Well, someone was dumb enough to do it...

...And I guess that dumb dumb was me. Had the HF porta saw already, and with some scrap steel I had laying around, I decided to build a wannabe vertical band saw adaptor. Grew tired of cutting 3" exhaust tubing with the chop saw, letting it cool, de-burring, etc...and the disc needs replacing, so I figured I'd make a feeble attempt to convert the HF porta saw. I don't really have a sufficient way to clamp the 3" tubing to the table to cut with porta saw safely without distorting the tubing, always prefer to have an extra hand there to hold it while I cut. Needed to make it a one man job. It works pretty good. Designed it so I don't even have to loosen the blade to slide it in place, and the adaptor bolts to my bench. Gets the job done anyways.
Should have ponied up the extra $ for a milwaukee or Dewalt and bought the adaptor, but you know how that goes...Shoulda, woulda coulda....

 

Thats pretty cool, I may have to steal your idea. Thanks for posting.

 

I love the trigger mechanism. Nothing quite like zip ties or duct tape.

 

looks pretty well planned out, put together

 

Did you see the article on this in Machinist's Workshop magazine this month?

 

AMERICAN ingenuity, stuff like that is what made this country GREAT!! There are plans on the internet for doing something similiar to that with the H/F verticle/horizontal band saw too. Both are great ideas, hope some other guy's who cant afford the top name saws do the same, TR

 

Two thumbs up.... Totaly agree..

 

Ive used my angle grinder in a vise with ductape to hold the trigger down many times. Works like a charm.

 

I was worried there for a moment until i saw the tye wrap - good job!

 

I mounted my Milwaukee like that about a year ago and would be lost without it. I have two tyraps on the switch but will get a foot switch one of these days when I come across one that is reasonable. You will wonder how you got along without it all this time!! Great job.

 

Be sure to use U.L. Listed tie wraps, never know when OSHA will come around.

 

Milwaukee actually offers a stand for their Porta Band that does just what you did. Good job.

 

HF has a footswitch for about 12 bucks. Its worth it.

 

My Porter Cable Porta Band came with a trick bracket that allows it to be used vertical and horizontal.

 

I approve!

 

There is a "full on" button near the switch that locks the switch on, the zip tie was a quick "let's see if this works" fix, and surprisingly it holds the bottom of it fairly secure. A hose clamp will probably go in place of the zip tie, as the only solid place to secure the saw is the bottom of the handle. The top is secured with the original allen bolts for the top handle. Turns out the 1/8" plate and 1/2" square tube equals the thickness of the original top handle so the original bolts can be used.
A foot switch is on the way, would not recommend using it without one, ask me how I know.
It doesn't cut very fast, but it's stable, doesn't dance around in the fixture, and I can finish my exhaust without an extra hand needed. Ended up using the same holes I made in the bench for where my throatless shear bolts to the bench.
Problem solved-on the cheap!

 

Thats not sitting on a foldable card table is it?

 

I have a setup like this for my dewalt.
swag offroad makes them and a few other little tools I couldnt live without.
I think I use my little bandsaw more than any other tool in the shop when Im building stuff...

swagoffroad.com I believe.

Im not affiliated with them in any way except for bieng a satisfied customer.