Harbor Freight Chop Saw

[Tim135]

chopsaws

I too looked at the HF saws and at discount tool stores in my area. Like somebody said, you have to spend about $150 to get a fairly good one. I ended up getting a Milwaukee 14" chop saw on sale for $152. I also found the 3/32" blades work best on this saw. That's what came with it originally although I had to look for that size until I found it at Home Depot under the Hilti brand for $6. Most places sell the 1/8" blades which are harder on the saw and make a bigger than necessary kerf. I looked into using a miter saw for cutting both metal and wood but I got the same advice which was don't do it. I don't think the miter saw has the hp or the rpm to do the job on metal. The Milwaukee has a nice heavy cast base and a 3.2 hp motor and I have had no touble with it cutting some fairly heavy stock. I also bought a brand name so I could get parts like brushes and service for it if I eventually need them. Hope this helps someone, Tim.

[Tackweld]

Ridgid chopsaw on Ebay & cold saw speeds

Just a heads-up if anyone is interested--I have some Ridgid bolt dies to list later on Ebay so was checking out the competition, and "saw" this...http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3100646657 No relation at all to seller or promoting Ridgid chopsaws in any way.
I'm not a coldsaw expert, but at work we coldsaw steel bars up to 7 5/8" dia. into billets for forging with carbide tip saws and those blades (usually around 30" dia) don't turn more than 150 rpm. 'Course all has to do with bar dia., steel grade, blade dia. and tooth count/style-no coolant is used except for S/S specials. And Wa-hoo, can these saws spit out the chips!

[Mowjunk]

Dave, if you use an abrasive blade, it will work. However, if you plan on using one of the carbide toothed blade, the saw will spin too fast. At least, this is what the DeWalt people told me. Maybe others here will have first hand experience with it. Hope this helps you....

[davejurek]

Very nice Tackleweld! Yes, your shop is very clean too!!

I appreciate the advice on the chop saw from HF. I am thinking i should buy a miter saw and use a metal cuttingblade in it when I need to cut metal. I also do assorted wood projects so it'd be nice to have one tool do both. Thoughts?

Dave

[Tackweld]

Bandsaw photo

Will,
The bandsaw is 90% based on Dave & Vince Gingery's Book that you can get from www.Lindsaybks.com for around ~~ $10.
Do not bid for it on ebay under "metal bandsaw" catagory, just a re-seller. The book has quite a few mistakes, drilled hole diameters and dimensions, stock sizes specified, no allowances were made for angle iron inner corner radius fit-ups, etc. At this stage, I know for a fact that if the author was to try to build the saw >>to the book<< progress would come to a fast halt, nothing major, mostly holes not lining up -but to print -time & time again.. Better proof-reading would have helped here. I learned to "pre-engineer" the next part to the last of an assembly before the lay-out and build to be sure it would fit 1st time.
After all that..I can recommend this saw so far as I've built it, just pre-check all dim's and holes for fit-up. If you'd like any more details or more pics, let me know off-board and you got it..
JA Swann NE Ohio

[Will]

Tackweld,
I like the bandsaw project. Do you have sketches or drawings with dimensions? If not maybe some close up pictures?

Thanks!

[cope]

clean shop

My son-in-law and I will be cleaning mine up after the 1st of the year. Then I will post some pictures. I took my MIG outside for a picture I posted; shop is too dirty and cluttered.

[Mowjunk]

I have to agree with you, Cope.

I wish you guys would stop posting pictures of clean shops. I think I read some where that a clean shop was an unproductive shop.

Now my wife sees this and wants to know why mine isn't like this one and that one. I'm running out of excuses.

Tackweld, you have some nice projects. It looks like you have been pretty busy. Good job and welcome to the forum.

And you do have a nice shop.........

[cope]

shop

Tackweld, that shop is too clean. You are supposed to show pics of works in progress. Very nice!

[Tackweld]

Hydraulic Press

[Tackweld]

Shop-arage

[Tackweld]

The next couple- in no particular order- will show the V/H 7 x 12 metal bandsaw under construction, the corner of the shop where most of the electrodes are burned, and the mobile 12 ton hydraulic shop press completed recently.
I'd like to add I'm not a professional welder by any means, actually an Industrial Electrician by trade, but I sure enjoy cutting up the steel and welding all kinds of projects around here (Gantry Crane outside, all the accesories for my Honda Rubicon, Lathe stand, you know what I mean...) Anyways, Thanks for looking.
JA Swann

[Tackweld]

Tapered pin for the 45 L/R and 90 Degree stops, with a good quality disc and reasonable cutting pressure, accuracy is very good

[Tackweld]

This is the stock stop, put together from odds and ends but works real well...

[Tackweld]

I shot some pics of the chopsaw stand, and slid in a couple extra shots for fun...comment if you'd like. JA Swann