No one makes a small vertical metal cutting bandsaw

[mrplasma]

It seems that no one manufactures a small vertical metal cutting bandsaw. Yet little horizontal saws and vertical wood cutting saws flood the market. Many resort to fabricating a stand to hold their portable bandsaw in a vertical position.

I can't fit any more equipment in my garage, and I would have problems getting even a 14" metal cutting bandsaw into my basement. I mounted my Milwaukee portable saw in a stand, and while it works ok, you can't make more than about a 3" deep cut before the material hits the frame. Some people take steps to reduce the speeds of box store wood cutting bandsaws, but they still lack the rigidity for cutting steel.

The best I could do was to convert my 35 year old 4 x 6 import horizontal saw for vertical cutting. I never used it after I got my 7 x 12 saw. The little 4 x 6 does better as a vertical saw than it ever did in the horizontal position. I fabricated adaptors to take the twist out of the blade, giving it a 5" throat depth - not great, but a lot better than the portable saw. I swapped out the 1/3 hp import motor for a 3/4 hp Baldor.

Maybe someday someone will start making like a 10" vertical metal cutting saw.

 

[DDoug]

Why go to all the trouble to take out the twist ?
Both of mine work just fine by simply tilting them to the vertical position.

 

[BT Fabrication]

It seems that no one manufactures a small vertical metal cutting bandsaw. Yet little horizontal saws and vertical wood cutting saws flood the market. Many resort to fabricating a stand to hold their portable bandsaw in a vertical position.

I can't fit any more equipment in my garage, and I would have problems getting even a 14" metal cutting bandsaw into my basement. I mounted my Milwaukee portable saw in a stand, and while it works ok, you can't make more than about a 3" deep cut before the material hits the frame. Some people take steps to reduce the speeds of box store wood cutting bandsaws, but they still lack the rigidity for cutting steel.

The best I could do was to convert my 35 year old 4 x 6 import horizontal saw for vertical cutting. I never used it after I got my 7 x 12 saw. The little 4 x 6 does better as a vertical saw than it ever did in the horizontal position. I fabricated adaptors to take the twist out of the blade, giving it a 5" throat depth - not great, but a lot better than the portable saw. I swapped out the 1/3 hp import motor for a 3/4 hp Baldor.

Maybe someday someone will start making like a 10" vertical metal cutting saw.

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define a small bandsaw?
really small is a portaband
medium small most 7x13 horizontal will go vertical.
larger ones with an 18" wheel do exist but are $5000+ like a dake or hydmech.
there are also roll in bandsaws

 

[lazz]

Today there are few affordable options. 50 or more years ago Rockwell made a very usable 14" horizontal bandsaw, Model 28-200. $1000 will buy and refurbish a saw in almost any condition.

 

[Clive603]

The import 7 x 12 horizontal saws are generally reckoned to be head and shoulders above the 4 x 6 H-V breed. With reason industrial rated, if you don't expect a boy to do a mans work, rather than hobby rated as in needs fiddling, fettling and occasional swearing at.

Given that it ought not be too hard do a similar conversion using a 7 x 12 as a basis. The economics don't look too unreasonable compared to searching out an older saw that could be re-built. Obvious drop in quality compared to an older industrial machine but you can jus go and buy one. Used or new.

Clive

 

[steve-l]

There is no substitute for a proper industrial rated DoAll contour saw or equivalent. Take care of them and they will last your lifetime. Yes they are awkward and they take up a lot of space, but you will not be satisfied with anything less......believe me! My solution to this space dilemma was to weld up a stout trolley like cradle for all my saws and drill press these trolleys only raise the height 1 inch. All the wheels swivel. This allows me to roll these machines in and out of the garage as I need. I also made heavy duty, weather proof covers so that they can remain outdoors in my driveway without suffering corrosion and deterioration. This solution gives me great flexibility.

 

[lucky7]

Agree with DoAll recommendation.

