A "Good" 5 x 6 Bandsaw

Does anyone actually make a good 5 x 6 bandsaw?

We have an application here that cuts 4" rubber hose to length. Now the rubber hose has stainless steel reinforcement wires that raise the challenge a bit.

We have been cutting this hose successfully for a few years with your run of the mill foreign 4 x 6 bandsaw. But it seems I can't keep one running. The motor mount plate on the first one broke. Now the brass drive gear on the second one has failed.

It may be money ahead to just continue to go downtown and pick up another bandsaw for $300 for a back up, but it seems that the saw fails at the most inopportune times.

Does anyone out there make a smaller bandsaw that will actually last? A 7 x 10 machine would be huge in this application. I'd like to stay in the 5 x 6 range or smaller.

CatMan said:

Does anyone actually make a good 5 x 6 bandsaw?

We have an application here that cuts 4" rubber hose to length. Now the rubber hose has stainless steel reinforcement wires that raise the challenge a bit.

We have been cutting this hose successfully for a few years with your run of the mill foreign 4 x 6 bandsaw. But it seems I can't keep one running. The motor mount plate on the first one broke. Now the brass drive gear on the second one has failed.

It may be money ahead to just continue to go downtown and pick up another bandsaw for $300 for a back up, but it seems that the saw fails at the most inopportune times.

Does anyone out there make a smaller bandsaw that will actually last? A 7 x 10 machine would be huge in this application. I'd like to stay in the 5 x 6 range or smaller.

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Every hose shop I have frequented has a special steel blade cold saw.

Chop saw, but will smoke


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We use a portaband to cut suction line and Parker's chop saw for 100R17 hoses. I'm not sure if there is any difference between all the import saws, I doubt the more expensive ones are 2x the machine for 2x the cost. I'd probably just get a spare one and keep using it, lopping hoses isn't very demanding duty.

Based on my home shop use of a 15yr old Enco 4x6 I'd upgrade the motor and mount, vise handle, and maybe add something to make servicing the gearbox easier (zerk?)

I have been running the Jet bandsaws in my shop since the late 70s. In that time, I have completely destroyed two of em, but each probably did several hundred thousand cuts over their lifetime, and they are still donors in the shed. I have looked at a lot of the small imports, and there is definitely a range of quality. The casting vary quite a bit in size and heftyness. The cheaper ones dont even use bearings, just bushings, and usually have tiny motors.
I have 2 of the Jets running right now- both are over 20 years old, both have been retrofitted with larger motors- which cost a whopping 200 bucks or so each. (the motors- they are a weird one, and always expensive. But its totally worth upsizing to a 1hp)
I mostly cut stainless with them, using bimetal blades.
They are better machines than the Harbor Freights or Encos or no-names. I am not a big Grizzly fan.
I buy my Jet stuff from Equipment Sales and Service, in Auburn Wa- they are the scratch and dent sellers for all factory Jet stuff.

And "double"?

Well, yeah, an extra $250 bucks is "double", but its not really anything compared to ten grand for an entry levely 10" x 16" bandsaw, or the 20k range for a decent small auto bandsaw.

I consider a $500 bandsaw to be a consumable, and willingly pony up the extra couple hundred for one that has better bolts, bearings, and electricals.
Next step up is at least 2 grand.

That said, I think long term a cold saw is probably a great idea.
I have one of those, too, and replacement cost new is probably 7 or 8 grand these days.

Anybody who buys a $300 band saw for a production environment needs his head examined. For that price, buy two , scrap them when they fail, use the back up and buy another $300 special.

if you want reliability get out of the hobby sized band saws.

Consider a miter cutting auto band saw. Smaller than a full size unit. You won't need the miter I don't think, but the reliability will be there for the better units.

How does the bandsaw (of any make/model) handle all that stainless steel wire imbedded in the hose ?

The few times I've tried it, the wire grabs onto the gullets of the blade, and they get more ripped than cut.

I'd suggest looking at the FMB bandsaws from Pat Mooney in Chicago. They are more industrial than you are currently using, but I would venture that given your use for it, it would last a lifetime. They are a neat cross between a bandsaw and a cold saw - with a pedestal base to keep the machine high enough for typical working comfort, and a rigid column and quick acting clamp for fast setup and easy workpiece repositioning.