I'm ready to buy a real band saw. I don't even bother to trying to use my harbor freight one anymore and the chop saw just ain't cutting it. I am starting to make more and more manifolds and need to start cutting my own collectors at home. I do them in the mill at work but even that takes too long.

I have been looking at this saw because it seems to be the best for my budget.

http://www.fresnooxygen.com/pr...=3027


I dont want to buy it and wish i had gotten something better but im no millionaire either.Do u guys think it will be a good saw or should i just wait to get some more cash and a betters saw?


Thanks,

Jeff

 

I'm ahhh...no bandsaw expert, but I myself cut collectors on a HF bandsaw. Aside from that though, that saw really doesn't look to be too much of a step up. It has the hydraulic strut versus a spring, and I mean I'm sure it's a little better quality, but it still uses the same size blade as the HF.

I just think you'd be in pretty much the same boat with that thing as the HF.

 

That is basically the same saw with a different layout

Look at the peerless saws the I have seen listed on ebay by the utter guys in fla they are a large tool supplier there

wish you were closer I would sell you my old grainger saw 5x8 made here and was $900 25 years ago and cuts just as good today

 

i have a wilton saw, its the one with the adjustable hydraulic feed, 114.5X.035X1" blade, its quite nice, i have no complaints at all.

I have cut everyhing with it, from 4-5" aluminum, to solid stock, plate, intake manifold plenums 14" long, odd shapes, collectors etc.

Its very solid, the only thing it didnt like so far was trying to cut a turbo in half, but that was my fault, my bracing was too think and it bent the brace and chipped some teeth off the blade. hahhaa

The only thing i wish it had was a rubber studded insert in the vice so it holds the material a little better.

 

http://www.southern-tool.com/s....html

and the only other thing is that the tray for coolant recirculation sucks ***, you HAVE to extend it or it pisses all over the floor lol.

 

Jet is still made in china, you not stepping up you shimming to the side.
Look for a saw with a minimum 3/4" blade, Coolant & Adjustable downfeed. Adjustable speed is also needed. Look for a Cast Base & HD componets. Vibration is bad on a band saw. If the right bandsaw is choosen it will last until you die, my marvel is 40+ years old and still cutting parts quite well

 

I have never paid attention to where my machine is made but it is watercooled has a 1" blade and cuts everything i need very well. I make at least 100 cuts on stainless steel blades before i need a new one. Its very reliable.

 

If you get a saw with coolant, make sure you clean the part REALLY well before you weld it. I'm personally a big fan of the ellis saws, even though they seem to be a bit out of your price range.

 

Ellis Makes a good Saw, for light to medium usage and the easy mitering is nice

 

I went and checked out a couple of saws at a local store today and i see what u guys mean. I'm pretty much set on the wilton saw they had now. The sales guy even reccomended against the Jet. Thanks for the input.

 

The wilton is a great saw we sell a ton of them. Best saw in its price range!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EGJDM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The wilton is a great saw we sell a ton of them. Best saw in its price range!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

Who is we and you wanna hook me up

 

I personally prefer the Italian made Hy-Tech saws. We have one running almost all day long, every day, at our heavy steel fab shop. Works great. In my experience, the european made equipment always seems to have the best tolerances and least maintence. However, they are definetly on the pricy side of things.

The one we run at work has a blade tension of 1200lbs! The ****** will cut through anything.