Forgot about my chop saw! Ditto on it. Super square cuts on pipe, angle, etc. But, the plasma can 'rip' as long a piece of stock as you like, pretty nice cut with a guide. Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I am a retired carpenter and cabinet/furniture maker. I have three bandsaws in my home shop, an 18 inch Laguna and two 14 inch Grizzlys. In over 35 years, I have run miles of lumber through those machines, and others. I have broken countless blades, dulled and ruined hundreds of them and bound up more cuts than I can remember. I have never had anything resembling a kickback from a bandsaw. The only way a piece can go is in the direction of cut, which is towards the table. Now, if a guy was making some sort of hinkey cut, freehanding it without proper support, drama could occur. Respect the machine. It has no conscience and no soul
I have the Milwaukee/SWAG combo and LOVE it. Use it damn near as much as any other tool in my shop. I got the miter gauge and foot pedal and couldn't be happier. I'm not fabbing a bunch of heavy duty stuff, just mild custom pieces, cutting bolts, tubing, sheet metal etc.
Dang it Well thansk for all the udpates guys. Sounds like whatever I do I will have to add a portable band saw AND a plasma cutter to the tool list. Really on the fence ........ like the idea of being able to cut patterns/holes via the plasma also and get into those tight spaces to cut out rust or whatever. Appreciate the responses !!!
Make your own. Buy this...……….. https://ocala.craigslist.org/tls/d/milwaukee-band-saw/6638257856.html Then build a table outta 1" square tubing...……… I used a 3" vise that I picked up for $2 at a garage sale for a holding fixture...……….. Table top is a steel tray I found in the dumpster at work...………… Mounted my CL Milwaukee 4230 and have been using this for years. Cut every piece of steel on the roadster including the frame. I've easily cut 1" stock with this setup. When not in use it slides under my bench.
Thanks. The design was adapted from many similar builds. It was a fun project, and works well for what it is. It also fits in my one car garage, unlike a big horizontal bandsaw. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have an old craftsman 10" bandsaw cuts 1/4 inch steel fine. Wish it had a taller throat. Speaking of using tools not for their intended use, putting a bevel on 1/2" aluminum bar stock with a wood router little bit at a time. Try to take off to much at a time and it throws it like a pitching machine Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I had a chance to compare a regular plasma cutter against a pilot arc plasma cutter, and after trying them both, I paid a little more and bought the pilot arc cutter. The reason for my liking the pilot arc cutter, is that it is less fussy cutting dirty steel. The consumables also last longer because they don't touch the work. I also have a 3 phase plasma cutter that would cut up to 1 inch, but I don't do enough heavy cutting to justify keeping it. Another excellent way to cut sheet metal and up to 1/2 inch plate, is the Cobra torch. Mine is called a Dillon MkIII, but I have had it almost 40 years. The cutting attachment on this torch makes an excellent cut with very little slag and very little warping. Two very good choices. Bob
I have bought a refurbished from manufacturers cold cut chop saw. Its a Milwaukee, cuts awesome, clean edges, no sparks. Blade last along time also. We recently got a small diameter cold cut cordless saw at work and it too is great. Small ones are still high priced right now. Sent from my LG-LS993 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have a Plasma, a Porta Band with SWAG table, and just finished converting a 14" stand-up wood bandsaw to metal cutting. I progressed through them in that order looking for less grinding and more capacity to do what I wanted. The SWAG/PortaBand works great, but I kept finding limitations in throat depth or cut depth. This is with the Milwaukee deep cut saw. The table is as advertised... a nice piece for the money. My Vertical saw conversion was done with an older HF saw, a surplus DC motor and surplus DC motor controller, and a few misc electronic parts. It is variable speed, and is absolutely awesome for the fabrication I do. Last night we were making the final bits for an under bed gas tank swap in a Unibody Ford. I can go to the new saw and bang out a part and only have a light bit of dressing to do with the platen sander and it is ready to go. No sparks, no extra dust, no large batch of grinding. For one-off parts it works the best of the three options I have been through. If I want to do patterns or mock up first, I just use 1/4" plywood and fab those pieces in the same bandsaw. This tool and a set of good bits/hole saws will do 99% of my bracket fab before finish. A 12" platen sander gets the rest of the job done. If I am working up a bunch of lengths of tube, I use an old Milwaukee abrasive chop saw I bought at the swap meet for $50. It makes a huge mess though, so I don't use it unless I have to. Short version... Plasma is roughest cut but most versatile. I use it more for demo than fab. PortaBand/Table works great, but has limited capacity. Modified vertical bandsaw is fab tool of choice of the three in my shop. Chop saw is used for repetitive production style cutting only.
I thought car guys were tool guys also? Over the years, I have acquired 4 portabands, 3 band saws, have several chop saws, many saber saws, a couple saws all’s, a two torches, one plasma cutter, several air powered cut off wheels, 2wild cats ,and a 3 1/2 lbs Kelly. I can cut any thing anywhere..... but that’s just me....hehe. Bones
Thanks guys. Appreciate the updates. Think Im going to get both ---- but will go on the cheap end. Like I said before every power tool I use regular (drill, 3 impacts, so on ) is milwaukee. Every tool I dont use often is a mix of HF/Ryobi. I do see a need for them - but I'd rather have 2 half decent tools for the money than 1 milwaukke. So thing Im going to go with 1) Bauer HF Deep Porta Saw and weld up a stand for vertical at some point. 2) An Ebay Special 220v Plasma Cutter. That way for under $300 I get both of the main recommendations here.
Picked up the Dewalt saw (new in box) from pawn shop and made a stand & table. One of the best tool additions I've made in the shop -- use 18 & 14 tpi blades and I can't believe how much I use this thing! I've got it mounted to a tool stand now but it can go portable antime. Between chop saw and band saw, it takes care of most needs for me.
The Jalopy Journal
