small metal bandsaw recommends?

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Looking for something for my home shop. Not heavy use. Limited budget. Used would be great, new is OK but they all look like the same place makes them and paints them different colors. What is the best to look at in a smaller unit?
 
My bandsaw isn't small, so I'm of no help there. However, my bandsaw can't cut harden steed so I resort to either a right angle grinder with a cutoff blade or a 14 inch chop saw for the harder stuff. Right angle grinders are on the cheap side and can be used for grinding and wire brush.

I almost never use a reciprocating saw for metal.
geo
 
Think about a portable band saw. My opinion the best is Porta-Band, they are pricey though. In my shop I have a Wellsaw Industrial and two Porta-Band, now that I have retired I seldom use the Wellsaw. Blades are a lot less costly for the portables also.
 
Probably HF is gonna be your less expensive store and then you might have a store near you and not get hit for shipping. I've had one of those saws for over 30 years, getting an American made blade is probably the best improvement you can make for not much money.

There is a web forum with tips and tricks to tweak these saws, the name of which escapes me at the moment. It's something like 4"x....

HF makes a portable bandsaw as well, again you need the domestic blade.
 
I got lucky a few years back and picked up one at an auction I went to for $20. Reason it was so cheap was the blade drive had a problem. I opened it up and for the price of a simple woodrifht key I had it working. It is one of those HF ones but it does just fine for what I need. If you have both a HF and Menard's around to might look at both places as well as Home Depot and Lowe's
 
Site below might be the one you're looking for--I bookmarked it years ago as it's a handy source for the little tabletop mills and lathes, both of which I have. I've had my 4x6 bandsaw for over 10 years and have been VERY satisfied with it. As noted, a good blade will help considerably, along with standard cutting precautions, such as not cutting too thin of metal (you want at least 3 teeth in the work if possible, or it will strip teeth off the blade) and paying attention to what you're cutting--I once reduced a new $20 blade to garbage in a few seconds by hitting a hardened strip along the edge of an old combine knife I was cutting. Mine is from TSC, simply because they had one setting on their floor on sale when I was looking for one--most are nearly identical, with a few dollars more buying you things like a handwheel on the vise instead of a toggle screw, a sturdier stand, and other minor tweaks.
bandsaw at minilathe site
 
Tried a Harbor Freight, didn't like it. Tried a Ryobi. better than a HF. but not as good as I wanted. Bought a Hitachi 9" and liked it.
 
Check your local auctions. You might pick up a bargain. I paid more than Old paid for his, but I still got a good buy on it.
 
Try Enco or Grizzly. They are imports, but of better quality that HF. I have an Enco that I inherited and it works like a champ. It must be 20 years old. As long as I keep a sharp blade on it I can cut paper thin slices off of angle iron. Okay maybe not paper thin, but pretty skinny anyway.

OTJ
 
Friend has a 14" and 18" Jet band saws and I don't like either one of them. He has a Jet oscillating sander that is an inferior tool in my book. He has two Jet dust collectors that he wishes he had another brand. He has a Festool miter saw that neither of us likes.
 
I lucked out, and got a "Wells" that my BIL's boss had to replace because of new safety regs (not enough guards in the way) I gave $125 for it and got three extra blades. A great saw that will last forever.
 
I have a HF band saw 7 x 14 I think is what it is. I have cut a lot of metal with mine. bought it using one of the 20 % off coupons. The same band saw is sold by ENCO. Northern Tool and a few others at a higher price.
 
(quoted from post at 21:28:23 06/12/16) I have a HF band saw 7 x 14 I think is what it is. I have cut a lot of metal with mine. bought it using one of the 20 % off coupons. The same band saw is sold by ENCO. Northern Tool and a few others at a higher price.

Check the gear box on those saws.
I've got one that after a few years of light usage a gear wore out, Found a new gear for it and it works fine now.
I'm surprised how well they work for as cheep as they are.
 

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