I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage will
be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300, but
I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at Harbor
Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade with
Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

On 2010-02-11, Joseph Gwinn wrote:
I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage will
be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300, but
I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at Harbor
Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade with
Lenox or Starrett.)

I have the Harbor Freight saw. I did replace the blade right away. It
works for me.

i

On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:38 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage will
be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300, but
I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at Harbor
Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade with
Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

If Jeff Wisnia doesn't check in on this, he has one and reported that
it works just fine. Use Milwaukee blades. My Milwaukee cuts about
twice as fast as most import horizontal bandsaws.

Don Foreman wrote:
On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:38 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage
will be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300,
but I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at
Harbor Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade
with Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

If Jeff Wisnia doesn't check in on this, he has one and reported that
it works just fine. Use Milwaukee blades. My Milwaukee cuts about
twice as fast as most import horizontal bandsaws.

I've never compared , but my Milwaukee cuts through a 3" round of 4140 in
under 3 minutes . I mostly use the 10/14/?? blades (Morse , IIRC and made
in USA) from HF , about 20 bucks for 3 blades .
I've also used some DeWalt single-pitch fine tooth blades for thinner
stuff . The HF blades are pretty good bang-for-the-buck IMO .
--
Snag
Built a stand/table
to use mine
as a vert saw ...

"Snag" wrote in message
...
Don Foreman wrote:
On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:38 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage
will be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300,
but I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at
Harbor Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade
with Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

If Jeff Wisnia doesn't check in on this, he has one and reported that
it works just fine. Use Milwaukee blades. My Milwaukee cuts about
twice as fast as most import horizontal bandsaws.

I've never compared , but my Milwaukee cuts through a 3" round of 4140 in
under 3 minutes . I mostly use the 10/14/?? blades (Morse , IIRC and made
in USA) from HF , about 20 bucks for 3 blades .
I've also used some DeWalt single-pitch fine tooth blades for thinner
stuff . The HF blades are pretty good bang-for-the-buck IMO .
--
Snag
Built a stand/table
to use mine
as a vert saw ...

Your stand sounds like a great idea! Will it pivot, to function like a
stationary cutoff band saw?? The best of all worlds!!
--
EA

Existential Angst wrote:
"Snag" wrote in message
...
Don Foreman wrote:
On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:38 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The
main use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so
usage will be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300,
but I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at
Harbor Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are
the problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied
blade with Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

If Jeff Wisnia doesn't check in on this, he has one and reported
that it works just fine. Use Milwaukee blades. My Milwaukee cuts
about twice as fast as most import horizontal bandsaws.

I've never compared , but my Milwaukee cuts through a 3" round of
4140 in under 3 minutes . I mostly use the 10/14/?? blades (Morse ,
IIRC and made in USA) from HF , about 20 bucks for 3 blades .
I've also used some DeWalt single-pitch fine tooth blades for
thinner stuff . The HF blades are pretty good bang-for-the-buck IMO .
--
Snag
Built a stand/table
to use mine
as a vert saw ...

Your stand sounds like a great idea! Will it pivot, to function
like a stationary cutoff band saw?? The best of all worlds!!
--
EA

No , I replaced the bolts that hold the back half of the case with some
that have deep nuts instead of heads (hex stock machined on the lathe) .
Used those to bolt it to a stand with the blade vertical , like a regular
band saw , and replaced the little stop strip with a small table . It's
limited to short cuts , but works great for the size and type of projects
I'm doing . Usually use it to cut stock to machinable lengths .

--
Snag

Snag wrote:
Existential Angst wrote:
"Snag" wrote in message
...
Don Foreman wrote:
On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:38 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to
$300 horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The
main use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined,
so usage will be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about
$300, but I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also
looked at Harbor Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item
47840-0VGA, for $75.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are
the problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied
blade with Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

If Jeff Wisnia doesn't check in on this, he has one and reported
that it works just fine. Use Milwaukee blades. My Milwaukee cuts
about twice as fast as most import horizontal bandsaws.

