We need a budget band saw, what do you recommend

[stee1e]

We're looking for a band saw to replace our chop saw for cutting metal. Looking for something that will happily cut 2-5mm, we very rarely cut anything more than that and it need to be able to do an accurate 45degree angle.

We have a Rage 3 saw with a 210 blade. This blade really doesn't last long when cutting steel and we're finding that are orders are increasing and we need to get something that will last longer.

I've seen some people use the portable band saws and the stationary band saws and hear that these blades last a long time. What would you recommend we got for a budget of £150 ish. Not much we know but i've seen band saws on Ebay for this price.

Thanks

 

[gav0994]

For £150 all you will really be looking at is second hand Clarke style 6x4 bansaws. Plenty of threads about them on here and other online forums. Googling 6x4 bandsaw will bring up pages of info. They are good saws once fettled and set up correctly with a decent bi metal blade.

 

[Turbo]

They are good saws once fettled and set up correctly with a decent bi metal blade.

They can take quite a bit of messing around to get them cutting square. I found with mine that once I get it cutting perfect 90's I tend to leave it set there. If I want to cut 45's it then takes ages getting it set up properly. I've just bought another one & I intend to leave one set up for 45's & the other for 90's.

As for blades theres a guy I use on ebay called dragon blades. He sells quality bimetal M42 blades at a good price.

 

[Rig Pig]

My experience of the cheap saws is that the blades supplied are rubbish and the saws aren't very robust, a power hacksaw is slower but much more accurate and durable.

 

[Maker]

For that budget, I'd be on eBay looking for a Rapidor power hacksaw, maybe a bandsaw if a decent one comes up for the right price.

 

[ukracer]

For that budget, I'd be on eBay looking for a Rapidor power hacksaw, maybe a bandsaw if a decent one comes up for the right price.

I have used both and I sold my Rapidor and not missed it. I have a 10 inch slow cold saw. I used my mates 12 inch band saw and could not do what I needed without it. I still have use of it just means I need to travel. I will have a plasma table built soon . I would not run out to buy a power hacksaw again to be honest.

 

[stee1e]

Thanks, I was also looking at abrasive chop saws today. Do the blades on these last longer?

 

[Turbo]

Abrasive chop saws are noisy, messy and as the blade wears your depth of cut decreases.

My experience of the cheap saws is that the blades supplied are rubbish and the saws aren't very robust

The supplied blades are often carbon steel & are not great. But you can fit a M42 bimetal blade that cuts faster, last for ages and are cheaper if you source them correctly. I think my last blade was £8, a standard carbon steel starret blade locally was £13!

 

[ukracer]

Thanks, I was also looking at abrasive chop saws today. Do the blades on these last longer?

I have two of these and never use them. THEY are noisy, dirty and generally yuk....lol

My cold saw (slow speed is worlds apart. Sadly mine is a 10 inch aand does not cut massive pieces of steel. But it will do 2" x2" which suits much of what I cut. A mate of mine sold a large 3 phase machine and the guy collected it from my unit...I wished I had knon I would have grabbed it but he hd sold it before I knew.

 

[GrumpyOne]

I know absolutly nothing about about cutting metal, I was just about to start my own thread when I noticed this one. I'm also looking for something to cut metal with and found this on ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-...484?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item566fb6a21c
I have no idea if this is the best kind of thing to buy and It's £40 more than you wanted to pay, the boy selling it seems to be a bit of a lad as well. May be there is someone in the UK selling them?

 

[Kent]

Thanks, I was also looking at abrasive chop saws today. Do the blades on these last longer?

I use one a lot, you wear the blade down as its basically a big slitting disc just like a grinder. As the blades wear I take them off and then use them up for solid bars cut on edge etc as you soon need a new blade cutting mitres in heavy wall box. bought in bulk boxes you tend not to fret over changing a blade.

Accuraccy? well they need a fair amount of set up on mitres and if you force the cut or cut too close to the end on box it will run off,

The nice thing is you can take them out on jobs and they don't need lots of workshop space worst thing is unquestionably the sparks and grinding dust they chuck out. Wear a dust mask and a full face visor, gloves and overalls and remove any objects that might ignite, then just sweep up the mess when it settles.

 

[mike os]

Abrasive chop saws are noisy, messy and as the blade wears your depth of cut decreases.



The supplied blades are often carbon steel & are not great. But you can fit a M42 bimetal blade that cuts faster, last for ages and are cheaper if you source them correctly. I think my last blade was £8, a standard carbon steel starret blade locally was £13!

Where from?

 

[julianthegypsy]

I need to buy some more blades for my Axminster (same as Clarke etc) bandsaw, but what size are they? I've seen Bimetal blades for sale but there are so many sizes!

 

[Paul.]

The small bandsaw blades are 64.5" x 0.5", I usually get the 14 tpi carbon steel ones from toolstation, mine usually gets used for cutting ally but it does a fair job on smaller steel sections, never had much success making accurate mitres on it though,

 

[julianthegypsy]

The small bandsaw blades are 64.5" x 0.5", I usually get the 14 tpi carbon steel ones from toolstation, mine usually gets used for cutting ally but it does a fair job on smaller steel sections, never had much success making accurate mitres on it though,

Thanks Paul.

 

[Maker]

The small bandsaw blades are 64.5" x 0.5", I usually get the 14 tpi carbon steel ones from toolstation, mine usually gets used for cutting ally but it does a fair job on smaller steel sections, never had much success making accurate mitres on it though,

What do you use to cut your stainless pipes and larger steel sections?

 

[Turbo]

I forgot that Dragon Blades are no longer trading but one of the staff started up this company. http://www.tuffsaws.co.uk/
Really nice bloke to deal with - last time I ordered some blades he was out of the M42 blade stock so he sent me a quality carbon steel blade foc to keep me going until the M42 was back in stock! He seems to use starret stock to make the blades, all the blades I've had were starret. The prices have gone up quite a bit but then it's ages since I bought blades. He's still very keen for the M42 at £16 for a 64.5" x 0.5" blade.

If you follow the link on this page you can download a pdf with tips on how to set up a 6x4 bandsaw to cut square.
http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=21260
I had discovered a lot of the tips myself by trial & error but its a great guide for the beginner.

 

[mike os]

Cheers turbo... good price

 

[stee1e]

ok, so could we get a better aftermarket blade to fit my Rage 3 to cut steel? We mainly cut angle and box about 3mm thick, the blade is currently 210mm

Cheers