YooT00B is full of tune up the HF bandsaw videos. Try it sometime
That said:with My Makita dry 12 or Morse on bigger stuff my helper and I will be home before you get the paint gun out. Accuracy of squareness with either machine would be measured with a feeler gauge. I can cut 10 pieces to one cut against a bandsaw unless it's set up with the stock feeding through leveled rollers and a GOOD feed stop and vice.Putting a dry saw against a bandsaw is like competing against a plasma cutter with a jigsaw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1DYRWDVquo
I've taken my focus off the pie-cut exhaust stuff for awhile and I'm cutting a lot of aluminium now...tube and plate.
I happened across a huge old relic of a band saw for the right price - free - and I've spent some time refurbishing it and setting it up. New urethane tyres, new belt and blades. All it needed was some love.
It's now my go-to machine for aluminium, particularly where complex shapes need to be cut out of plate that's up to 6mm thick. Using it is child's play and I can cut out shapes that, when done, need a minimum of edge finishing.
I just need to fabricate a nice, adjustable fence for it now and then straight cuts should be a breeze, too.
I'm in a similar situation right now. I'm either going to be buying an Evolution Rage 2 or save a little longer for a Milwaukee PortaBand. The Rage2 has speed and accuracy on its side. But I like how the portaband can be used on so much and used vertically should the need arise. I think im going to go with the Rage2 for now and eventually get myself a portaband... But im not sure. Advise is appreciated, thanks.
Everlast Power I-MIG 275P
Everlast Power TIG 250EX
Everlast Power Plasma 80S
Lincoln AC/DC Tombstone
Smith OxyAcetylene
Otto Nobedder wrote:Here's the topic I was hunting... Turns out it was "Northern Tool", not Harbor Freight, but there's a link in one of the posts I want to study.
Applies to any bandsaw,have used it from HF to Wells etc,works 1st time setup takes time,worth it in blade life and straight cuts
Everlast 250EX
Miller 250 syncrowave
Sharp LMV Vertical Mill
Takisawa TSL-800-D Lathe
Coupla Bandsaws,Grinders,surface grinder,tool/cutter grinder
and more stuff than I deserve(Thanks Significant Other)
Something to watch out for you guys cutting thin materials.... Tooth pitching.
On thin stuff standard blades can be too coarse resulting in rough cuts or damage to the blades. Expensive after a while.
On a cold saw this can cause chattering in the blade, not only hard on the blade, but the brass gearboxes don't like it too much either.
So when buying stuff, be aware of the correct blade for your work.
In the shop I have a couple Peddinghaus band saws and the big saw at the end of the FICEP beam line. They are all fine, but very expensive (purchase price, maintenance, blades, cutting lubricant). I have at home a little cheap Jet vertical/horizontal combo and honestly it is a nice little saw.
Have a couple DeWalt chop saws for small aluminum stuff setup on long tables. No complaints, just don't use them a ton.
Rarely have a chop saw on a truck but NEVER leave home without a Milwaukee deep throat porta-band.
Really comes down to how much you use them. You get what you pay for, however even a cheapo like the Jet should make repeatable cuts and miters. If you are an ornamental guy, chop saw that swings for miters of course.
And honestly if I was putting a small shop together I would go cheap on the saw and spend my money on a good deal for an ironworker.
AWS D1.1 / ASME IX / CWB / API / EWI / RWMA / BSEE
Scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality." Nikola Tesla
