Horizontal metal bandsaw for home shop

[jl123]

I'm looking at something like this to cut my stock and other stuff such as steel angle. I can't justify a more expensive one with all the bells and whistles so I'm wondering if this would get me by and if anyone has had any bad experiences with this class of machine.

All replies are appriciated. Thanks.

[ViperTX]

Works great....I've seen some writeup where people have burned up the motor....I used my all summer in 100 degree weather and always had a fan trained on the motor.....to cut over 300 feet of 1" square steel tubing...changed the blade and speed and cut a bunch of 1" thick Aluminum jig plate...no problem.

Personally I think it's a good buy....a good quality motor is inexpensive...or buy HF warranty...

[RLC]

I've had mine for 7 yrs. Seems I paid $150.00 for mine. I've cut 6" stainless round bar with no coolant, just turned it on and walked away. The stand is weak (junk) but all in all not a bad buy.

[Alan Wright]

I think a horizontal bandsaw such as this one (same one I started with) is a must-have for the home shop. Most of them have a few minor problems to fix before they operate well, and some have poor quality motors that will run hot or overheat. I bought the HF model, but later got the better motor that Grizzly included on theirs. It no longer heats up.

You can get by with this size bandsaw forever if you are patient. I finally upgraded to a 7x12 horizontal (cuts far faster) and also a separate vertical saw (for cutting sheet/plate). However, I still use the 4x6 frequently as I keep it equipped with a blade good for cutting smaller and harder material. If I want to cut something several inches thick then of course I use the 7x12.

If you are still using hacksaws or recip saws or cutoff saws other such options you will be very happy if you get a 4x6. I was reluctant for a while but now realize that was a mistake. Also get some quality blades suited to the pieces you will cut.

Alan

[JWOOD]

I've had my 4x6 for 5 years now and fing it works good. Considering I only paid $180cdn for it it was a great deal. The saw paid for itself with the first job I did. The only shortfall was the stand, which I have replace with one much stiffer and a lot higher. If you buy a good bi-metal it will make alot of differance. When you buy it get a tube of stick lubricant, it looks like a tube of grease. You apply the lubricant to the moving blade every once in a while and it cuts much faster and the blades last longer.

[DSL PWR]

I have that saw also. I've found it is impossible to get the blade true to the world (square cuts). I agree the stand is junk. I also had to grind my blade guide, to get the full travel to do some 45 deg cuts.

[justin bowser]

I have one as well and concur with all of the above comments. Just checked the HF web-site (interestingly enough to order a couple spare blades) and it is currently on sale for $179.99.

Justin B.

[ViperTX]

Forgot to mention the dri-lube....I use the Boelube in a tube....makes a difference.

[Dugg]

I have a Wells saw at home with coolant, but seldom bother mixing up a batch of coolant for small jobs. I spray the blade with WD 40. I buy WD 40 (or, as my wife calls it, DW40) by the gallon and use a hand squeeze spray bottle.

We have a much larger saw at school and I tell the guys I usually feed slower than they do simply because I have to pay for my blades at home. That message doesn't seem to impress them. About once a week we hear the saw lock a piece of broken blade into the stock which then it acts like a hardened cutting tool to rapidly remove the rest of the teeth from the blade. This produces a blade that, were it stainless, might be good for shredding lettuce at Taco Bell.

[JWOOD]

The last company I worked for it was my responsibility to ensure the engineers were trained on using the equipment and to make sure they worked safely. What I would do is buy carbon steel blade stock by the coil and if they didn't listen and broke a blade they got a leson in welding a new one. After several attempts at welding the blade eventually they got it and learned that the hard way to listen especailly when you have 3 or 4 people standing there waiting.

[vladdy]

The cheap import saws are pretty good, everything considered..been running a 4x6 for probably 20 years now, maybe three of four sets of bearings, again cheap Ringball brand or equivalents, same motor , set on middle set of sheaves...
Usually run the cheap blades as I abuse them a bit [ok, sometimes a lot], and just replace when they lose teeth or angle cut.. for better cuts I get the bimetallic blades...
No coolant, [except for aluminum], and a fair bit of pressure, the tension spring loosens up when I lift the arm more than six inches..
Only thing I noticed with the cheap blades and higher than recommended pressure is that they occasionaly break at the weld..
still haven't changed bushings, lots of regular greasing, and the gearbox has that black moly Polaris chain case oil in it now, handy when I'm cutting at 20 below...

[justin bowser]

Interesting, this discussion of the cheapo saw. The Harbor Freight flyer I received this past week shows it's now on-sale at your local store for $159! I now feel ripped off by buying mine on sale for something like $197. But, after cutting a chunk off some 4" wide x 1/2" 4140 stock (for the four bolt clamp mod for the 9x20) with a hack saw convinced me that it would be worth double the price! I think I went through 6 "Buck" brand hacksaw blades on that project...