Milwaukee Portaband

[Trimley]

I always wanted one of these. I finally found a lightly used Milwaukee 6232-21 for a decent price. $140. The seller met me half way, so less driving on my part.

It come with 3 new blades. I'll be looking into the chopsaw attachment next.

 

[Fedup]

I've had one for years. It's as handy as a shirt pocket. If you do "projects", you'll be amazed you got by this long without one.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I've always been intrigued by those.

I see they make a stand for them in order to turn them into a vertical band saw.

 

[rudder35]

I've always been intrigued by those.

I see they make a stand for them in order to turn them into a vertical band saw.

I just screwed a couple of 2x4s to my bench and clamped it on. Comes off quick.

 

[RCW]

I’ve looked at those also. Have other Milwaukee tools.

Don’t know new cost, but betting you did great at $140. Nice find!

 

[DeepWoods]

I’ve had one for years. I wouldn’t sell mine for $140.00, you did good.

 

[hodge]

I use mine every single day; it's my most used metal working tool. You got a steal at $140.

 

[Trimley]

I’ve looked at those also. Have other Milwaukee tools.

Don’t know new cost, but betting you did great at $140. Nice find!

What I got is very near $400 with the case and blades. I wanted one years ago, but no way I was buying new. Used (pre Facebook Marketplace) they were difficult to find. Anymore with patience, you can find pretty much anything.

 

[The Evil Twin]

You will wonder how you ever got along without it!

 

[Trimley]

You will wonder how you ever got along without it!

Kinda falls in line the same as doing manual labor on the homestead for 25 years, then buying a tractor!!

Oh, I'm sure this new addition will come in very handy.

I've got hand powered hacksaws, air saws, Sawzalls (corded/cordless), metal chopsaw (a relic) and "other".

For the most, using any of them has been frustrating, time consuming, and not very productive at all. I've also got an old cast-iron Craftsman bandsaw, but that's more meant for woodworking. I never did put a metal cutting blade on that.

This Porta-Band will be a real treat, for metal fab, and beyond.

 

[2001TLB]

I always wanted one of these. I finally found a lightly used Milwaukee 6232-21 for a decent price. $140. The seller met me half way, so less driving on my part.

It come with 3 new blades. I'll be looking into the chopsaw attachment next.

View attachment 138448

They are awesome tools. I have an ancient one, unsure of the model. I recently bought the Harbor Freight universal frame for it. Yours may work better on it than mine does. I had to do some slight modification to get the full cut in "chop saw" configuration.

It is a little touchy to dial in 90 degrees both ways, but it is doable. It is not something you pop out of the frame for a quick cut and pop back in because of this. I have not removed it since in set it up. If you have a good bench to set it up on, it would not need to be removed to cut off a small chunk off a large piece.

Enjoy a nice tool!
Doug

 

[Trimley]

They are awesome tools. I have an ancient one, unsure of the model. I recently bought the Harbor Freight universal frame for it. Yours may work better on it than mine does. I had to do some slight modification to get the full cut in "chop saw" configuration.

It is a little touchy to dial in 90 degrees both ways, but it is doable. It is not something you pop out of the frame for a quick cut and pop back in because of this. I have not removed it since in set it up. If you have a good bench to set it up on, it would not need to be removed to cut off a small chunk off a large piece.

Enjoy a nice tool!
Doug

Matter of fact, I've been considering the HF stand. I can't BELIEVE the prices in which a lot of others cost.

Thanks for the heads-up on the angle adjustment.

 

[Trimley]

I was able to pick-up the Hercules chopsaw base, from Harbor Freight Yesterday. They had one left. I'll see if I get it put together today, and share my thoughts.

The display model.

 

[tthorkil]

I used one of these to convert my Harbor Freight portable band saw into a vertical bandsaw.

 

[DustyRusty]

I have quite a few Milwaukee corded tools that I bought at swap meets. I do have the Milwaukee corded band saw and it is great if you are cutting a lot at one time. I also have a DeWalt 18/20 volt portable band saw that I use for quick cuts. The one thing that I will warn people about is to not take your hands off the handles until the blade stops turning. I learned this the hard way and almost lost a finger. A few stitches and a few weeks later the finger was like new again.

 

[Trimley]

I used one of these to convert my Harbor Freight portable band saw into a vertical bandsaw.

I saw those. The kit comes with pretty decent reviews. I researched the manufacture, and hoped they built a horizontal kit. Nope.

The kit I purchased does vertical and horizontal. How well, remains to be tested.

 

[Trimley]

Getting it mounted is kinda a PIT backside, but once done and locked down. It's pretty solid.

The Milwaukee (mine) "almost" self-aligns itself to the cutting base.

I was in such a rush when I was there, I forgot to also get the material clamp.

My wife was having back surgery when I scooted too HF. The Surgeon called me while I was there, and I lost my chain of thought. I paid and hurried out.

 

[fatjay]

I've had a portaband for 20+ years. Mine's all grey. Very handy, but I noticed it's tough to cut 2" square perfectly strait, towards the end I always veer off a bit.

So I bought a wen bandsaw off amazon. Around $400. I have put probably 100 hours on that sucker this year, and only on my second blade.

I'm building a metal roof over my patio and all my cuts are on the bandsaw. It's paid for itself a hundred times over.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I've had a portaband for 20+ years. Mine's all grey. Very handy, but I noticed it's tough to cut 2" square perfectly strait, towards the end I always veer off a bit.

So I bought a wen bandsaw off amazon. Around $400. I have put probably 100 hours on that sucker this year, and only on my second blade.

I'm building a metal roof over my patio and all my cuts are on the bandsaw. It's paid for itself a hundred times over.

Just as an aside: I have been very impressed with every WEN product I have bought.

To date I have a log splitter, dual fuel-battery start generator and most recently electric metal shears.

All have punched far above their weight class.


Cool project!!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Getting it mounted is kinda a PIT backside, but once done and locked down. It's pretty solid.

The Milwaukee (mine) "almost" self-aligns itself to the cutting base.

View attachment 139058
View attachment 139059

View attachment 139061

I was in such a rush when I was there, I forgot to also get the material clamp.
View attachment 139062

My wife was having back surgery when I scooted too HF. The Surgeon called me while I was there, and I lost my chain of thought. I paid and hurried out.

Looks handy.

I was thinking about gifting my vertical "wood bandsaw" to my SIL and replacing it with a "porta-band" with a vertical mount.