Looking for metal bandsaw

[Keith Outten]

I agree with Brian about the Port-A-Band. I have an old Rockwell Port-A-Band saw built in 1975 that is worth its weight on occasion. Its a heavy machine when you have to hold it in your hands for a long time. Unlike Brian I leave the Port-A-Band hanging on the hook unless there is no way I can use my stationary band saw to make the necessary cut. When I was young I would grab the Port-A-Band in a heartbeat, these days my hands ache just thinking about having to hold that saw.

Brian, how about posting a picture of the welded fixture you made for your Port-a-Band. Maybe I can do the same for mine.

I own a Milwaukee abrasive saw but I rarely use it anymore. I keep it around just in case I need to go somewhere and cut a few pieces on a remote job. One of the things I do use a lot is a very large bolt cutter. I cut flat and round bar to length for scroll projects with the bolt cutters. Now that I have a good metal band saw I can stack pieces precut with the bolt cutter and cut them to length the easy way. For rough cuts the bolt cutters are cheap and fast.
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[Ed Weiser]

Thanks, Brian. That's a great idea for the roller stand. Makes one-person cutoffs from long stock doable. I've been looking for a used Milwaukee "porta-band"--no hurry. I can use a Sawzall in a pinch for now. How do you fit a secondary vise into the main vise and have the stock face the right way--a toolmaker's vise?

[Brian W Smith]

Yes,it's a toolmaker's vise.The saw's vise is a little too far away from blade.....maybe an 1-1/2?The little vise just pops right in,and gets within an 1/8 or so of blade....the "trick" is,we have a simple block of wood that is cut the same length as little vise.It gets put in big vise at the other end when using the small one,it prevents the saw's vise from twisting or binding.

There is quite a few things that can be done on these saws,well any pce of machinery actually,if you want to really get into it.Ours could really benefit from having a threaded hole in saw's "bed"....just on the outboard side of blade.A nice 3/8(or metric equiv,haha)or so SHC going through some sort of right angle "stop".Think an electric chop bx.....with no fence on the right side of blade?What happens with the cutoffs?Well,the same happens with our metal saw.The cut pcs have to be looked for.I may just do that today.

Keith,it's a pce of steel angle...maybe 1x1x1/8 and a cpl inches long.It's been on our B&D saw I know for 15 years.It's welded to the little,flat OEM pce.The whole thing pops right in a vise.I use a Jorgy spring camp on trigger.The blade thing is real,I won't cut anything on the big saw that dosen't have some sort of material pedigree.......just say NO,to scrap "bed rails".Stainless will also put a hurtin on a bandsaw blade.So,if there's any question....we just use the little saw.

I know some folks don't want to subscribe to the whole "breakin" notion,and that's their perogotive.But I have ruined brand new blades just rushing in on cuts.Most recommend a few cuts through some aluminum on new blades.It smooths and "joints" the blade apparently?We don't think about it too much,just do it.It happens with porta band blades as well.......anyone want to make an argument on wood BS blades?We cut right much exotics in the cabinet shop......resaw some Purple Heart on a freshly sharpened blade and you can watch it peel those sparkly new teeth off.

[Richard Moran]

I bought a HF horz band saw for most heavy duty metal cutting and it works great. I converted it to hydraulic feed and modified the clamp so it stays in one place instead of swiveling around.

I also converted my Taiwan vertical band saw to cut metal, mostly for shaping efficiently by reducing the speed with a double reducer jack shaft modification. It works great. I also modified it with a 6" riser block on the throat so I can cut 12" logs for bowls or re-sawing planks.

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