Seeking an ideal metal cutting bandsaw

[DanielM110509]

I'm in search of an accurate, reliable, and reasonably priced vertical bandsaw that cuts metal. Delta's do not cut metal, nor do most of the conventional brands. The only "brand name" model I can find is Jet and they start at around $1500! I hear that Grizzly's aren't worth the money; neither are Jet's for that matter. So if somebody can recommend a vertical bandsaw that is accurate, well built, and worth the money I'd appreciate it. I don't mind paying a little more if the product is worth it! I just don't want to invest in something that is going to disappoint me.

Also, with a metal cutting bandsaw, does that make it necessary to use a scroll saw for scale work? Or should a good enough band saw cover all my needs?

I appreciate it if anybody has any input to add. Thank you.

 

[Doc226]

I have not idea about a band saw for metal, but it should also work for scale work.

 

[Seraphim]

The bandsaw doesn't determine what can or cannot be cut, the blade used does.

About Selecting Band Saw Blades

1. Select a blade type based on the material and shape you plan to cut.

2. Select number of teeth per inch based on the thickness of your material.
Choose teeth per inch based on the thickness of the shape you plan to cut. For bundles, determine the teeth per inch for one piece and then choose one tooth per inch or teeth per inch range less.More teeth per inch are for thinner materials, harder materials, and where the finish is most important. Fewer teeth per inch are for thicker materials, softer materials, and where speed of cut is most important.Depending on the blade type you select, you may choose from anti-vibration or standard tooth styles.Anti-Vibration—Teeth vary in size and number per inch and are set in the blade in a varying pattern (also known as variable set).They reduce vibration and handle a broader range of material thicknesses compared to standard tooth blades.Standard—The number of teeth per inch is constant throughout the blade. Teeth are set in the blade in a constant pattern (alsoknown as raker set).Note: Teeth on Band Saw Blades for Thin Metals are set in a wavy pattern.

3. Select blade width, length, and thickness.
Width—Most band saws accept only one blade width, though some accept a small range of blade widths. To choose between blade widths, measure the minimum radius you will need to cut. For tight turns and curves (small radius), choose narrowerblades. For straighter cuts (large radius), choose wider blades.

Length—Varies by band saw size. See your band saw user's manual for determining the correct blade length.Thickness—Thicker blades resist shock and damage better than thin blades, especially when cutting bundles, strutchannels, and I-beams. Thinner blades create thinner cuts, which result in less material loss.

 

[Jim]

Some of these tools used to make knives and razors are not intuitive to use, you should get educated or trained on them in a formal setting. Fingers do not grow back.

 

[Seraphim]

Some of these tools used to make knives and razors are not intuitive to use, you should get educated or trained on them in a formal setting. Fingers do not grow back.

GAAAARH!


I wish Ye had a been telling me sooner, ya land lubber!

 

[Alum of Potash]

The bandsaw doesn't determine what can or cannot be cut, the blade used does.

+1. Just remember to keep your fingers away from the shark's teeth. http://www.vieltools.com/detail.php?p=MTA4Ng==&l=ZW4=

 

[Fileroman]

Many knife makers use this.

http://www.harborfreight.com/horizontal-vertical-metal-cutting-bandsaw-93762.html

Harbor Freight has sales all the time and I've seen these for around $170 in my area.

Ron

 

[ladykate]

Many knife makers use this.

http://www.harborfreight.com/horizontal-vertical-metal-cutting-bandsaw-93762.html

Harbor Freight has sales all the time and I've seen these for around $170 in my area.

Ron

I have that one and its big brother. I'm not sure what the OP wants to do but it is much cheaper to use a horizontal bandsaw (the $800 version has its own coolant system) for cutting metal if you aren't doing intricate work. In any case, a coolant system is very nice and somewhat needed in some incarnation (a manual system works fine). A liquid coolant for a vertical saw is more interesting and rarer to see.

My setup uses a Dremel scroll saw and a belt sander. A vertical bandsaw with the appropriate blades will cut anything we do, though. There is a recent thread here where a member used a vertical bandsaw to make 7 sets of scales. Very nice job. So... if you are pure of heart, a vertical bandsaw is quite capable of doing the job. I like the Dremel, though. It won't bite you to the point it maims. Saws are the blood seekers in any shop so I like to use the smallest version that will still do the job.

 

[DanielM110509]

The bandsaw doesn't determine what can or cannot be cut, the blade used does.

About Selecting Band Saw Blades

1. Select a blade type based on the material and shape you plan to cut.

2. Select number of teeth per inch based on the thickness of your material.
Choose teeth per inch based on the thickness of the shape you plan to cut. For bundles, determine the teeth per inch for one piece and then choose one tooth per inch or teeth per inch range less.More teeth per inch are for thinner materials, harder materials, and where the finish is most important. Fewer teeth per inch are for thicker materials, softer materials, and where speed of cut is most important.Depending on the blade type you select, you may choose from anti-vibration or standard tooth styles.Anti-Vibration—Teeth vary in size and number per inch and are set in the blade in a varying pattern (also known as variable set).They reduce vibration and handle a broader range of material thicknesses compared to standard tooth blades.Standard—The number of teeth per inch is constant throughout the blade. Teeth are set in the blade in a constant pattern (alsoknown as raker set).Note: Teeth on Band Saw Blades for Thin Metals are set in a wavy pattern.

3. Select blade width, length, and thickness.
Width—Most band saws accept only one blade width, though some accept a small range of blade widths. To choose between blade widths, measure the minimum radius you will need to cut. For tight turns and curves (small radius), choose narrowerblades. For straighter cuts (large radius), choose wider blades.