If the OP wants smaller than smallest DoAll, consider a made in Canada General. Up till about 2005 they made a 14” throat version of their wood cutting vertical saw with a fairly decent back gear. Reasonably solid for what it was. From recollection slow enough for low carbon steel. The General International rebadged Chinese stuff otoh was crap imo.

 

[memphisjed]

define a small bandsaw?
really small is a portaband
medium small most 7x13 horizontal will go vertical.
larger ones with an 18" wheel do exist but are $5000+ like a dake or hydmech.
there are also roll in bandsaws

Multiply by 10 for hydmech, marvels are 70 as of the first.

 

[memphisjed]

So hypethetical, asking for a friend..
Would there be any reasonable market for a 14 inch wheel 1/2 inch blade contour saw?
14 inch wheel has very little wiggle room in option.
Would you spend 6 grand on one?

 

[amaranth]

I have a DoAll 16 inch 12-FSP and it fits nicely in smaller shops. The table is 24x24 and the footprint is not much larger than a small horizontal saw.

 

[lr harner]

i love my roll in saw but thats bigger then you want. even if they could make one half the size at half the cost i dont think they would be a lot of buyers. i know a bunch of knife makers that woudl not be spending 2500$ on a small roll in saw but they should. they do all kinds of great work in a small shop. the only option i can think of woudl be to mod a 7" class saw and give it gravity feed

 

[sfriedberg]

Jet has a bunch of variations on the Delta/Rockwell14" vertical bandsaw. There's at least one (model J8201-K) with a two-speed gearbox, and the lower speed is suitable for cutting steel. This is a pretty light-duty saw, of course, but it's much better made than the generic 6x10 horizontal class.

 

[Superbowl]

It took me a year to track down a decent Powermatic 143 with a 14 inch throat at a reasonable price but it was worth the time and effort. The full size throat on a true vertical saw allows you to cleanly cut a decent sized piece of plate or sheet metal that is impossible to cut on a horizontal saw standing upright. In my case you can cut plate 14 inches wide on one side and infinitely wide on the other side. Plus on a true vertical the bed can be tilted, there is room for a cutting guide and a slot for a miter gauge.

 

[AlfaGTA]

Plus 1 on the Powermatic
Walker Turner made a nice little saw as well.
Cheers Ross

 

[Peter from Holland]

Over here you have the Mossner record 320 with a wheeldiam of 320mm Also has a build in butt welder for the saws and a grinding wheel to grind the weld So you can saw out big holes of any shape Very well build
Still available new But EXPENCIVE

Peter

 

[DDoug]

i love my roll in saw but thats bigger then you want. even if they could make one half the size at half the cost i dont think they would be a lot of buyers. i know a bunch of knife makers that woudl not be spending 2500$ on a small roll in saw but they should. they do all kinds of great work in a small shop. the only option i can think of woudl be to mod a 7" class saw and give it gravity feed

You can build a Roll-In saw in your garage with a buzzbox and a torch. Make it any size you like.

 

[gustafson]

I don't see how the footprint of a 14 inch wood/metal saw is problematic compared to what is pictured

 

[steve-l]

I don't see how the footprint of a 14 inch wood/metal saw is problematic compared to what is pictured

It doesn't, if all you want to do is look at it, but if you wish to use it, you will need working space for yourself and the work. Hence, my recommendation of wheeled trolleys.

 

[JFoley]

I use a 30 year old 14" wood cutting bandsaw with a 3/4 HP variable speed DC motor. Maybe it's a little stiffer than the new ones but I cut anything I want on it with a nice Starrett blade. I added brushes to keep the wheels clean and cool blocks on the blade. Slow and steady does it with 304/316 SS, mild steel or aluminum. I'm just a hobbiest so I don't push on it all day long but it does what I need.

 

[Blazemaster]

I have an old delta 16" that I added a gearbox to, to slow it down. Not as rigid as a do-all, but I have cut some 1" thick stainless and did just fine. Make a good push block, your fingers will get sore.