I've never compared , but my Milwaukee cuts through a 3" round of
4140 in under 3 minutes . I mostly use the 10/14/?? blades (Morse ,
IIRC and made in USA) from HF , about 20 bucks for 3 blades .
I've also used some DeWalt single-pitch fine tooth blades for
thinner stuff . The HF blades are pretty good bang-for-the-buck IMO
. --
Snag
Built a stand/table
to use mine
as a vert saw ...

Your stand sounds like a great idea! Will it pivot, to function
like a stationary cutoff band saw?? The best of all worlds!!
--
EA

No , I replaced the bolts that hold the back half of the case with
some that have deep nuts instead of heads (hex stock machined on the
lathe) . Used those to bolt it to a stand with the blade vertical ,
like a regular band saw , and replaced the little stop strip with a
small table . It's limited to short cuts , but works great for the
size and type of projects I'm doing . Usually use it to cut stock to
machinable lengths .

Yeah, cuz of the throat limitation.....

But, you *could* put a pivot on it, so it could function like the typical
4x6 green or red HF bandsaws, right?
Just need a vise of some sort.

Ito the 4x6 bandsaw size, what would this portable rate as?
--
EA

Existential Angst wrote:
"Snag" wrote
....
Built a stand/table
to use mine
as a vert saw ...

Your stand sounds like a great idea! Will it pivot, to function like a
stationary cutoff band saw?? The best of all worlds!!

I once thought that I didn't have room for a H/V saw & bought a
Milwaukee PortaBand (used on eBay). And I made a stand for it:
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/PortaStand.txt
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/PortaStand.jpg

It was OK, especially since I didn't know any better. Then a neighbor
gave me a 4 x 7 HV & I somehow made room for it. There is NO
comparison. Nobody should ever buy a PortaBand 'cause they don't have
room for a 4 x 7. MAKE room - it doesn't take that much. Worse case -
put it on casters & wheel it out when needed.

Bob

Existential Angst wrote:
Snag wrote:
Existential Angst wrote:
"Snag" wrote in message
...
Don Foreman wrote:
On Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:38 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to
$300 horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space).
The main use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined,
so usage will be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about
$300, but I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also
looked at Harbor Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item
47840-0VGA, for $75.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are
the problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied
blade with Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn

If Jeff Wisnia doesn't check in on this, he has one and reported
that it works just fine. Use Milwaukee blades. My Milwaukee cuts
about twice as fast as most import horizontal bandsaws.

I've never compared , but my Milwaukee cuts through a 3" round of
4140 in under 3 minutes . I mostly use the 10/14/?? blades (Morse
, IIRC and made in USA) from HF , about 20 bucks for 3 blades .
I've also used some DeWalt single-pitch fine tooth blades for
thinner stuff . The HF blades are pretty good bang-for-the-buck IMO
. --
Snag
Built a stand/table
to use mine
as a vert saw ...

Your stand sounds like a great idea! Will it pivot, to function
like a stationary cutoff band saw?? The best of all worlds!!
--
EA

No , I replaced the bolts that hold the back half of the case with
some that have deep nuts instead of heads (hex stock machined on the
lathe) . Used those to bolt it to a stand with the blade vertical ,
like a regular band saw , and replaced the little stop strip with a
small table . It's limited to short cuts , but works great for the
size and type of projects I'm doing . Usually use it to cut stock to
machinable lengths .

Yeah, cuz of the throat limitation.....

But, you *could* put a pivot on it, so it could function like the
typical 4x6 green or red HF bandsaws, right?
Just need a vise of some sort.

Ito the 4x6 bandsaw size, what would this portable rate as?
--
EA

I've seen set-ups that use these saws as a pivoting saw ... but that was
more work for no gain in functionality for me purposes . I'd say this is
probably similar in capacity to a 4X4 bandsaw .

--
Snag
"90 FLHTCU "Strider"
'39 WLDD "PopCycle"
BS 132/SENS/DOF

On Feb 11, 1:00*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:

I once thought that I didn't have room for a H/V saw & bought a
Milwaukee PortaBand (used on eBay). *And I made a stand for it:http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...PortaStand.jpg

It was OK, especially since I didn't know any better. *Then a neighbor
gave me a 4 x 7 HV & I somehow made room for it. *There is NO
comparison. *Nobody should ever buy a PortaBand 'cause they don't have
room for a 4 x 7. *MAKE room - it doesn't take that much. *Worse case -
put it on casters & wheel it out when needed.