Length—Varies by band saw size. See your band saw user's manual for determining the correct blade length.Thickness—Thicker blades resist shock and damage better than thin blades, especially when cutting bundles, strutchannels, and I-beams. Thinner blades create thinner cuts, which result in less material loss.

Actually the determining factor, more so than blade dimension, is the speed and torgue at which the bandsaw operates. You can't cut metal at 3,300 sfpm; that is, unless you want to don the fancy pirate hand.

I've heard horror storries about equipment from HarborFreight; I know somebody who is suing them because their scroll saw wasn't grounded properly and was electrocuted.

I just want a quality saw, that will enable me to do fabrication perhaps beyond razor/knife making. But I don't want to spend $3000 on one. Is there a good brand out there that is well built, American made, variable speed, and well priced?

 

[DanielM110509]

Some of these tools used to make knives and razors are not intuitive to use, you should get educated or trained on them in a formal setting. Fingers do not grow back.

I've used a wood bandsaw my entire life; I can also mig and stick weld. I want to learn how to use a plasma cutter, but i don't know anybody that has one.

 

[jred]

Harbor Freight is good for tools you won't use often, and not many times.
You might try Craigslist. Sometimes you can get high quality equipment for cheap.

 

[Alum of Potash]

I hate to refer the OP back to Grizzly, but here's a window that he might check out for ballpark specifications: http://www.grizzly.com/products/category/410000

Strictly made in PRC, of course, but is it really crap in the right hands?

 

[ladykate]

I've heard horror storries about equipment from HarborFreight; I know somebody who is suing them because their scroll saw wasn't grounded properly and was electrocuted.

Since it seems you have experience, then you know that cutting metal takes a coolant if you are doing anything significant. That gets us back to horizontal saws.

In general, I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion of HF tools. I wouldn't touch one of those Franken-scroll saws with my MIL's hand. However there is one exception - and it happens to fit this thread.

As it happens, the Harbor Freight 7 x 12 is on sale and it gets quite good reviews (look it up). I have it and it has served me well. The smaller one (5 x 7) is a *** - hard to align and pretty weak. The 7 x 12 is actually quite good and you can get the standard blades from anywhere - including Sears. I have a friend who does machine work for a living and he uses one. He was the one that convinced me to try it. I have used it to cut up to 7" steel tubing for concussion mortars and aerial shells (I'm a licensed pyro) all the way to doing smooth cuts on small H beam for hydraulic press manufacture. It takes a deft hand to tune the auto feed - it is an hydraulic valve - but once you become pure of heart, it works fine. However, I don't quite know what kind of application you are thinking of. It may be total overkill. It probably wouldn't be appropriate for making a set of straight razor scales - but it would be funny as hell trying to do it!

You can get Craftsman horizontal saws, too. Same size and a tad more expensive - but probably made about the same and perhaps even in the same factory.

I guess the main question is ... what kind of metal work do you want to do?

 

[skipnord]

I've been using the Chinese 64 1/2 inch dry metal bandsaws for over 40 years. I'm on my second. I use them for all kinds of metal cutting - roughing knife blades, etc.. They can be a PITA with the blades popping off the wheels if you push too hard, but they do the job for less than $200. Good blades are a big help - read bimetal. I would go bigger if I was full time, but I'm not. As far as I can tell, Northern, Harbor Freight, Grizzly, etc., are all essentially the same. Just my humble opinion.

 

[paco664]

You will find for roughing out razor blanks that a harbor freight special and GOOD blades will be fine...

Patience is a virtue with roughing out blanks... A plasma cutter is probably overkill... But they are a point and click kind of thing... Very simple to use...

Your BEST option is a quality hand held jig saw with the proper blades a can of spray lube and a sheet of styrofoam to cut it on... Much less chance of missing digits....

Good luck

 

[hig789]

You will find for roughing out razor blanks that a harbor freight special and GOOD blades will be fine...

Patience is a virtue with roughing out blanks... A plasma cutter is probably overkill... But they are a point and click kind of thing... Very simple to use...

Your BEST option is a quality hand held jig saw with the proper blades a can of spray lube and a sheet of styrofoam to cut it on... Much less chance of missing digits....

Good luck

I agree with this. You don't need a plasma cutter, but if you do get one count on buying a nice big air compressor to go with it. They are very simple to use, but you probably already know that. Hell a simple cutting torch would work if you know what you are doing. I am going to be buying one of the HF band saws in the near future, and Seraphim is right it is the blade that determines what you can cut and not the saw. Any good saw you can adjust the blade speed for cutting any material.

 

[Wetshavemike]

You can buy a plasma cutter with a built in compressor, which costs more. However, given the high cfm needed to operate, and the cost of a compressor, the gap closes quickly. A basic plasma will cost $800 and up, is very simple to use and minimizes the heat effected zone.

 

[paco664]

but the HAZ *(heat affected zone) doesn't matter when your cutting blanks...... because of the grinding and everything else you have to heat treat them anyway....

a cutting torch would be my choice... due to ease of use and the fact you can use it to do the heat treating *(this is what i do..)

but the jig saw is the way to go...

 

[ladykate]

Just to be contrary, I have enough cutting gear to do metal but the last couple of blades I made (which weren't a lot to brag about but I did them from scratch so... there's that), I just silhouetted them with a hand saw. It doesn't take very long and the grinder is going to be used anyway. Besides, I work in the shop to relax so a bit of sawing and a couple of root beers is pretty nice. I selected the metal so I just had to cut it to length and then rough sawed out the tang. Took less than 15 minutes.

 

[Sando]

The bandsaw doesn't determine what can or cannot be cut, the blade used does.

Thanks for posting these very helpful charts. I picked up a used Ryobi bandsaw not too long ago. It's a bit finicky but these will help.

...Ray