Horizontal Band Saws

[smidsy]

Hei Guys,
I noticed Hare and Forbes have a 150x100mm capacity horizontal band saw for only $330 - $11 each for blades.

Anyone used one of these, seems to me that for this price it's a better option than a metal drop saw - quieter and neater.
No coolant system, but cheapest machine with coolant is $1100 so for an $800 saving I could live with a squirt bottle of coolant.
Cheers

[tanii51]

get one you wont regret it. but a good quality bi metal blade is the best
i bought mine second hand in a very used conditon but it still cuts fine maybe not quite as straight as id like but way better than a drop saw
john

[rusel]

It what I use, just spend a bit of time setting it up and it cuts straight and square every time.
Plus when in vertical position it handy for doing small trim jobs. You can also cut many different materials steel - wood - plastic

Russell

[BobL]

I was also looking at a metal cutting saw to cut up steel for a raft of shed projects but a used one came up months ago and I grabbed it. Once I sorted out blade tension I have found it to be excellent and it has cut up many metres of steel since. I live an inner city suburb and noise is a big issue for me and I really like the way you can leave it cutting and go do something else.

I haven't made one for my HBS yet but low cost coolant pumps can be made using an aquarium pump. I have made one for my lathe this way and am very happy about the way it works.

[Corgan]

can you get a blade that will do a decent job on stainless?

not real thick stainless, up to and including say 50x50x3 shs

I too live in suburbia, and aside from the noise problem, the amount of dust thrown up in my little shed by my abrasive saw is out of control. would love to clear it all out, get the dust out and start cutting quietly without dust!

[Dave J]

I cut stainless with my H&F's Sarrett blades, but if you are cutting it all the time I would by a bimetal blade.
The only thing you need to watch is to keep the pressure on the blade and don't let it sit and rub or the stainless will work harden like drilling.

Dave

[WelderMick]

I'm happy with mine and will fit a coolant system soon - I have an aquarium (water, not air) pump and reckon it'll take less than $50 to get a good system going.

A few recent threads:

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/new-bandsaw-stand-136989/
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/cheapo-bandsaw-h-fs-bs-4a-136454/
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/current-bandsaw-recommendations-135256/

Cheers

- Mick

[welder]

i love my bandsaw it's great i built a stand and coolant pump out of scrap and a pond pump.


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Cai_8J7oNnk/SzVFqTYnnKI/AAAAAAAAADg/Uki3HfvRCdE/s640/Image0019.jpg

[Corgan]

hmm, i reckon i'll own one of these very shortly then, along with some bi-metal blades :U

cant wait to retire that chop saw :doh: my ears and lungs hurt just thinking about it

[kraits]

have a look at the hare and forbes site again, as i recall they have two horizontal band saws that swing 90 degrees into the vertical position, super handy in my opinion but, i haven't got one and can't comment on the quality of them, might be something to think about.

[Dave J]

Thats the 2 cheaper ones that most of us here have, and are around $300-$400. They come with a sheet metal table for vertical use that will do the job, but you are better off building a new one.

Dave