cutting metal?

joes_427_vette · May 4, 2007

ELLIS makes the nicest metal bandsaws on the market. Horizontal and verticle cuts are a snap. The saw also cuts angles like a mitre saw. Great machine !! It would be the last machine I would sell.

Tom_Veatch · May 5, 2007

joes_427_vette said:
ELLIS makes the nicest metal bandsaws on the market. ...

WOW! At about 10x the price of a 4x6 horizontal import for their smallest model, I would hope so!!! Ok for a production shop, but for a farm/home/hobbiest, it's a little rich for my blood.

toy · May 5, 2007

Desert Moose said:
Hey guys.

I'll be doing quite a bit of metal fabrication soon. Mostly cold rolled steel tubing, maybe some aluminum. I have an Enco horizontal metal cutting band saw, but in the 10 years I've had it, I have never been able to get the thing to cut straight and square.

So, I'm thinking of another saw. I've heard of people using chop saws to cut metal. Either with an abrasive blade, or with a carbide?? blade.

What should I look for? Are chops saws made special for cutting metal, or do you just put a different blade on a regular saw? What's the advantage and disadvantage of abrasive blades versus the other (carbide?? fill me in here) type.

I won't need a huge capacity. mostly will be under 2" square, maybe once in a while I'll get up to 4". It would be nice to be able to miter, but I don't see a need for a compound miter.

Thanks, Sam

About a month or so ago I bought an antique power hacksaw ,it had M.F. co. [Millersfall Massachusets]. It had a patent date on it Aug1893 with another date below that one which is Jan 1892. I had to do a little adjusting on it when I got it home but that was because of me laying it down in the bed of my truck. It uses a flat about 2 inch wide flat belt to drive the saw a motor was added instead of using an overhead belt drive I think that was how our ancesters did it, any way it cuts a square and clean cut. It has a wooden arm that goes from the drive plate over to drive the saw which I looked up on the internet and in the picture that I found seems to show a wooden peice used from the start. I paid fifty dollars for it and if I'm not mistaken it will cut about a 5 1/2" dia pipe. You raise the saw blade up clamp the metal in the clamp where you want it lower the blade turn the machine on and go on about your buisness it will cut itself off when it finishes the cut it does a great job. I'm proud of the American quality workmanship in this antique that has a lot of life still left in it. You might not be able to find one but I'm glad I did. I have other cutting tools that probably will cut a little faster{ but I'm not sure of that] but none of them is as satisfying to use. Just bragging a little on our grandfathers generation and wanting to honor their work and skill. I feel a little American pride bubbling up forgive me for babling on about it.

gsdavis1 · May 5, 2007

What is everyone meaning by saying "skill saw". I though Skill was a brand name that manufactured and sold many different kinds of saws. Which one do you mean?

Greg

sandman2234 · May 5, 2007

One thing I have noticed about this forumn is there are a lot of people that really prefer to purchase new "toys" for their tractors and shops. Nothing wrong with that, and I can appreciate a new toy along with the rest of you.
However, in the case of a homeowner type, spending the money, (serious money) to purchase something above the import line of saws, we are usually talking a little more than front pocket money.
I purchased a mill and lathe from a friend and got an import saw with it.
I have made do with it, and it does a fair job, all things considered.
Last year I got a chance to purchase a used saw, a Rollin 20" vertical contour saw from a guy in NW Arkansas. Quite a drive for me, and shipping it wasn't an option, but since my Dad lives in SW Arkansas, I got him to hold it till my next trip. The saw is great!!!. I would have paid twice what I paid for it ($650) if I had known it was a good as it is. During the time between purchase and pickup, I heard about a 16" Doall saw, with welder in Sarasota. Now that is only 250 miles, so I jumped on it. Ended up with two great saws for less than a thousand dollars plus my time. I keep the DoAll at a friends house, since he needed a saw also.
What you need to do is start watching for a good saw and be prepared to get it when it shows up. Had I hesitated for a second, I know both of those saws would be in somebody else's shop.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/sandman2234/Rick Brightwell/Bandsaw2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/sandman2234/IMGP0703.jpg
David from jax

texasjohn · May 5, 2007

Right, Skill is a brand name, but to me = hand held portable 110 volt electrical saw with circular rotating blade that all carpenters use for general construction work. Generally used to cut 2x4's at 90 degrees, but can be tilted.

Tom_Veatch · May 5, 2007

gsdavis1 said:
What is everyone meaning by saying "skill saw". I though Skill was a brand name that manufactured and sold many different kinds of saws. Which one do you mean?

Greg

The term "skil saw" became a generic reference to all portable circular saws in much the same way that "xerox" became a generic reference for all copy machines, "piper cub" for all light aircraft, and, in the deep South at least, "frigidare" for all home refrigerators, and "coke" for all cola drinks. There are so many instances of brand names becoming generic terms that companies with very successful products having deep market penetration go to great lengths to protect their trademarked names.

I don't know if it was because Skil (brand name) was the first, the most successful, or the most popular when "skil saws" (generic term) came on the market. I do know that when I was growing up, any portable circular saw was called a "skil saw" regardless of the brand name. I don't believe my father ever referred to a hand held, electric circular saw, by any term other than "skil saw".

Generally you can determine by the context of the usage whether or not the specific brand "Skil" is meant or whether the general class of hand held circular saw is meant when the term "skil saw" is used.

digger2 · May 5, 2007

I just finished watching the video of the Milwaukee 14" metal saw on the Milwaukee website.I always thought Milwaukee made some of the best tools out there.When
i was younger and the price ruled what i bought,i bought Craftsman,but they never held up very long.Now whenever i buy a tool,if Milwaukee makes it,
i buy Milwaukee.They just work and last alot better.
Question for you guys that have the Milwaukee-Does it really cut as good as the video makes it look on the Milwaukee website.Seems like it cuts
awfull fast,faster than a abrasive saw.Also,from what i can gather,the blades cost about $150 each,but someplace i saw they are supposed to last about
34 times as long as an abrasive cut off wheel.......digger2

texasjohn · May 5, 2007

I saw that demo too. My impression was that the material being cut was thin or aluminum..... or both. I'm sure it works, within limits.... but I'm ghoing to stay with my abrasive blade for the work I'm doing... if you DID run that blade into something that messed it up, $$$$$ down the drain whereas an abrasive blade is MUCH cheaper.