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Tool Vertical bandsaw or Porta-band?

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DavidR8

DavidR8

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Here's my dilemma: I have an Busy Bee wood/metal vertical bandsaw and a 4x6 horizontal bandsaw. The horizontal is great, cuts square etc.
The vertical is just OK. I managed to tune it up so that it cuts ok but it's underpowered and the trunnions are pretty feeble cast aluminum affairs.
For wood it's just barely OK.
I'd consider getting rid of it in favour of a Porta-band type saw and a table so that I can have a proper wood bandsaw instead of trying to make the one I have do double-duty. But I wonder what capability I might be trading away...
 
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Ok I spent a bit of time in the shop going over this thing.
Discovered that the tires are covered in dried on/mashed on sawdust and metal which has a sheen to it so likely slippery. It does come off so a bit of elbow grease there might do wonders.
One of the belts is slipping so a new set of belts is in order.
The SFM at the slowest speed setting is about twice as fast as it should be for metal.
There's room to fit larger/smaller pulley combos, more so if I fab up a new cover with my new brake :P
Maybe I'll sit tight and see how much I can tune it up.
 
Keep an eye out for a DoAll 16". I stripped out the mechanical reeves drive on mine and added a vfd. It still has a hi/low range gearbox. It'll do 50-3500 fpm so it does metal and wood very well. I got my machine for 800 and spent 2-300 converting it, so pretty reasonable.
 
David_R8 said:
Maybe I'll sit tight and see how much I can tune it up.
Click to expand...
What blade do you have on the vertical? I think a quality blade makes a big difference.

But, if you want to get back the floor space that the vertical bandsaw is consuming, Quinn on Blondihacks did an interesting table for a portaband that clamps in the vise:


Then, if you want to go 'next level', Mark Presling showed a Universal Welding Bench Mount that I think could be adapted to as a quick mount for the portaband!


Right now, I have my cheap import-clone portaband attached to a cutoff table. Even with the crappy blade supplied with it, I've been impressed with the speed and quality of the cuts it can do. If I needed more freehand cutting, I'd be really tempted to try a version of Quinn's table and Mark's mount. But then, my shop tools ToDo list stretches 'round the block!

Craig
 
I’ve got the same dilemma. I have a nice Rikon 14” wood bandsaw. It would be nice to also have a metal bandsaw, however I’m running out of workshop space.

I suspect I’ll get a portaband until I regret not having a proper horizontal bandsaw.
 
I spent some time sussing out the saw last night. One thing I discovered is that the SFM is about six times faster than it should be for metal. I have room in the housing to swap pulleys out for larger/smaller ones.

And one of the belts was pretty loose. So I’m going to do some more work on it to see if I can’t get it working better.
@trlvn it has an Olson blade on it now. 14 tpi if I recall correctly.
 
Thinking about the problem a little more in relation to the cutting tools that I own and the work that I've needed to do.
Bandsaws:
4x6 horizontal bandsaw for cutting stock into lengths, been a great tool.
14" vertical bandsaw (supposedly wood & metal but SFM is high for metal) Does fine in non-ferrous and ferrous under 1/8"
Plasma cutter nothing to say except wow.
Oxy/acetylene nothing needs to be said here.
Angle grinder Ugh. Tool of last resort for me.
Tablesaw. Recently added a non-ferrous blade to cut aluminum panels for CNC. Cuts 1/4" aluminum like buttah!

I think I either need to slow the vertical bandsaw down for profile cuts in steel or dedicate it to wood and get a portable bandsaw for metal.
The Wen is on sale for $139.
 
I have the Dewalt corded deep cut portaband and a simple little table for it I whipped up myself...it's slow going with it and I do find myself hitting the limits of the throat depth pretty often. I would love to have a full size vertical (and horizontal) but no space in my garage.
 
SomeGuy said:
I have the Dewalt corded deep cut portaband and a simple little table for it I whipped up myself...it's slow going with it and I do find myself hitting the limits of the throat depth pretty often. I would love to have a full size vertical (and horizontal) but no space in my garage.
Click to expand...
Space is the final frontier. At least in my shop... :)
 
@David_R8 The porsche answer is to replace the vertical with the Busy Bee CX101 18" variable speed bandsaw, but you might need a much bigger garage first. ;)

The WEN is a great deal. JohnN bought one of these King portaband with a cutoff stand for about the same price as the PA model, and I can attest this thing rocks. It will easily do almost anything the 4X6 horizontal can do at 1/5 the space. So if space is the primary, go with a portaband vertical, portaband cutoff, and your wood bandsaw... and release the horizontal to someone with more space.

BTW he and I have cut nearly 100 cuts with his portaband cutoff saw, and I think we he is on his third blade. So even the blades last for a reasonable length of time.

