Looking at Cold Saws, Any Experience with Kalamazoo Machine Tools?

Arc-On · Nov 13, 2017

Hey Guys,

I'm looking to buy a cold saw for my shop, right now the front runner is a KMT C300 manual saw. Priced around $2500 and made in Italy. I have an upcoming job cutting a lot of miters on stainless square tubing for some decorative handrails, and I don't want to cut that many miters on my bandsaw. This job will pay for a saw, but I would like some money leftover when the job is done.

I'd love a Scotchman, but they are twice the money. I friend has a used Bewo for $600, but it needs a new vise, and I can't seem to find any replacement parts for a saw that old. I'd hate to buy a used basket case and need to spend a grand getting it running.

Most of the used saws around here are about the same price as the new KMT.

I refuse to buy anything from Baileigh. We had a new 350 cold saw from them at a shop I worked at and it was the biggest piece of shit I have ever used in the machine tool world. A buddy has some of their stuff and it is equally as bad.

Any suggestions or experiences to share? I'd like to keep the price around $2500 if possible, but if its foolish to buy the new KMT I'll keep looking for a used Scotchman.

tubeguy · Nov 13, 2017

Arc-On said:
Hey Guys,

I'm looking to buy a cold saw for my shop, right now the front runner is a KMT C300 manual saw. Priced around $2500 and made in Italy. I have an upcoming job cutting a lot of miters on stainless square tubing for some decorative handrails, and I don't want to cut that many miters on my bandsaw. This job will pay for a saw, but I would like some money leftover when the job is done.

I'd love a Scotchman, but they are twice the money. I friend has a used Bewo for $600, but it needs a new vise, and I can't seem to find any replacement parts for a saw that old. I'd hate to buy a used basket case and need to spend a grand getting it running.

Most of the used saws around here are about the same price as the new KMT.

I refuse to buy anything from Baileigh. We had a new 350 cold saw from them at a shop I worked at and it was the biggest piece of shit I have ever used in the machine tool world. A buddy has some of their stuff and it is equally as bad.

Any suggestions or experiences to share? I'd like to keep the price around $2500 if possible, but if its foolish to buy the new KMT I'll keep looking for a used Scotchman.

We have 2 IBP peggora Kalamazoo cold saws, they put their sticker on the Italian saws as you know. They have been excellent units and are about 16 years old.
1 is a manual and 1 is a semi auto with vari speed and platen table.

We also have a couple of china cold saws. The vise slides and cylinders wear out quick but the gear boxes seem to last OK. I wouldnt buy them again.

Also have the simec auto center, that's been good, about 11 years old.

Opps ( MEP pegola )

DMF_TomB · Nov 13, 2017

Arc-On said:
Hey Guys,

I'm looking to buy a cold saw for my shop, right now the front runner is a KMT C300 manual saw. Priced around $2500 and made in Italy. I have an upcoming job cutting a lot of miters on stainless square tubing for some decorative handrails, and I don't want to cut that many miters on my bandsaw. This job will pay for a saw, but I would like some money leftover when the job is done.

I'd love a Scotchman, but they are twice the money. I friend has a used Bewo for $600, but it needs a new vise, and I can't seem to find any replacement parts for a saw that old. I'd hate to buy a used basket case and need to spend a grand getting it running.

Most of the used saws around here are about the same price as the new KMT.

I refuse to buy anything from Baileigh. We had a new 350 cold saw from them at a shop I worked at and it was the biggest piece of shit I have ever used in the machine tool world. A buddy has some of their stuff and it is equally as bad.

Any suggestions or experiences to share? I'd like to keep the price around $2500 if possible, but if its foolish to buy the new KMT I'll keep looking for a used Scotchman.

my old company had a cold saw and vise jaws were spread apart and somebody tried to cut 3/8 rod with jaws far apart and blade shattered into some of the biggest most dangerous pieces i ever saw. just saying they can be dangerous if used improperly

lionelt · Nov 13, 2017

I had one similar to this with foot operated air vice, not sure if a lot of these are badged from the same OEM.

The only thing I didn’t like was the suds pump, that ran of the back on the motor, it was a car fuel pump, lever operated with diapham.

I think it was a Fiat fuel pump so was able to replace it easily. It used to pick up swarf and bugger the diaphram. Had a small well in the base to hold the coolant.

