Metal Band saw

[tmc_31]

I bought one of the 4X6's a Clark I think from Tractor Supply about 5 years ago. Worked pretty well I thought. I got a machining job making some 3"diaX1"long steel blanks with a threaded 1" hole drilled in the middle. I had to cut the blanks out of a 20' long stick of A36 hot rolled steel. It took 15 minutes for my little Clark to saw through the 3" dia. I had been wanting a better saw for a while so I started looking. I finally settled on a TurnPro 7X12 gearhead drive horizontal/vertical bandsaw from Enco

Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Measuring Tools, Cutting Tools and Shop Supplies

I got this saw about 3 years ago, after a discount and free shipping for about $800.00 to my front door. Then I turned around and sold the old Clark 4X6 for $100.00.

The Turnpro would cut through the 3" dia A-36 in 3 minutes flat. I more than paid for the saw on that first job. One of the nice features it has is a coolant system. I don't always use coolant, but when I am doing a lot of cutting I turn it on and I think it cuts a little faster and certainly has less blade wear.

I highly recommend the Turnpro saw. It worked well right out of the crate and required little or no adjustment.

Tim

 

[The Fred]

I have had that exact same saw for several years now, and I love mine!.

View attachment 398393

HaaAaAaaaaa Of course you love it because you haven't used it yet! LOOK AT THAT THING IT'S BRAND NEW!!!!

Just kidding having a fun moment on you. But really have you used it yet?

Regards, and regrets for buying my saw. I do have a milling machine from Grizzly that has been trouble free since 2000. Of course they don't offer it any longer.

Fred

 

[k0ua]

HaaAaAaaaaa Of course you love it because you haven't used it yet! LOOK AT THAT THING IT'S BRAND NEW!!!!

Just kidding having a fun moment on you. But really have you used it yet?

Regards, and regrets for buying my saw. I do have a milling machine from Grizzly that has been trouble free since 2000. Of course they don't offer it any longer.

Fred

Yep, I have used it Fred If you notice the first thing I did was make a foldable handle system to assist in moving it around. Of course I cut the steel on the bandsaw. I have used it many times and I especially like the ability to cut angles easily with the swivel head feature.

 

[k0ua]

HaaAaAaaaaa Of course you love it because you haven't used it yet! LOOK AT THAT THING IT'S BRAND NEW!!!!

Just kidding having a fun moment on you. But really have you used it yet?

Regards, and regrets for buying my saw. I do have a milling machine from Grizzly that has been trouble free since 2000. Of course they don't offer it any longer.

Fred

Yep, I have used it Fred If you notice the first thing I did was make a foldable handle system to assist in moving it around. Of course I cut the steel on the bandsaw. I have used it many times and I especially like the ability to cut angles easily with the swivel head feature.

 

[LD1]

I have one of the 4x6 clark ones from TSC as well.

I have used it alot but I think the motor is under powered, and inside the gearbox, there is a brass gear driven by a worm. That brass gear wears out. I have replaced mine several times.

And as far as I know, all of the little 4x6 saws are like that. We have a more expensive version at work with angle table and hydraulic down feed. Its a baileigh (sp??), and it has the same gear setup that wears out alot sooner than I would expect it to.

 

[445A]

I'm kinda amazed that it even still working ... about a month or so ago I had it set up and doing a cut and I went outside to do some grinding came back in and the saw had stalled in the cut (my fault: too much feed rate for the size of the cut and the blade being used) and smoke was pouring out of the motor ...

I have used it alot but I think the motor is under powered, and inside the gearbox, there is a brass gear driven by a worm. That brass gear wears out. I have replaced mine several times.

RSWYAN: Had to laugh, that's exactly what happened to the first motor. Man can those Hong Kong motors smoke!:laughing: Took out the setscrew on the stop and put a shaft collar behind the stop. This allows the stop to remain in selected position, but it can be rotated away from the end of the part, before cutting, so it won't bind at the end of the cut.
LD1: I stumbled across this by accident. Your local lawn mower shop can help. Tecumseh has a product called bentonite, comes in a squeeze tube. The stuff isn't cheap, but less than bronze heli gears. $20 for a quart tube. Drain all the 90wt. gear oil out and replace with this medium bodied grease. It will lubricate those high pressure gear surfaces even in cold climates, and will cut down on "seeping" around the shaft seals. Also I found that the blade just needs to be tight enough to not slip, but just enough to make a straight cut. If your saw is cutting on a curve, as it drops down, replace the blade. Too tight a blade flattens the teeth on one side of the blade as it goes around the drive/guide pulleys after prolonged use. 445A

 

[bigtiller]

RSWYAN: Had to laugh, that's exactly what happened to the first motor. Man can those Hong Kong motors smoke!:laughing: Took out the setscrew on the stop and put a shaft collar behind the stop. This allows the stop to remain in selected position, but it can be rotated away from the end of the part, before cutting, so it won't bind at the end of the cut.
LD1: I stumbled across this by accident. Your local lawn mower shop can help. Tecumseh has a product called bentonite, comes in a squeeze tube. The stuff isn't cheap, but less than bronze heli gears. $20 for a quart tube. Drain all the 90wt. gear oil out and replace with this medium bodied grease. It will lubricate those high pressure gear surfaces even in cold climates, and will cut down on "seeping" around the shaft seals. Also I found that the blade just needs to be tight enough to not slip, but just enough to make a straight cut. If your saw is cutting on a curve, as it drops down, replace the blade. Too tight a blade flattens the teeth on one side of the blade as it goes around the drive/guide pulleys after prolonged use. 445A

Is that grease similar to john deere's corn head grease?

 

[MossRoad]

The cheap metal bandsaws are O.K. but they have their problems. Most notably, the motor was too weak, had a plastic fan, and was prone to melting and catching on fire! Here's a link to a page of a guy that made a lot of mods to his cheap saw to make it more reliable and useful.
4x6 Bandsaw Mods

 

[445A]

Is that grease similar to john deere's corn head grease?

Bigtiller: I thought you were spoofen me about corn head grease, so I looked it up. Found a video of it in a running gear box, cover off, and it sure looks like the same stuff. I will pick up a tube next time I am near the JD dealer. It's a lot cheaper! Thanks for the tip, bigtiller. 445A

 

[Xfaxman]

Bigtiller: I thought you were spoofen me about corn head grease, so I looked it up. Found a video of it in a running gear box, cover off, and it sure looks like the same stuff. I will pick up a tube next time I am near the JD dealer. It's a lot cheaper! Thanks for the tip, bigtiller. 445A

More info here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/271324-grease-rotary-cutter-gear-box.html