Deep-Cut Portaband? (Corded)

[Trimley]

Those of you who have the "Porta-Band" type, what lead you to buy that particular model?

 

[JimmyJazz]

Price and reviews. I have a Milwaukee unit mounted to the Swag brand table. I have a large metal cutting bandsaw that is about 50 miles from my house and I bought this set up for the sake of convenience. The Swag table has a foot control that is really nice. A quite capable combination for cutting smaller items. Good luck.

 

[chim]

We had many handheld band saws at work. Most popular corded were the Milwaukee.

For home, I have a small DeWalt 20v and a corded HF 6x4 on its own stand bought used from a friend. For other metal cutting there are circular saws w/ Cermet or abrasive blades, jig saws, Hypertherm 30AIR, and a 20v DeWalt Recip saw.

Sometimes it's real handy to use one of the 20V grinders with a thin metal cutting blade. Most know the best method for the wheel of death is to score the metal deeper and deeper rather than running it into the metal like you would a circular saw. Discs last many times longer.

 

[Trimley]

I currently have a makita 4.5" corded (for heavier needs) and a ridgid 4.5" cordless. They both get use as cut-off tools aswell. I also have a Plasma Cutter. A corded deep-cut would be useful. Milwaukee stands the test of time, IMO.

I've heard from my SIL (millwright) that they buy the Vevor Portable Bandsaw, and they do well.

I have a metal chopsaw that I inherited, but it's OLD, missing the means of clamping, and under powered.

 

[WFM]

I have a corded Milwaukee deep cut band saw.
If I get in like 10 pcs of 1x1x1/8" angle I'll set the angle iron on saw horses and pallet forks and use the portable band saw to chop the bundle in half. Back yrs ago when I bought it there was no cordless deep cut. Today that's what a replacement would be for me.

 

[biketopia]

The corded Milwaukee is a champ. We've had them at work for years. I bought one for home use and also picked up the harbor freight universal portable band saw mount. I haven't set it up yet but seen it in person at HF and at SEMA and it's pretty sweet. At work we have a table top unit from saw blades .com, it's awesome, cuts anything we throw at it, blades are available and its size makes it portable if needed. Little more than a corded Milwaukee and a stand, but if your doing a decent amount of fab, I'd highly recommend it.


I think this is the unit, I'm off this week but can verify next week.

Trajan 125 Variable Speed Portable Band Saw

This portable Trajan 125 band saw can easily be carried to your worksite. At Trajan, we understand how essential it is for metal sawing shops to take on a variety of jobs. No one should be forced to sacrifice efficiency for size. That’s why we designed the Trajan 125 band saw to meet the needs...

sawblade.com

 

[Trimley]

The corded Milwaukee is a champ. We've had them at work for years. I bought one for home use and also picked up the harbor freight universal portable band saw mount. I haven't set it up yet but seen it in person at HF and at SEMA and it's pretty sweet. At work we have a table top unit from saw blades .com, it's awesome, cuts anything we throw at it, blades are available and its size makes it portable if needed. Little more than a corded Milwaukee and a stand, but if your doing a decent amount of fab, I'd highly recommend it.


I think this is the unit, I'm off this week but can verify next week.

Trajan 125 Variable Speed Portable Band Saw

This portable Trajan 125 band saw can easily be carried to your worksite. At Trajan, we understand how essential it is for metal sawing shops to take on a variety of jobs. No one should be forced to sacrifice efficiency for size. That’s why we designed the Trajan 125 band saw to meet the needs...

sawblade.com

That Trajan is nice. More than I want to invest. Milwaukee will likely be my choice.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That Trajan is nice. More than I want to invest. Milwaukee will likely be my choice.

This is a nice alternative to a band saw.

Amazon.com

 

[TheOldHokie]

H

This is a nice alternative to a band saw.

Amazon.com

Here is my $375 band saw. Would it work for cutting this

Dan

 

[Trimley]

H

Here is my $375 band saw. Would it work for cutting this

Dan

View attachment 136583

I'd love to have...and found many. I have no space.

 

[mcmxi]

This is a nice alternative to a band saw.

That cutting table looks a lot nicer than the POS that came with the DeWalt saw I bought around 10 years ago. I've thought about making my own table that's square but it's low on the priority list. I use a shim to get the steel perpendicular to the blade.

One of the local welding shops that I frequently visit has a US made horizontal band saw on the showroom floor but it's pricey. I think about buying it every time I'm in the store. I have a JET 14" Deluxe Pro band saw but have never cut steel with it, only wood. The nice thing about a vertical band saw is that they take up less space, but they're not as useful as a horizontal band saw with a coolant system. One day I'll buy that nice band saw.