Later swapped it for the next model up with air autofeed.

guest · Nov 13, 2017

I've got a Doringer D350. Head miters and locks at 45 and 90 degrees.

They aren't cheap, but I would buy another one tomorrow. It's a workhorse.

Mtndew · Nov 13, 2017

No experience with their cold saws, but we've had a couple of their belt sanders and they seemed to be pretty good quality.

EDIT:
Nevermind... 2 different companies. :willy_nilly:

gustafson · Nov 13, 2017

I have had a Kalamazoo FA350A for almost 24 years. Parts counter died years ago, and the mister was kinda useless, so I retroed a pump, otherwise no problems

Ries · Nov 13, 2017

The Italians make good cold saws, it should be okay from a quality standpoint- BUT- to cut stainless, you need a slow speed saw- especially on a 12" like that. For instance, I have a 45rpm/90rpm 2 speed Haberle. 45rpm is great for mild steel, 90 works fine for non-ferrous. But its too fast for stainless. Usually you want more like a 25 rpm for stainless.
My advice is call up Quinn Saw Blades in St. Louis (call, not email) and pick their brains about what saw blade you would need to saw your wall thickness of stainless with that saw. I think it goes down to 33 rpm. I dont know if that is a usuable speed, with the right blade, or not. But you should make sure it will cut stainless before you buy it. I know with my saw, at 45 rpm, I get about ten cuts in 1/4" stainless before the blade needs resharpening.
Which is why I like the bandsaw for mitering stainless.

jamscal · Nov 13, 2017

Scotchman is a Bewo...

They imported them first, then rebranded, and then I think started making them.

Anyway my Bewo has a Scotchman label riveted to the front but info plate says Bewo.

Parts for them are probably available from Scotchman....might be a good idea to give them a call.

They were helpful with mine.

guest · Nov 13, 2017

Ries said:
...I know with my saw, I get about ten cuts in 1/4" stainless before the blade needs resharpening.

Are you cutting dry? I run 54/108 rpm on a 350mm blade. I cut a lot of stainless tubing at 54 rpm, and usually pull the blade to resharpen after 150-200 cuts. I use a 220 triple chip, flood coolant.

I use a 180 tooth blade for steel and stainless solids, but anything over 1-1/2" cross-section goes to the band saw.

Arc-On · Nov 13, 2017

Thank you all for your comments. As far as the RPM on the stainless, would it be possible to put a VFD on the low speed windings on the motor to drop it down to around 22 RPM?

Jashley73 · Nov 13, 2017

I'm actually looking into cold saws for a customer now. A Scotchman is one of them in the mix. FYI, the tech recommended a 44/22rpm model for thicker section tubing, angle & channel, so I'd look for something slow like that for stainless, unless it's very thin...

I looked at Kalamazoo at first, but realized there's (2) different Kalamazoo companies. One makes cold-saws & band saws, the other makes abrasive chop-saws & sanding equipment.

HuFlungDung · Nov 13, 2017

I installed a VFD on my Scotchman so I could run it slow. No need to be stuck with one or two speeds with modern technology. Just make sure the VFD is rated at least as large as the motor hp, because it needs every amp it can get or it will trip out on overload.

My saw is very noisy when cutting, I don't know if others are better. I wear safety muffs when operating it....and turn on the music while I'm at it

Don't worry, I can still hear the damn thing with 40db reduction

lionelt · Nov 14, 2017

I had a slower motor fitted from new as I knew I would be cutting 1” to 2” stainless steel bar.

The motor is 1330/880 rpm. Not sure what the blade rpm is.

I still use it for large block of aluminium just use a very coarse blade.

winger · Nov 14, 2017

My friend has a manual Baileigh in his fab shop for about 5 years now. The vice needed a little fine tuning, and a few tries to get the right pitch blade, but no troubles since. He also uses an ironworker and bandsaw so the cold saw isn't running continuous though.
Dave

MrWhoopee · Nov 15, 2017

I cut my teeth (pun intended) on a Brobo in the early 80's. It was an awesome precision machine. Easily held +/- .005, no need to mill parts to length. I broke 3 blades learning how to cut miters, paid for the last one myself.

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Looking at Cold Saws, Any Experience with Kalamazoo Machine Tools?

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