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Horizontal Band Saws - Your experience?

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  • Horizontal Band Saws - Your experience?

    I think I have reached the point that I need a real HZ band saw. I bought a really nice Milwaukee porta-band back this summer but it still cuts crooked for the applications I need to make square cuts with. I picked up a small lathe recently so I don't want to be wasting time and matieral trying to square up crooked cuts on the lathe when making parts. I had a chop saw but some friends borrowed it and now no one knows who has it... irritating for sure.

    I am looking at the mid-size $499 band saw from Northern Tool. I used to have a Harbor freight table size saw but it was so flimsy and such a joke that I ended up selling it. I could never keep the blade straight and it cut horribly crooked no matter what I did with it. The vise on the machine I am looking at is much nicer, and supposedly this machine will also handle larger box tubing and up to 5" dia round stock, which I in fact will have the need to be cutting lots of 3" and 4" round for the exhaust system build of the Carryall I am working on.

    $500 is a decent amount of money for a tool right now when I am in the middle of a project though and right at Christmas time.
    1942 WC53 Carryall in progress.

  • #2
    You might look for a used, domestic machine.
    Power Wagon Advertiser monthly magazine, editor & publisher.


    Why is it that the inside of old truck cabs smell so good?

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    • #3
      Alex,
      I am with Gordon.
      You might find a used American machine that is about the same price as a new import but of high quality.
      I try now to do that with most tool purchases. For example I found a 24" Rigid brand pipe wrench on Ebay for under $20. USA and high quality.
      I too have had some bad experiences with HF.
      I have some Northern Tool stuff, but again it is mostly import, although better than HF.
      Another source is Craigslist. I found a 20 ton hydraulic press on it not very far away that I bought at a good price.

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      • #4
        It sounds like you have a need to cut mostly tubing rather than solid bar stock? If so, I would cut the tubing with with a cutoff tool right on the lathe - assuming your lathe has a large enough headstock to pass that diameter through it. I think you will find that round tubing will be much harder to cut straight on a band saw than solid round stock of the same size. If your lathe will not handle it and a band saw is the only option, find one that uses coolant to cool and lubricate the blade and cut.

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        • #5
          You can admire old machinery for the same reasons we admire old trucks. It works, it is quality, it is beautiful, and it lasts. It can be its own hobby.
          Power Wagon Advertiser monthly magazine, editor & publisher.


          Why is it that the inside of old truck cabs smell so good?

          Comment


          • #6
            used saw

            There is a place called machinery values in Harrison New Jersey who buys sells and rebuilds almost anything you can think of from 30 foot long lathes to small bench top milling machines, I realize they're kind of far away , maybe you have a similar company near by? I like the fact that most of what they have is old American made equipment.

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            • #7
              I've been hawking the CL for a nice used American machine lately but not much avail. I know my patience will win out so long as I can avoid buying a chineese clunker. I actually would be cutting mostly solid stock on the saw. I have a nice chop saw that works great for tubing, and as for the lathe, its not a massive machine and small tubing that fits the pass through I always lopp off with the parting tool I just want something that will let me drop good square pieces of solid stock that won't fit my pass through. The machine will handle some good large stuff now with a new chuck, its just that the pass through is tiny.

              Thanks for the heads up and advice guys. I would much rather have a decent American old machine. Ie, my Lathe is old, and I am actually hoping to be picking up a small but American Made milling machine over the holidays that will compliment my "garage" size tools rather well. Come to think of it, all of the nicest tools I own are use, American Made, and made before the '80s, except for my big Baleigh tubing notcher. It was still American made and insane good quality.
              1942 WC53 Carryall in progress.

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