portaband

[swick1]

I just got a plug in portable bandsaw that my contractor buddy owned. As borat would say "wow woo wee wow!" It is very nice! What kinds of interesting things have you all cut? My favorite so far is din rail and all thread. It's great how it doesn't booger up the first thread!

 

[grsthegreat]

ive been using my Milwaukee portable band saw for over 15 years.... on 2nd blade.

They cut like butter. i mostly use mine for all-thread and emt electrical conduits.

when you clamp a bolt or all-thread in a vice and cut with portaband there is never any thread chasing necessary.




edit: Make that Porter Cable portaband

 

[ishiboo]

Once you have a portaband you use it for just about all metal cutting unless you have a full size horizontal bandsaw. They are a dream! I was using a sawzall for a lot the things I now use the bandsaw for, it is unbelievably nicer.

I have the Bosch cordless and the battery life isn't even bad considering what it all does.

 

[Reyer Farms]

What kind of blades are you using???? I need some!

 

[grsthegreat]

there just Milwaukee blades that came with it when i purchased it. I have 1 more left thats never been used. guess ill use it in 10-15 years haha


edit: i made a mistake...not Milwaukee.... its a porter cable saw

the milwaukee are my cordless kit. ohoh....does this mean im getting old..


or does it mean i have too many tools and getting confused.

 

[firemanmike69]

there just Milwaukee blades that came with it when i purchased it. I have 1 more left thats never been used. guess ill use it in 10-15 years haha edit: i made a mistake...not Milwaukee.... its a porter cable saw the milwaukee are my cordless kit. ohoh....does this mean im getting old.. or does it mean i have too many tools and getting confused.

Do you have a cordless milwaukee portaband? I'm looking at getting one and I wanted some opinions. To the OP they are sweet arnt they? It makes you not want to use anything else to cut metal

 

[grsthegreat]

Do you have a cordless milwaukee portaband?

no, its corded

i dont think they even make it anymore

 

[Reyer Farms]

Well, I guess I'm just rough on them. portabands are nice to have!

 

[CNC Dan]

I built a stand for mine, and added a bigger table. Oh, and a foot switch from Harbor Freight. My favorite way to cut metal.

 

[swick1]

The only problem I have so far is trying to get it to cut straight (along the thin edge of the blade). I think I need to turn it so it cuts like a vertical saw instead of horizontal. Any tips?

I used to do all my cutting with an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel or a chop saw but this is sooo much cleaner quieter and easier.

 

[IslandTractor]

I have to confess that I went a bit nuts with portabands. I wanted to get one to use in a mini table (Swag Off Road: SWAG Portaband Tables) so bought a new Milwaukee. Works very nicely with a HF foot switch just as CNC Dan says. After I was all set up and happy, a killer deal appeared on Craigslist on a second used Milwaukee with the Milwaukee pipe cutting "chop saw" table Milwaukee Portable Band Saw Table-48-08-0260 at The Home Depot . I guess I just had a GAS attack, (gear acquisition syndrome). In any case, both are great tables that allow a portaband to do precision cuts.

 

[swick1]

Thanks! That horizontal table is just what I need!

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks! That horizontal table is just what I need!

Be careful to note the differences between the four types. the first just clamps into a vise. Cost effective but limited. The second and third types are more flexible. The fourth type is super easy to get the saw in and out of but only works with the most recent model of Milwaukee portaband. Swag also sells the HF foot pedal for not much more than HF and they sell a nice Incra miter gauge too that fits the higher end table models.

 

[grsthegreat]

thoise are pretty cool. but i have a jet bandsaw in the shop. the portable one is for work only. super straight cuts arnt required.

 

[IslandTractor]

thoise are pretty cool. but i have a jet bandsaw in the shop. the portable one is for work only. super straight cuts arnt required.

For those of us with limited space and non production levels of use, the portaband in a dedicated table is a very nice tool.

 

[grsthegreat]

For those of us with limited space and non production levels of use, the portaband in a dedicated table is a very nice tool.

no, i agree. looks like a cool tool.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

To make a square cut on pipe, etc, use a pipe wrap. It's a flexible sheet with a straight edge you wrap around the pipe to mark for a square cut. Even paper will work but a little heavier is nice.
Jackson Safety 14752 Wrap-A-Round, Medium, 4' Length x 3-7/8" Width, Black: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Morse blades are good too.

 

[swick1]

What's a morse blade?

 

[woodlandfarms]

Love my porta band... made these to augment

 

[swick1]

Love my porta band... made these to augment

Too cool! I need to build one with a matching work support to sit on my concrete floor. I just need to figure out how to hold my saw. It doesn't seem to have any orthogonal edges.