Welding Tips and Tricks

I am in a similar position. I am in welding school, working on my own side projects at home (and eventually hope to take on some side work as my skills improve) and am in need of a better way to cut metal. I have a metabo cordless porta-band which is awesome for small stuff, but am currently using a 4.5 electric grinder for cutting anything i can't with the porta-band. I am working on designing a ladder rack for my truck, which will use 2x2x11ga tubing, and need a good way to cut 45s for fit up of everything. I am working with a pretty limited budget. Was looking into abrasive chop saw, but seeming like it will be in my best interest to just go the dry saw route? Especially as I want something that will allow me to grow into some and won't want to instantly be upgrading or getting something different. Is that evosaw380 the way to go?

I have a bandsaw but I still use my chop saw for cutting rebar and making cuts where a welded joint prevents the bandsaws vice from holding the steel.

One of a kind wrote:I have a bandsaw but I still use my chop saw for cutting rebar and making cuts where a welded joint prevents the bandsaws vice from holding the steel.

Is that a Ridgid when it actually had the cast iron base? I bought one just after they cheapened the base and almost returned it. Then I decided I could deal with it. Mine:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/14-inch-ab ... ff-machine

My personal experience--Evolution 380 14in saw. Used an abrasive for years and had no idea how horrible it was until I got the Evolution!! A few moments of setup and you can make very accurate cuts consistently.No dust just chips that don't go far. If you are carefull the supplied blade gives excellent service .My original blade has been sharpened twice and the teck said if I don't get stupid probably 4-5 more at $20.00 a pop. I just built a utility trailer -cut every piece with new blade that was used prior a fair bit and the blade is still like new. The rage saw is a lighter version with a non releasable clamp- you have to thread each way and with a straight control handle. The 380 has the "D" handle which is nice for bench work. I looked at Dewalt but wasn't sold on the clamping system. It cuts fast and clean and very accurate. One thing that greatly helped accurate cuts is a twin thread movable adjustable roller stand I made that just sits on my cutting table which is very stable and allows for dead on accuracy. I just cut some 5inx1/4in flat on edge and was aprox. 1/64 from square!! Short story long--its a great saw!!

electrode wrote:

One of a kind wrote:I have a bandsaw but I still use my chop saw for cutting rebar and making cuts where a welded joint prevents the bandsaws vice from holding the steel.

Is that a Ridgid when it actually had the cast iron base? I bought one just after they cheapened the base and almost returned it. Then I decided I could deal with it. Mine:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/14-inch-ab ... ff-machine

electrode, it's Milwaukee with a cast aluminum base. It's been a good chopper.

One of a kind wrote:

electrode wrote:

One of a kind wrote:I have a bandsaw but I still use my chop saw for cutting rebar and making cuts where a welded joint prevents the bandsaws vice from holding the steel.

Is that a Ridgid when it actually had the cast iron base? I bought one just after they cheapened the base and almost returned it. Then I decided I could deal with it. Mine:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/14-inch-ab ... ff-machine

electrode, it's Milwaukee with a cast aluminum base. It's been a good chopper.

Thanks for the info. You must have bought it years ago because now even Milwaukee has switched to the stamped steel base like all the other brands. Mine works fine but I sure wanted the cast base. I can always make a base if I see the need I guess.

homeboy wrote:My personal experience--Evolution 380 14in saw. Used an abrasive for years and had no idea how horrible it was until I got the Evolution!! A few moments of setup and you can make very accurate cuts consistently.No dust just chips that don't go far. If you are carefull the supplied blade gives excellent service .My original blade has been sharpened twice and the teck said if I don't get stupid probably 4-5 more at $20.00 a pop. I just built a utility trailer -cut every piece with new blade that was used prior a fair bit and the blade is still like new. The rage saw is a lighter version with a non releasable clamp- you have to thread each way and with a straight control handle. The 380 has the "D" handle which is nice for bench work. I looked at Dewalt but wasn't sold on the clamping system. It cuts fast and clean and very accurate. One thing that greatly helped accurate cuts is a twin thread movable adjustable roller stand I made that just sits on my cutting table which is very stable and allows for dead on accuracy. I just cut some 5inx1/4in flat on edge and was aprox. 1/64 from square!! Short story long--its a great saw!!

No complaints with mine it's a great saw!

Since I got a 'deep throat' Milwakuee portaband, I rarely use my abrasive chop saw (Ryobi 14" 35 yr old almost all aluminium saw), or my handheld hacksaws either!!

-c-

For a chop saw I have a 10" cold saw. Once you use one of these you will want to see how far you can throw your abrasive saw. They are more expensive but oh what a difference.

For big cut off work I have a DoAll 916 horizontal bandsaw. For my vertical I have a DoAll 1612. Both are nice saws.

I have a cheapy 4 x 6 band saw and a used Scotchman Cold Saw, the cold saw almost leaves a milled like finish but for what I do I don't need a edge like that plus the coolant is kind of a mess, I find myself using my bandsaw more than anything else. I thought about selling off the cold saw and getting a Ellis 1600 but my work area is small and would take up room that I currently don't have to spare. Those dry saws are nice, my brother has one and swears by it plus they are lite and compact, unlike the 700lb Scotchman! LOL

No question, the 14 " Evolution cold saw is my most used saw. I have many saws in my shop. Being
a retire tool & die maker I kept all my saws from over the years. But the most used saw in my shop
is the 14 " Evolution. Alum or steel it cuts it faster clean & with no heat. You can pull the metal
from the saw & it is barely warm.
Fly

One thing I noticed when researching for a cold cut saw was that the older reviews for the Evolution 380 noted some complaints about the design. As the reviews got closer to present time these deficiencies were corrected and when I bought mine in 2015 all had been addressed. That indicated the company was listening and trying to improve their product. Dewalt on the other hand has had long standing complaints with their clamping system which recent reviews indicate has not been satisfactorily rectified. That was a main factor in my decision which to buy.

I bought a 14" Slugger dry cut saw. It had the best clamping system of the saws available here. That was the main prerequisite, it had to have a good clamp and accurate miters, well reasonable ones in any case.

I had years ago a chop saw and sold it. I then had a cheap bandsaw, very accurate no complaints except for one. Took forever to cut. Was ok though I could set up and have a smoke while it did its thing. However as I said slow, and also quite bulky.

Dry saw is a no brainer for me. Perhaps in production you could calculate cost per cut etc and maybe there are better options, but for a home user its great. Sits on a shelf, pull it out cut up 20 bits of stock in ten minutes and put it away. Gold. Same thing on a bandsaw takes 40 mins. All my aluminium I do on my Milwaukee 12" sliding compound wood saw. Just put in a aluminium blade.