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Metal Chop Saw Vs Band Saw

Discussion in 'The Tool Shed' started by FinoCJ, Sep 16, 2022.

  1. Sep 18, 2022
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Yes, I wrecked a carbide blade on a piece of bed-frame angle iron - turns out they are hardened steel. I believe re-bar can be of somewhat unknown hardness too.

    Also I am now more careful about how I feed the blade into the work-piece.
     
  2. Sep 18, 2022
    Greevesman

    Greevesman Member

    Napa, Ca
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    I have the bandsaw. Works great!
     
    FinoCJ likes this.
  3. Sep 18, 2022
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    I've got a RIGID abrasive chop saw I've used for at least 17 years now. Noisy, messy, likes to trip 15A breakers, but it's cheap to use and great to have. I've cut a ton of metal with that thing. I do all my cutting on the floor for easier cleanup with a broom.
     
  4. Sep 19, 2022
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
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    I have a portaband on a swag offroad stand. I use it alot for making brackets and tabs. I can get straight cuts on flat bar or plate but the blade flexes and throws off the cut on angle and square tube. If you plan on cutting mostly tubing and angle iron the cold cut chop saw would definitely be the better choice.
     
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  5. Sep 19, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Anyone know much about SteelMax brand saws....used one for sale that might be interesting
     
  6. Sep 19, 2022
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    I’ve been meaning to get the SWAG stand. I’m very happy with their press brake so far and various other products.
     
  7. Sep 19, 2022
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    Mar 4, 2003
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    Got an EVO 380 (I believe) 15" saw that I love and dumped old sparky (DeWalt Abrasive saw) when I got it. So good I can cut thin 1/16" or so spacers off of Tube.

    Also have a band saw on the SWAG Stand that works great for the smaller cutting I do.

    Between those and the Plasma - got the bases covered.
     
    Danefraz likes this.
  8. Sep 19, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    An abrasive saw, as previously posted, will cut hardened materials the other will not. They still have a place but I'll bet I haven't used my DeWalt in over a year.
     
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  9. Sep 20, 2022
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    I've still got it, but its hidden on a back shelf in the shed. Hasn't been out in probably 5 years now. I used a wax stick on the EVO blades that helped when I cut an axle shaft for a friend. Took a bit of patience, but came out well there too in the end. Not sure if it was fully hardened, just assumed it was since it was a shaft. He did send it in and have splines cut after that so I'm not 100% sure.
     
  10. Oct 11, 2022
    Vanguard

    Vanguard Take Off! Staff Member

    Vista, CA USA
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    Aug 30, 2006
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    Once I used the HF Bandsaw, I didn't use the chop saw again. Quieter, cleaner and much less messy. If I did a lot of fabrication, I'd try to get the next size up if it fit within the budget.
     
  11. Oct 29, 2022
    Rustman

    Rustman Member

    Charles Town, WV
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    Dec 28, 2019
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    I have an old Ridgid (I think) abrasive chop saw. Bought it off Craig's List or Facebook for like $25-35 something like that. I haven't even replaced the blade. Being an abrasive it'll cut anything, albeit noisily and messily. But it gets it done. On the I'll get around to it list is a SWAG portaband stand. I build their press brake kit and have used it for both home projects and business. Happy with their products. Going forward I'll be shopping for a cold cut chop saw, the ones that run a lot lower rpm than the abrasive saws. The cold cut machines seem to not readily available used and are premium tools new. While I just looked on Facebook and your old fashioned noise and sparks chop saw can be had for $20-$150. It won't be a professional production machine, but it'll be a leap forward from burning up 4" angle grinder discs.


    Matt
     
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  12. Feb 7, 2023
    aallison

    aallison 74 cj6, 76 cj5. Has anyone seen my screwdriver?

    Green Cove...
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    I have a cheap metal band saw and a cheap disc abrasive saw. If I could only have one, it would be the band saw. It does almost everything the chop saw does and a bunch more. If you take the time to set it up right, it will cut straight and do a great job, just slowly. I also use it to cut curves and such and made a bandsaw type table for it so I could use it upright.
     
  13. Feb 7, 2023
    Jeepenstein

    Jeepenstein Me like Jeep..

    North Central FL
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    This....

    I have not used a cold saw, they look great, but for portability and versatility I love a porta band..
     
  14. Feb 7, 2023
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
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    I use a portaband regularly.

    So to update this, I bought this https://www.dewalt.com/product/dcs5...ordless-worm-drive-style-saw-90ah-battery-kit just to cut aluminum sheet. Got the aluminum blade and a steel blade. For the 10 or so cuts in 1/4" 6061 aluminum sheet, its has been as good as a corded worm drive. Zero bogging down or any of the irritating stupid stuff the old toy like battery saws used to be. I haven't used it to frame a wall or anything, so I cant comment yet.
     
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  15. Feb 7, 2023
    Jeepenstein

    Jeepenstein Me like Jeep..

    North Central FL
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    I have that.. :censored::banghead::( It should say Fisher Price on it.. It came in a set from Porter Cabbe.. The drill and driver have been tanks, the saw, not so much..
     
  16. Feb 7, 2023
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    I got a flea market P-C skilsaw. Wasn't any good until I switched to L-ion batteries, then it came to life. Not a production saw, but very handy for working on a ladder or such.

    Of course now I'm finding the chinesium L-ion batteries are about 50/50 on sudden failures...:cry:
     
  17. Feb 15, 2023
    jeepermc

    jeepermc Active Member

    Western WA
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    I've got a Jet band saw, and an abrasive chop saw. I use the chop saw alot more.
     
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  18. Feb 17, 2023
    OnlyOneDR

    OnlyOneDR Member 2023 Sponsor

    R
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    Exactly. There is a reason why all these different tools exist; they are good at certain things and not others.

    Axle shafts are case hardened, not through hardened. It toughens the "shell" of the shaft and the splines without making the shaft brittle. Under shock loading the shaft actually deflects in torsion just a tiny bit. A through hardened shaft would not tolerate that and would fail.
     
  19. Feb 17, 2023
    Jw60

    Jw60 Sitting up n buckled down. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sedalia MO.
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    One thing to note is the heat put into the work by the tool. We use a band saw to slowly cut case hardened pressbrake tooling. It takes a while but the hardness is unaffected.
     
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  20. Feb 18, 2023
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    That is the case for common carbon steels used for axle shafts such as 1040, 1050, and 1541H, but less so for many of the chromemoly steels which are frequently through hardened. And yes, modifying stock axle shafts can negate that hardening.
     
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