Bandsaw or chop saw?

[brrymnvette]

I need one or the other or both. Suggestions?

Here's what I've got.

I'm building a 4-link out of 2x4x3/16th tube. <--Chop saw or bandsaw to cut

I will be trying to make as many brackets as I can myself. <--bandsaw to cut

My question is, am I expecting to much to be able to get a bandsaw to cut the 3/16th tube? I've got a $500 budget. I plan on buying a used saw to mitigate the price. Recommendations? H/P I should try to get close to?

Does my post make any sense?

[XLexusTech]

What kind of band saws are you looking at? Chop saw has worked for me so far but I may be looking to buy a band saw for sheet metal

[brrymnvette]

I don't know what to look at. I know nothing about them. All I know is I want to be able to make brackets and be able to cut 3/16th or 1/4 steel.

[Eric Howell]

I bought a vertical/ horizontal band saw last year and don't know how I lived without one.
Looked around at JET and a few other brands the realized the smaller models are all the same minus some features.

JET

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Northern

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Sears

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/00921414000qlt900resModesharpop_usm090-1.5,0,0

Harbor Freight

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Needless to say the HF saw was the cheapest. Change the blade to a Lenox or Olsen blade and you're set. You want 3 to 4 in the material at all times (1/4 = 12 to 16 tpi)

[brrymnvette]

So will that allow you to cut out brackets? I don't understand how the one pictured work? Can you stand them up verticle and cut on a table?

[Eric Howell]

They can lock in the vertical position and have a small table to work on. The table isn't installed in this picture.
I used it to cut out all the brackets for my 3 link.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[ErikLS2]

I tried to make all the brackets for the 4 links on a rock crawler I built until I found this place: http://www.aa-mfg.com/pdshop/shop/listcats.aspx Any bracket, tab, plug, etc you can think of and cheap too. Much faster. On your saw question I would vote for the bandsaw.

[brrymnvette]

thanks guys. Yeah, now that I know the bandsaw can do all the things I want I'll be getting one. Prob the HF one of the Northern Tool one.

[Nine Ball]

Never knew those chop saws could be used vertical with a table before. I've used them for years in industrial settings, just never saw a table attachment, lol.

[Damn True]

I wish there was a simple, light-duty upright metal cutting bandsaw on the market. They just don't exist though. Plenty of small wood-cutting models, but nothing for metal.

[brrymnvette]

Just picked up the Harbor Freight band saw. They were having a sale plus I had a 20% off coupon. $156 out the door. About $100 off. Can't beat that price.


Now I have enough left over to get the 5.3 I'm looking at. Woohoo!

[canadiantbone]

could always use a cold cut saw. see milwaukee, Hitachi , Morsen .

[79T/Aman]

could always use a cold cut saw. see milwaukee, Hitachi , Morsen .

Those are dry cut saws, a cold saw runs about $4500 on up. a dry cut is ok but I had one in the shop for about 6 month and hardly used it the carbide tip chipped all the time even going slow, but I did have the Milwaukee that spun 400-600 rpm more than other brands, I think that had something to do with it

[parsonsj]

The dry cut saws work pretty well on thick wall tubing, and solid stuff.

Not so well on thin wall (like exhaust). I just eat blades (and at $120 apiece... it adds up).

jp

[canadiantbone]

Blades are alot more than that up here .

[79T/Aman]

If it was me for a garage application I would get the horizontal band saw and a chop saw, here in the US you could get both for $400-550