- Thread starter chris-law
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cumbriasteve
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I have one of the Clarke bandsaws, sold under many other brand names.
It's been great for what I use it for, which is mainly 12mm round, flat and box to 50mm, if I was cutting the size you mention I would still prefer a bandsaw but would be looking for a higher quality machine probably costing 3 or 4 times what the Clarke cost.
I once owned an old Rapidor, or it was one very like a Rapidor, it cut well, very well in fact and was very heavy built but was slow, blades cost a fortune but that was at a time before the access to suppliers through internet sales, so they are probably easier to get by shopping around and saving a few quid.
It's been great for what I use it for, which is mainly 12mm round, flat and box to 50mm, if I was cutting the size you mention I would still prefer a bandsaw but would be looking for a higher quality machine probably costing 3 or 4 times what the Clarke cost.
I once owned an old Rapidor, or it was one very like a Rapidor, it cut well, very well in fact and was very heavy built but was slow, blades cost a fortune but that was at a time before the access to suppliers through internet sales, so they are probably easier to get by shopping around and saving a few quid.
brightspark
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theres a nice rapidor on here for sale. if i hadnt rebuilt mine id have it tomorrow
blades last ages and there cheaptheres a nice rapidor on here for sale. if i hadnt rebuilt mine id have it tomorrow
Thanks , iv enquired about that , i was just wondering if a bandsaw would be more suitable as i can put it under the bench , im running out of places to put things in places so they are tidyish
, and it looks like im headed to the wrong end of the country for work again 
You can jam surprisingly large things into a donkey saw with some cunning...
Sometimes I feel sorry for it, but not very often. When the guilt gets the better of me I spend ages oiling all the bearings to make up for treating it like this.
And they cut very very hard things very very well too...
I have a vertical bandsaw, and jolly good it is too for cutting thinner (<20mm) sheets of ally in wibbly shapes that I can steer it round by hand doing. But I would get rid of it before the donkey saw...
Sometimes I feel sorry for it, but not very often. When the guilt gets the better of me I spend ages oiling all the bearings to make up for treating it like this.
And they cut very very hard things very very well too...
I have a vertical bandsaw, and jolly good it is too for cutting thinner (<20mm) sheets of ally in wibbly shapes that I can steer it round by hand doing. But I would get rid of it before the donkey saw...
brightspark
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lol love the extra weight on the frame 
trouble is it makes them verry unballanced . if im in a hurry i just press down on the frame every cutting stroke 
u get a workout at the same time 
trouble is it makes them verry unballanced . if im in a hurry i just press down on the frame every cutting stroke u get a workout at the same time The nodding mechanism has a cam action in the arm bearing to provide more load on the front stroke but without the extra weight it tended to skid across the workpiece. That weight has been finely tuned over a long period of zip tying various weights to the front nose to get it right. I've been meaning to make a real front weight the same weight that doesnt get in the way and isn't held on by zipties for about a year now 
Rapidor Mechanical Hacksaw
We have a rapidor mechanical hacksaw in the workshop, its a big old dinosaur of a machine and is quiet slow, but is very reliable and I wouldn't be suprised if it out lived me. You can get them at a good price too if you look around. Ours was about £200 inc delivery and just needed a bit of a clean and oiling. I've found blades can be a pain to get hold of but we managed to buy a load and they do seem to last ages.
*Mod Edit: Link removed again.*
We have a rapidor mechanical hacksaw in the workshop, its a big old dinosaur of a machine and is quiet slow, but is very reliable and I wouldn't be suprised if it out lived me. You can get them at a good price too if you look around. Ours was about £200 inc delivery and just needed a bit of a clean and oiling. I've found blades can be a pain to get hold of but we managed to buy a load and they do seem to last ages.
*Mod Edit: Link removed again.*
