[bap_]

Duey, make sure to use cutting fluid. It will do wonders for the longevity of your blade.

For a hobby guy, would you guys just recommend a deep cut portable band saw? I've seen people make stands for these, so that could potentially be another project for me after I build the table.

I've got a Dewalt portaband. Its ok. A lot of hype around them. I think they are great for cutting small parts from sheet metal, and plate. Horrible for mitering, horrible for getting a straight cut on tubing. Could be me, but I'm finding I would rather have invested in a real bandsaw, or a dry cut.

Anytime I have to make a long cut on sheet metal, I go to the grinder.
Anytime I have to make a miter cut on tube, to the grinder.

I just picked up a multitool 2x36 attachment for my bench grinder. Now that thing is awesome. Removes millscale really well and safely, great for shaping parts, great for deburring. Now that I have it theres no going back kinda tool.

[Oscar]

Interesting perspective. Lots of people swear by them. I almost had one, but I took a chance on the Harbor Freight one, and both units I got had a major wobble on the drive wheel, which I thought was kinda odd. How can something so simple be messed up, twice!

[cj737]

Interesting perspective. Lots of people swear by them. I almost had one, but I took a chance on the Harbor Freight one, and both units I got had a major wobble on the drive wheel, which I thought was kinda odd. How can something so simple be messed up, twice!

Was it the drive shaft or the face of the wheel? If the face is not square to the shaft and dead perpendicular to the grooves, a few thousandths run-out translates into LOTS of motion at the tangent (I'm sure you realize this, just stating the obvious).

There's a video Abom did on his (I think) Baldor. It had a huge amount of vibration for the very same reasons. And those babies are semi-proud of their machines. After some truing of the shaft and facing of the mandrel, it was quiet as a church mouse and still as a tombstone.

This is a perfect example of buying for less, then spending a bit of time "dolling up" a lower cost tool/machine. They can often be made into a higher quality tool if you have the means/willingness to tinker with them, or tune them. Expecting HF tools to be as good as a $2k bandsaw is unrealistic. But one can make them damn usable and reliable with some reasonable effort. A porta-band will only ever be "field level accurate" anyway.

[Oscar]

I'm pretty sure it was the driveshaft. I'm sure I could have tinkered with it, as I love doing that, but I do pick and choose my battles wisely seeing as how I'm not 100% confident in my machining skills yet.