Bob

I recall a projects in metal or home shop machinist article where the
guy did away with the legs, and built a low profile wheeled frame that
fit under the work bench, for just this reason.
ignator

On Feb 11, 11:12*am, ignator wrote:
On Feb 11, 1:00*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:



I once thought that I didn't have room for a H/V saw & bought a
Milwaukee PortaBand (used on eBay). *And I made a stand for it:http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/...//www.metalwor...

It was OK, especially since I didn't know any better. *Then a neighbor
gave me a 4 x 7 HV & I somehow made room for it. *There is NO
comparison. *Nobody should ever buy a PortaBand 'cause they don't have
room for a 4 x 7. *MAKE room - it doesn't take that much. *Worse case -
put it on casters & wheel it out when needed.

Bob

I recall a projects in metal or home shop machinist article where the
guy did away with the legs, and built a low profile wheeled frame that
fit under the work bench, for just this reason.
ignator

I bought my home saw at an auction. Had no sheet metal at all! I
followed the magazine article and built a timber frame with casters
just like the article. That was over 10 years ago and it still works
great. I have another saw at the plant complete with sheet metal
frame. It wobbles all over and almost tips over when using it
vertical. Home saw never tries to tip.

Would sure recommend the 4X4 frame after you wear out the sheet metal.

Paul

Joseph Gwinn wrote:

I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage will
be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300, but
I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at Harbor
Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840


http://hfreviews.com/item.php?id=7028


Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade with
Lenox or Starrett.)

And, are there better choices?

Thanks,

Joe Gwinn


--
Greed is the root of all eBay.

In article ,
Ignoramus5688 wrote:

On 2010-02-11, Joseph Gwinn wrote:
I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage will
be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300, but
I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at Harbor
Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade with
Lenox or Starrett.)

I have the Harbor Freight saw. I did replace the blade right away. It
works for me.

What do you use it for?

Other posters agree that the HF unit does do the job, which of course is
always the big question with noodle-factory products.

I don't doubt that a real horizontal bandsaw is better, but I really
don't have the space. The mill and the lathe took all the space. Not
to mention the metal/wood cutting vertical bandsaw (Wilson 8201?).

I think I will order the HF unit.

Joe Gwinn

Joseph Gwinn writes:

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work?

I usually carry the work to the saw (the venerable 4x6), but occasionally I
have to carry the saw to the work, and this is what I use, with good
results.

On 2010-02-12, Joseph Gwinn wrote:
In article ,
Ignoramus5688 wrote:

On 2010-02-11, Joseph Gwinn wrote:
I'm in the market for a portable bandsaw, in lieu of a $200 to $300
horizontal bandsaw (for which I don't have the shop space). The main
use is to cut metal stock off into lumps to be machined, so usage will
be moderate.

Milwalkee seems to make the best portable bandsaws, for about $300, but
I don't know that I need this much saw, so I also looked at Harbor
Freight's noodle factory knockoff, Item 47840-0VGA, for $75.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47840

Does anyone have one of these? How well do they work? What are the
problems? (I know that I will need to replace the supplied blade with
Lenox or Starrett.)

I have the Harbor Freight saw. I did replace the blade right away. It
works for me.

What do you use it for?

Just cutting off stuff. It is noisy, though, and lately I have been
doing a lot of cutting off on my Bridgeport.

Other posters agree that the HF unit does do the job, which of course is
always the big question with noodle-factory products.

Always a big question, yes.

I don't doubt that a real horizontal bandsaw is better, but I really
don't have the space. The mill and the lathe took all the space.
Not to mention the metal/wood cutting vertical bandsaw (Wilson
8201?).

I think I will order the HF unit.

I think that you would not regret it.

i

On Feb 11, 2:00*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
...Worse case -
put it on casters & wheel it out when needed.
Bob

I ran some threaded rod across the base under the motor and put on
plastic lawnmower wheels.

jsw