Choosing a chop saw?

[Soundguy]

Soundguy - right after your last post I went looking for a chinese plasma cutter too . Didn't find one yet. They are bound to come eventually. I'd rather buy a brand name welder like the Hobart I have now but I'll happily purchase a Chinese plasma cutter.

Yep.. I like my hobart welder.. but if I found a super cheap plasma cutter.. I might be tempted to get it!

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Kenny, any idea where I can get some of that smoke? And, how do you get it back in there? Seems like everytime I let the smoke out of something, it quits working.

Now see.. that's the trick.. letting it out is easy.. putting it back in is the $$ part.

soundguy

 

[wushaw]

I bought the Makita that came with a 4.5" grinder for 150.00 from Tylertool @ three years ago, I like using the chop saw for quick easy cuts and anything hardened.
I have a 7X12 horizontal bandsaw that I got this year and it does cuts things the chopsaw can't and anything I want a square cut on.

I have five grinders...all Makita, three of em reconditioned
1. 4" with flap disk
2. 4.5" with grinding disk
3. 4.5" with cut off disk
4. 4.5" with wire brush
5. 5" for more reach with a cut off disk or if I need more HP for a grinder.

 

[Egon]

There is something interesting in this thread. Seems people want cheap outsourced tools yet, on the other hand in a different thread complain about outsource production and the harm to the economy. Witch is it?

 

[canoetrpr]

I wandered over to a new home depot around here and found the Milwaukee at $210 and decided to pick it up.

The plot gets thicker..... I re-read this thread and the bandsaw guys finally got to me. Wandered over to Princess Auto. They dug up the 4x6 bandsaw for me from the warehouse. Pretty good deal I'd say - $225. Theres a pretty darn good reason Chinese are doing as well as they are - pretty amazing value for the $ best I can tell.

Of course it didn't come with any sort of assembly instructions so I've been sorting through the screws and assembling the stand etc. Theres still a piece that I haven't found a home for.

Seems for now that a bandsaw it will be. Can't wait to do a few cuts after I get this sucker running tomorrow. I'm going to return the chop saw.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[canoetrpr]

Most people realise that globalisation goes both ways. There is going to be lots of money to be made by N. American firms and thus their employees as a result of the growth in China and India.

 

[canoetrpr]

As for the import plasma cutters,Parker metalworking gets a lot of attention on the 4x4 boards. They seem to have some initial issues, but the guys at Parker are supposed to be fairly good about backing up their equipment.

chumly, those plasma cutters look pretty neat! I think if I was doing much cutting I'd jump on the cheapest one of those. $460 is pretty darn good for being able to cut through 5/8" steel.

Would be pretty hard to justify an Oxy/Acetelene setup just for cutting with prices like that!

 

[Bill_C]

I...Of course it didn't come with any sort of assembly instructions so I've been sorting through the screws and assembling the stand etc. Theres still a piece that I haven't found a home for....QUOTE]

Go to the Harbor Freight site Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices and find their 4x6 bandsaw (the red one for around $200)...the instruction manual is available for download on the page!!

Also, I had a couple of leftover parts too.

 

[canoetrpr]

I'll bet this Princess Auto one is made in the same factory that makes the HF ones

Gentlemen - you have been immense help as usual. Not sure what I'd do without you.

Finally got the bandsaw going today. Took a while to assemble the pieces but most of it was straightforward. I did have a few pieces left over at the end .

Some TLC was required to get it going. I got the blade going and within seconds I heard a loud bang. No smoke though, whew! I can't afford a trip to China just to get that special smoke to put back in

The blade tension was not set...something I should have checked so the blade popped out.

Got the blade in again, tensioned it right and got going.

I've picked up some 1/4" angle iron from the scrap yard to practise my welding on so I decided to cut it to see how it did. No trouble at all even with the original blade. Took about 5 or 6 min but the cut is real real nice!

I've posted some pictures of the angle iron I cut and the bandsaw.

I'll be returning the Milwaukee chop saw until some day when I decide I need a chop saw for something.

 

[canoetrpr]

Bill_C. Thanks for the tip. I checked the manual on HF and sure enough it is the exact same bandsaw that I got from Princess Auto here. The HF manual is AWESOME! I now know what the point of some of the parts - like the stock stop

One question: Should I be using cutting oil at all when operating it?