. I do have a milling machine from Grizzly that has been trouble free since 2000. Of course they don't offer it any longer.

Fred

Yep, I have used it Fred:D If you notice the first thing I did was make a foldable handle system to assist in moving it around. Of course I cut the steel on the bandsaw. I have used it many times and I especially like the ability to cut angles easily with the swivel head feature.
 
/ Metal Band saw #15  
I have one of the 4x6 clark ones from TSC as well.

I have used it alot but I think the motor is under powered, and inside the gearbox, there is a brass gear driven by a worm. That brass gear wears out. I have replaced mine several times.

And as far as I know, all of the little 4x6 saws are like that. We have a more expensive version at work with angle table and hydraulic down feed. Its a baileigh (sp??), and it has the same gear setup that wears out alot sooner than I would expect it to.
 
/ Metal Band saw #16  
I'm kinda amazed that it even still working ... about a month or so ago I had it set up and doing a cut and I went outside to do some grinding came back in and the saw had stalled in the cut (my fault: too much feed rate for the size of the cut and the blade being used) and smoke was pouring out of the motor ...


I have used it alot but I think the motor is under powered, and inside the gearbox, there is a brass gear driven by a worm. That brass gear wears out. I have replaced mine several times.
RSWYAN: Had to laugh, that's exactly what happened to the first motor. Man can those Hong Kong motors smoke!:laughing: Took out the setscrew on the stop and put a shaft collar behind the stop. This allows the stop to remain in selected position, but it can be rotated away from the end of the part, before cutting, so it won't bind at the end of the cut.
LD1: I stumbled across this by accident. Your local lawn mower shop can help. Tecumseh has a product called bentonite, comes in a squeeze tube. The stuff isn't cheap, but less than bronze heli gears. $20 for a quart tube. Drain all the 90wt. gear oil out and replace with this medium bodied grease. It will lubricate those high pressure gear surfaces even in cold climates, and will cut down on "seeping" around the shaft seals. Also I found that the blade just needs to be tight enough to not slip, but just enough to make a straight cut. If your saw is cutting on a curve, as it drops down, replace the blade. Too tight a blade flattens the teeth on one side of the blade as it goes around the drive/guide pulleys after prolonged use. 445A
 
/ Metal Band saw #17  
RSWYAN: Had to laugh, that's exactly what happened to the first motor. Man can those Hong Kong motors smoke!:laughing: Took out the setscrew on the stop and put a shaft collar behind the stop. This allows the stop to remain in selected position, but it can be rotated away from the end of the part, before cutting, so it won't bind at the end of the cut.
LD1: I stumbled across this by accident. Your local lawn mower shop can help. Tecumseh has a product called bentonite, comes in a squeeze tube. The stuff isn't cheap, but less than bronze heli gears. $20 for a quart tube. Drain all the 90wt. gear oil out and replace with this medium bodied grease. It will lubricate those high pressure gear surfaces even in cold climates, and will cut down on "seeping" around the shaft seals. Also I found that the blade just needs to be tight enough to not slip, but just enough to make a straight cut. If your saw is cutting on a curve, as it drops down, replace the blade. Too tight a blade flattens the teeth on one side of the blade as it goes around the drive/guide pulleys after prolonged use. 445A

Is that grease similar to john deere's corn head grease?
 
/ Metal Band saw #18  
The cheap metal bandsaws are O.K. but they have their problems. Most notably, the motor was too weak, had a plastic fan, and was prone to melting and catching on fire! Here's a link to a page of a guy that made a lot of mods to his cheap saw to make it more reliable and useful.
4x6 Bandsaw Mods
 
/ Metal Band saw #19  
Is that grease similar to john deere's corn head grease?
Bigtiller: I thought you were spoofen me about corn head grease, so I looked it up. Found a video of it in a running gear box, cover off, and it sure looks like the same stuff. I will pick up a tube next time I am near the JD dealer. It's a lot cheaper! Thanks for the tip, bigtiller. 445A
 
/ Metal Band saw #20  
 
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