I should add that having an untethered portaband has upped my game. I begrudgingly accepted one as a gift from a friend and it has bee in regular use ever since,
 
Dabbler said:
@David_R8 The porsche answer is to replace the vertical with the Busy Bee CX101 18" variable speed bandsaw, but you might need a much bigger garage first. ;)

The WEN is a great deal. JohnN bought one of these King portaband with a cutoff stand for about the same price as the PA model, and I can attest this thing rocks. It will easily do almost anything the 4X6 horizontal can do at 1/5 the space. So if space is the primary, go with a portaband vertical, portaband cutoff, and your wood bandsaw... and release the horizontal to someone with more space.

BTW he and I have cut nearly 100 cuts with his portaband cutoff saw, andI think we are on our third blade. so even the blades last for a reasonable length of time.
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You've managed to hit at the heart of the matter @Dabbler It's a matter of space. I'm running out of room.
I'm dividing my shop into wood and metal. I need a vertical bandsaw for wood more than I need it for metal. And the smallest space is on the metal 'shop' so eliminating a tool (the horizontal saw) helps the space front.
So maybe the answer is a portaband with a table for profile cuts and basic stock sizing and as you say dedicate the vertical saw to wood.
 
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Its not a bandsaw, but I have one of these guys too :

canadaweldingsupply.ca

Steelmax S9 XP 9″ Metal Cutting Circular Saw with Laser Guide

Steelmax 9″ Metal Cutting Circular Saw Discontinued - Please see FEIN 9" Slugger Metal Cutting Circular Saw as an alternative The most powerful saw of this size in the market, the new Steelmax S9 XP is designed for heavy duty industrial uses and widespread on-site applications including...
canadaweldingsupply.ca canadaweldingsupply.ca

It's awesome for sheet goods. I've cut 3/8" plate with it. Nice clean cut. Does not take up much room.
 
Darren said:
Its not a bandsaw, but I have one of these guys too :

canadaweldingsupply.ca

Steelmax S9 XP 9″ Metal Cutting Circular Saw with Laser Guide

Steelmax 9″ Metal Cutting Circular Saw Discontinued - Please see FEIN 9" Slugger Metal Cutting Circular Saw as an alternative The most powerful saw of this size in the market, the new Steelmax S9 XP is designed for heavy duty industrial uses and widespread on-site applications including...
canadaweldingsupply.ca canadaweldingsupply.ca

It's awesome for sheet goods. I've cut 3/8" plate with it. Nice clean cut. Does not take up much room.
Click to expand...
I have one of those as well it is a Jepson and I agree they are great for sheet and larger items that are ackward to cut in the cutoff saw . I am also in the hunt for a bandsaw and have not had much luck finding anything in my price range that is worth dragging home. I have pretty low standards.
 
I converted my 4x6 to vertical only mode a couple of years back -- and I confess to using it a lot, extremely useful for awkward pieces that are difficult to clamp on the 7x12 horizontal. I find the 4x6 'small' and limited..... it was intended for horizontal so the ergonomics for vertical are not ideal.

I also had a Milwaukee M28 portaband (the big one) that I've given to my son (cost of batteries is very prohibitive). And I confess to using that a lot as well -- great for outdoor activity (auctions, estates, acreage).

So, looking at the options, I'd probably get a corded portaband (not battery) and build/purchase a vertical table kit for it. Why corded? Battery power has its place (ie: going to make 2 or 3 cuts to free up some steel in a scrap pile) but I'm almost always burning through all my batteries. I have a couple of different generators that are portable so the cord isn't much of a hinderance.

My go-to metal cutting kit would then be:

7x12 (or larger) horizontal
Corded portaband w/table for vertical/outdoor
Oxy/Propane for everything else
 
kevin.decelles said:
I converted my 4x6 to vertical only mode a couple of years back -- and I confess to using it a lot, extremely useful for awkward pieces that are difficult to clamp on the 7x12 horizontal. I find the 4x6 'small' and limited..... it was intended for horizontal so the ergonomics for vertical are not ideal.

I also had a Milwaukee M28 portaband (the big one) that I've given to my son (cost of batteries is very prohibitive). And I confess to using that a lot as well -- great for outdoor activity (auctions, estates, acreage).

So, looking at the options, I'd probably get a corded portaband (not battery) and build/purchase a vertical table kit for it. Why corded? Battery power has its place (ie: going to make 2 or 3 cuts to free up some steel in a scrap pile) but I'm almost always burning through all my batteries. I have a couple of different generators that are portable so the cord isn't much of a hinderance.

My go-to metal cutting kit would then be:

7x12 (or larger) horizontal
Corded portaband w/table for vertical/outdoor
Oxy/Propane for everything else
Click to expand...
The one and only time I used the 'table' on my 4x6 I darn near tipped it over backwards as the balance point is all wrong.
I think my plan is to pick up a portaband type saw, maybe the cutoff base for said saw and then sell my horizontal to try and recoup some floor space.
I'm trying to stuff a lot of tools into a small space
 
David_R8 said:
The one and only time I used the 'table' on my 4x6 I darn near tipped it over backwards as the balance point is all wrong.
I think my plan is to pick up a portaband type saw, maybe the cutoff base for said saw and then sell my horizontal to try and recoup some floor space.
I'm trying to stuff a lot of tools into a small space
Click to expand...

What size of stock can that portaband handle?
 
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