 

[Sidekick]

H

Here is my $375 band saw. Would it work for cutting this

Dan

View attachment 136583

Yes if it is not hardened or very high chromium content with the standard blade. I have one and my bandsaw sits on a corner gathering dust as the Evolution handles 95% of my cutting. The other 5% is hard and gets cut with my abrasive saw.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Yes if it is not hardened or very high chromium content with the standard blade. I have one and my bandsaw sits on a corner gathering dust as the Evolution handles 95% of my cutting. The other 5% is hard and gets cut with my abrasive saw.

You can cut a 3.5" 1018 solid round bar with that chop saw? No offense but I doubt it. EVO says max thickness in steel is 1/2".

The bandsaw will cut solid 10" round or 5 x 18 rectangular bars and do it unattended. It flys through hollow section structurals of any wall thickness.

Dan

 

[Sidekick]

You can cut a 3.5" 1018 solid round bar with that chop saw? No offense but I doubt it. EVO says max thickness in steel is 1/2".

The bandsaw will cut solid 10" round or 5 x 18 rectangular bars and do it unattended. It flys through hollow section structurals of any wall thickness.

Dan

After the 2 minute mark shows it cutting thicker then 1 inch.

I actually have only cut up to 2inch diameter with mine but it will do bigger easily. I did see someone cut off a section of railroad track with one. I had sticking problems with the steel blade trying to cut a 6061 4 x 6 block of aluminum dry. Have to buy the aluminum cutting blade next.
The 15 inch blade seems to cut better with big stuff and cutting solid bar will reduce the number of cuts a blade lasts.

 

[TheOldHokie]

After the 2 minute mark shows it cutting thicker then 1 inch.

I actually have only cut up to 2inch diameter with mine but it will do bigger easily. I did see someone cut off a section of railroad track with one. I had sticking problems with the steel blade trying to cut a 6061 4 x 6 block of aluminum dry. Have to buy the aluminum cutting blade next.
The 15 inch blade seems to cut better with big stuff and cutting solid bar will reduce the number of cuts a blade lasts.

I am impressed but still no substitute for the bandsaw.

Dan

 

[mcmxi]

I am impressed but still no substitute for the bandsaw.

Dan

I've had a DeWalt metal chop saw for a decade and plasma for over two decades, but there's no question that a band saw is the way to go so I have to agree with your comment above.

I've worked in many welding/fabricating shops over the years on three continents, and a band saw is invaluable.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

After the 2 minute mark shows it cutting thicker then 1 inch.

I actually have only cut up to 2inch diameter with mine but it will do bigger easily. I did see someone cut off a section of railroad track with one. I had sticking problems with the steel blade trying to cut a 6061 4 x 6 block of aluminum dry. Have to buy the aluminum cutting blade next.
The 15 inch blade seems to cut better with big stuff and cutting solid bar will reduce the number of cuts a blade lasts.

I am also thoroughly impressed with that saw.

I did seem to notice that about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through, the shavings seems to "spark more". Do you think he damaged the blade by cutting that big of a piece?

Either way, that is a cool saw.

My vertical bandsaw is a less than ideal. It is a Delta Wood saw that I put a "variable speed' motor on. Well as most of you know, when you do that, at low speeds it is a 'gutless wonder".

I 'get by" with it, but I will most likely put the original motor back on and "lend" it to my SIL that likes woodworking.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I am also thoroughly impressed with that saw.

I did seem to notice that about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through, the shavings seems to "spark more". Do you think he damaged the blade by cutting that big of a piece?

Yes.

Dan

 

[Sidekick]

I am also thoroughly impressed with that saw.

I did seem to notice that about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through, the shavings seems to "spark more". Do you think he damaged the blade by cutting that big of a piece?

Either way, that is a cool saw.

My vertical bandsaw is a less than ideal. It is a Delta Wood saw that I put a "variable speed' motor on. Well as most of you know, when you do that, at low speeds it is a 'gutless wonder".

I 'get by" with it, but I will most likely put the original motor back on and "lend" it to my SIL that likes woodworking.

Yes he dulled it. Cutting stock like that requires backing off often to let the steel and blade cool some or the steel can start hitting temperatures that hardened it without coolant. The Diablo blades are better for oversized stuff.
I also have an old Porter Cable 14 inch bandsaw that I switched pulleys on that is handy but not fast or really used much. My little Jet horizontal with the table works better but not much throat.

 

[6869704x4]

Yes.

Dan

It's important to get a good blade for those saws, around $100.