I'm Looking To Buy a New Metal Cut-Off Saw......

Stuart Ablett

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Tokyo Japan
I have a very cheap Toshiba cut-off saw that I bought maybe 18 years ago, try as I might, I cannot kill it :rolleyes: but, it does not cut straight, it cuts just off 90 degrees and badly off 45. I think the table of the unit flexes and the cut ends up not square. This leads to a lot of hand filing or grinding, a waste of time. I bought a big metal cutting chip tooth saw blade for it, but that did not really help either. I think this saw cost me about $50 new, so I've certainly gotten my money out if it, and it still works, but I'd like to upgrade.

I'd surely like to buy a metal cutting bandsaw, but they are quite out of my price range, the cheapest I've seen here that I would buy is over $1000. I'm looking to spend less than half of that.

One unit I found here on Amazon that looks good is an Evolution Fury2

http://www.evolutionpowertools.com/us/project/fury2.html


At about the 1:35 point in that video they cut a nice straight 45 on some square tubing, that is what I'm after. Any of you that weld will understand, a nice 45 cut like that is so very helpful when trying to build some thing square.
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This saw is about $280 on Amazon with free shipping, so it if very tempting.

At a similar price is a Shindaiwa unit....

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With just the abrasive blade

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Or a Hitachi unit, again, only the abrasive blade.

The good thing is I can use the abrasive blades I still have with the Fury2 unit, and the chip blade I have I can use that one too, I think.

All of these units look to be built about the same, the base is pressed steel, I'd rather have a cast steel base unit, but those are all very expensive and they are almost all 200V or even three phase 200V, I'd like to stick with 100V

The only other thought I've had is to get a chip saw blade for the old Hitachi sliding mitre saw I use as my jobsite saw, but the problem I have with that is no clamping mechanism, which I would need, and I don't really want to bang up that saw, as it is good to have as a traveling jobsite saw.

Any thoughts?

Cheers!
 
I did try to fix the unit I have.....

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Where I started, took off all the pieces on the base.

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I then put this piece of plate steel on the base, it's a little over 1/8" thick.

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Making the slot for the clamp, don't forget your jigsaw for this kind of work, with the right blade it is a very versatile tool.

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This is the pin on the vice there is a little shoulder there that had to be made longer to allow for the plate on the base, I put a nut on it then ground it down....

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One taller shoulder.

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I used my Incra jig on the sawstop to cut this set up block, as you can see the blade is certainly at 90 degrees to the fence.

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and at 45 degrees, it is still bang on, but when I cut a piece of square tubing, the cut is NOT at 90 or at 45, but a bit off.

I'm going to give this some more work, but I'm still looking hard at buying a new unit.

Cheers!
 
I have not used the tools, but I have heard many great things about Evolution's professional "RAGE" line (as opposed to the DIY FURY tools). Particularly the Rage3 Sliding Miter Saw. Basically, it's a beefed up sliding miter saw that spins at 2500rpm instead of the standard 3450. Comes in single and double bevel models.

If you're strictly looking for a cut-off tool, my opinion is to err on the professional side. Get the Rage2 instead of the Fury2.
 
I have not used the tools, but I have heard many great things about Evolution's professional "RAGE" line (as opposed to the DIY FURY tools). Particularly the Rage3 Sliding Miter Saw. Basically, it's a beefed up sliding miter saw that spins at 2500rpm instead of the standard 3450. Comes in single and double bevel models.

If you're strictly looking for a cut-off tool, my opinion is to err on the professional side. Get the Rage2 instead of the Fury2.

Thanks for the info David.

The Rage2 is not available here in Japan, the Rage3, the SCMS is, but I bet it is stupid expensive.
 
Stu I researched these saws a while back for cutting mild steel tubing. A Google for 'metal dry cut chop saws' gets lots of info. From what I remember there is a speed difference between cold cut saws and typical miter saws that makes a big difference. The Dry-Cut Metal Saws spin slower to avoid burning the carbide tips. Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita, Evolution all make dry-cut saws...there are more I can't remember. Another option is a porta band:
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/corded/6232-21
with a Swag table:
http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-V40-Portaband-Table_p_63.html
Depends on what you want to cut.
 
The only other thought I've had is to get a chip saw blade for the old Hitachi sliding mitre saw I use as my jobsite saw, but the problem I have with that is no clamping mechanism, which I would need, and I don't really want to bang up that saw, as it is good to have as a traveling jobsite saw.

Any thoughts?!

Stu,

We don't have the same metal cutting needs, but I do exactly as you describe. My first compound miter saw was a $99 ryobi (didn't know anything at the time). I shelved it when my BIL lent me a decent SCMS, and I quickly went out and got one for myself. Since then, I've put a metal cutting blade on that old ryobi, and I use that for metal cutoff. I'm sure the purpose built ones are way better, but that cheap little piece of junk actually does a decent job. Some day the sparks will catch some piece of plastic on fire, but until then, it does the trick.

Thanks,

Bill

(editing in: interesting thread on this subject here: http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1192 (see especially page 2.)
 
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Ted, I'd love a bandsaw, ones that are hinged to the base, are very pricey here, the cheap ones well cheap and not worth it, the good ones start around $1800.

Bill, I'm looking at that, but the only company that I can find here that sells a blade that would fit the old SCMS wants about $180 for the blade, and like I said, I still use that saw as a job site saw, so I don't want to damage it.

OK, I got some more work done on fixing what I have, I tightened up the play in the clamp, added another clamp, and some sandpaper to the faces of the vice.

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A closer look.

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With the metal cutting blade, it cuts the tube at 90 very well, totally happy with that, but I noticed it does not cut the 45 well, then I noticed on the metal cutting blade is says "only cuts 90 degree cuts". Oh.

I then tried the abrasive blade on the saw......

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This worked out very well, I'm happy with that cut, but I'm still thinking of buying a new saw, I'd like to have that clean cut ready to weld, sure would save some time, the joint there is good, but there is a fair bit of hand filing do get all the flags, swarf, dunno what you call it, but the extra work, smoke, sparks etc would sure be nice to avoid.

At least now I'm not in a big hurry now to buy a new saw.

Cheers!
 
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Well, I bought the saw.

Now the biggest problem I'm having with the old saw and the old saw is the swarf that the abrasive blade leaves after the cut.....

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That is a lot of swarf to clean up on each cut.

The new saw turns slower and does not create smoke or sparks, only metal chips, so I think it will be better.

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The box opened.

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It comes with an extra long allen wrench to fit over the fence, nice to have and the handle for the wheel that works the clamp, as well as a spare set of brushes for the motor, and even a pair of safety goggles and ear plugs.

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packaged up nicely.

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The new saw is larger than the old saw, does not really fit into the metal shroud I had, but I don't think I need it, as this saw does not create a shower of red hot sparks!

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almost no swarf at all, clean up with half a swipe using a file.

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makes nice flat square corners, I think I'm going to like this saw.

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Cheers!
 
Good review Stu. I was having similar problems with mine the last time I used it , cuts straight fine, but angle cuts or any small cuts off the end makes the blade flex too much for a clean cut.
 
Well nothing beats right job and blade for the application. I was thinking about all that swarf when you mentioned abrasive discs cutting.
My bet is you will do more building and welding now simply on the basis of the fact that you can be more efficient and its less schlep to cut parts that go together properly.

So now are we gonna see a new bike trailer? :)

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
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