Sawzall or portaband which is better

[George2615]

I have both. Like the others said a portaband will work better on solid metal. I just used my portaband to cut through some 1" solid bar I needed for the rear ballast weight I just built. I think it make a cleaner cut as well. The sawzall I mainly use for cutting sheetrock, wood, thin steel, and occassional deer when I get one.

 

[jimmer2880]

I have a 14" Chop saw, good recip saw, a 4.5" angle grinder and a 7" angle grinder and torches. I have also used the circ saw with abrasive wheel.

The chop saw is used most of the time. But, I also use the 4hp - 7" angle grinder with cut-off disks in it a lot of the time. That thing is simply amazing at how it cuts through the material. Because of my proficency (or, lack there of) with the torches, it's frequently quicker for me to cut 2x2x3/16 angle, etc with the 7" grinder than to use the torches and clean up with the 4.5" grinder.

 

[denmansoft]

Since I can't find any at local suppliers and will have to order online,
what are good/bad brands of portaband's. Any features that are must haves ?

 

[MikeD74T]

Last year our company did modifications to a gantry crane that involved making several 2" x 20" cuts where a torch could not be used. The shop fabricated a jig to hold a sawsall which only allowed it to pivot in the direction of the cut. The work went quickly using 8" metal cutting blades. Sawsalls are most effective when the only thing reciprocating is the blade, which isn't easy in a hand held situation.
BTW I second the opinion that one should have a portaband as well as a sawsall. MikeD74T

 

[Farmerford]

I bought a $300 stationary Delta 4" X 6" metal cutting band saw about 15 years ago and use it all the time.

Then I got crazy and bought a $300 cordless Milwaukee Sawzall, but I never got much life out of the metal cutting blades. They seemed to dull pretty quickly and it seemed to me it was caused by both the dragging on the backstroke and the high speed. Even with the variable speed set pretty low, they dulled quickly.

Mike D74T I would still be working on a 20" long cut in 2" steel, and would have mortgaged the house to buy blades. What kind of blades are fellows using that seem to work better than mine?

Like George2615 I use the Sawzall a lot for rough wood cutting and demolition.

Then I got even crazier and bought a $300 Milwaukee portable band saw, and it works fine for short cuts that don't have to be precise.

If I could have only one of the three, I would get the stationary band saw. Then I would apply what I spent on the Sawzall and portaband toward a bigger plasma cutter (or a first time plasma cutter or oxy/acetylene torch if I did not have one).

 

[J_J]

Since I can't find any at local suppliers and will have to order online,
what are good/bad brands of portaband's. Any features that are must haves ?

I have 4 types of metal cutting saws. Dewalt chop saw 14 in metal cutting blade ,90 carbide teeth , industrial hacksaw using 1 in blades. Dewalt sawzall, Milwaukee portaband. They all have their place. The 14 in metal cutting saw will cut most ferrous metal up to about 4 in. Cuts like butter with a smooth cut. I also have a plasma cutter that will cut 3/4 in and sever 1 1/2 in. It will cut any metal. I have also used a metal abrasive blade in my Stihl 760 cut off gas saw.

The sawzall is the most versatile.

 

[have_blue]

It is good to have a quality chop saw but the secret is to have a quality blade.

I second quality blades. The type and quality make a huge difference in time and heat generated. Sometimes a better blade for the application even costs less.

 

[mikim]

I bought a cheap Grizzly portaband with a stand for just over $100 I think .... works well for what I use it for. It comes off the stand easily for portability. I use the heck out of it - all small stuff (and pvc) ... but the first thing that needs doing with it -- change the blade. The blade that it came with wasn't any good. My point is -- If you don't use it professionally - you don't need to spend professionally. I also have a Dewalt sawzall -- as said - best for demo.

 

[keeney]

I second the "Both" answers.

My Porta-band gets used so much, I don't even think I could find my old hand hacksaw, nor do I think I will ever need to use it again (like just this morning I needed to cut a couple of pieces of mild 3/8" rod, and the porta-band was already right there next to the vice...). The portability of the Porta-band is a plus in some cases over a fixed, larger bandsaw. Unless you have really big material or a lot of cutting, the porta-band with the stand is a good compromise.

I agree that the return stroke on a sawzall causes dulling when cutting metal, plus the Sawzall blades have nearly twice the kerf as a band saw to be stiff enough, so they take twice as much "work" by the blade and machine to make the same cut. I would save the Sawzall for demo in wood, and places the porta-band can't otherwise reach.

Key to blade life on the porta-band: Keep the teeth cool, keep them free of chips, and keep the blade from binding up. I often use a few drops of cutting oil with my porta-band. Cutting thick aluminum sections, a little lube keeps the teeth from getting clogged with melted metal.

- Rick

 

[PILOON]

Has anyone tried the 7" metal cutoff wheels in a skill saw ?
This is what I have been using for cutting my metal roof panels.
Works great and is a lot more stable than a wheel in a grinder for long cuts.

Yes but you eat up blades like crazy!

I discovered 'friction blades', they look like a standard saw blade but have only about 32 (?) slits with no teeth.

They create NO abrasive dust and last and last.
They create a small kinda coil of thin metal that looks like steel wool unwound.

We erected a 60ft X 220ft stable (all steel siding and roofing) an all metal riding arena (about same size) using but one blade for all the trim work door pannels etc etc and that blade is still working having probably completed a couple of dozen roofing/siding jobs.

And the saw (Millwaulki) is still running strong many years later.

LOL and the saw was a 'backup' that I purchased at a pawn shop for $25.00 and since became my favorite saw for all jobs.
Mind you I have changed brushes a couple of times and needed to 'dress' the plate more than once.