Need Help! Budget Cutting Solution

[JoeDawg]

I need a way to cut aluminum bar stock ranging from 1/4x1/2 to around 2x4, but more importantly the smaller stuff. A friend of mine has access a band saw, chop saw, etc. but I am designing prototypes in my apartment and I am doing 90% of cuts with a hack saw and it is killing my productivity. At my local Wal-Mart the have this saw http://www.blackanddecker.com/Produc...roductID=16909 on clearance for $80. Would this work with a triple chip blade? Or will I need a better saw? I could maybe afford $150-$200 total price for saw and blade shipping included. There are some fairly cheap blades on ebay (some less that $20) varying in size fro 5 to 10 inches. Would these work? Ideally I could buy the saw locally from either lowes or the Black&Decker from walmart to save on shipping but i have looked and havent found much in the way of aluminum cutting blades

So what I guess I need to know is:
-Necessary specs for miter saw (rpm, power, etc,)
-Ideal Diameter and Tooth Count for the blade

Also any links to product/supplier sites would much be appreciated

[Geof]

Would the Black and Decker work?

Yes with a triple chip blade it will make very fast, very nice cuts and a hell of a lot of noise; I am glad I am not your neighbor.

To answer your questions about power etc, it is a case of get the highest ampere rating you can with the lowest rpm, but you really do not have much choice. Same thing applies to the blade there is little choice, get 10" because it will fit on the saw and you have to accept the number of teeth available on the triple chip blades.

Don't worry the setup will work fine.

A good idea is to devise some clamp mechanism to hold the stock down. I length of wood hinged behind the saw that can be swung down onto the stock. This keeps your hand well away from the blade and hot chips.

[JoeDawg]

That loud huh? I lucked out on my mill, from upstairs it sounds like a vacuum... But for cutting I might have to go the band saw route.... Hate it though, found a Hitachi on eBay for $130 that miters and bevels...

Does anyone know of any decent horizontal bandsaws smaller/cheaper than the harbor freight one ($250)? Or maybe I could make one of the portable ones into a horizontal?