Chop Saw Reccomendations

[jaxs]

If doing any substantial amount, I set up a shop fan to blow the smoke and fumes away.

Shop fans are hazardous when welding. The increased oxygen excelerate's flames when clothes and nearby combustiables are set on fire.

I kjnow, if things get stinky and ugly, I'm not exactly breathing the fumes in deeply. More like hold your breath, do a bit and get to fresh air. Extinguish Jacket and Repeat.

That's pretty much my stratagy. Health experts claim fumes from modern synthetics are hard on the lungs so I hold my breath until I can put the fire out. Didn't take long to realize welding nude isn't the answer and weaning a towel accross my face only present's something else to catch fire.

 

[Big Barn]

Didn't take long to realize welding nude isn't the answer and weaning a towel accross my face only present's something else to catch fire.

No pics necessary. Thanks.

 

[user.69169]

You gonna run bandsaw learn about waxing blade.
Like dis man says, even a candle works, you don't need fancy bandsaw wax.

Wax Your Blades [Pro Tip Series #8] - YouTube

 

[jaxs]

No pics necessary. Thanks.

So you get the picture without actually seeing a picture? :cheerful:

 

[Sberry]

 

[Sberry]

Something to consider. There is a fascination especially on the internet with 45s and tuning too. With most of this work its design and build and I really rarely buy much steel. I find it, salvage and if it can be built from bent or angle it's used.
One of the benefits of being the designer is to build easy and I ain't got to use every angle they ever invented and most of what I see it on newbie projects it doesn't add anything due to the basics of joint and brace design not always understood.
When I was slumming I was a smart jazz, I was a new hire and the guy want me to build a bench and was really surprised when I had it working shortly after lunch. Last one they build take a week or 10 days.
I see one on the net recent described as "simple" bench, had 75 pieces with 20 diag cuts fits welds grind down could have do mb e and looked the same for 13 straight cuts on a chop saw with a bent wheel.
Nice enough bench but not simple and 2 weeks hard work. I did stuff more like a that when I started, took a while to become efficient fabricator.

 

[JohnnyMX]

I took a one day class to at least get me going with stick welding. I feel like I need a one day on how to just stick things together efficiently. I am an overthinker, but am learning that it takes time to get all the stuff cut, ground, and welded so I need to be wiser when I need to do something or not. I guess you learn over time. I wish I had a buddy that was a guru that could just say "hey idiot, do it this way." The bandsaw worked great on the first project. My cuts are at least straight and more consistent. I realized I should have taken an easier way out on the corners, but wanted to practice trying to do 45's. They weren't necessary and my cheap internet find on steel was too large for the bandsaw, so I ended up using a grinder and cutoff more than I wanted. The band saw also made quick work of the repeated cuts and let me stack and get more material in between. I do see how a basic abrasive chop saw would make some of those cuts even faster.

 

[Sberry]

Thats quite a starter project.

 

[Rebeldad1]

never liked a chop saw or being around one. I have used a metal cutting bandsaw for lots of years. never had a issue. great for 90 degree and angle cuts. cuts are very accurate.

I have a old(er) version of this from central machinery. cuts up to 4X6"

1 HP 4 in. x 6 in. Horizontal/Vertical Metal Cutting Band Saw

Amazing deals on this 4In X 6In ***/Vert Metal Cutting Band Saw at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

paid for it on my first job. Built a lot of stuff since. great as well for cutting lots of small parts as well

 

[MickeyDBC]

I have a bit of a saw problem. I have a cold saw, couple of vertical bandsaws, 3 auto feed horizontal bandsaws (bought another one today - an Amada HA250W), a 10HP Kalamazoo chop saw, high speed non-ferrous saws, etc... But for fab work I have found my new best friend. I saw a review of the Diablo Steel Demon blades and figured I would give them a try on a project I am working on right now (an 800 gallon water wagon). They claimed that they would work on a regular miter saw and so I bought a pair of 12" ones to use on an old 12" PorterCable wood miter saw and these things are great. I have about a dozen cuts on 4x4x3/16" square tube and a dozen or so on 4x4x1/4" angle and no dulling evident yet. Blade was about $30 each and the cuts are great.