Chop saw or Band saw??

[Iron Hauler]

I've been getting into a lot fabrication lately as a side job, lots of farming in my area and the 2 local guys that use to do a lot of fab work have passed and the other tries to retire but can't turn down an old customer in need. I've been slowly sitting up shop as I can afford new tools and equipment. I have a Dewalt 14" chop saw but need something bigger for angled cuts in larger angle and tube, am I better off going to a bandsaw? Or go with the plasma cutter/ grinder route?

[_Ogre]

a stand up band saw isn't good for metal, limited throat, no auto feed
horizontal saws don't cut angles good, especially the smaller ones, imo
porta-band is limited to smaller tube

start with your chop saw and finish with angle grinder w/ cutoff blade

[mongocanfly]

It takes a rather large sized bandsaw to cut angles in larger tubing which means lots of $$. But it sure is nice to have a good smooth cut that dont need grinding

[Advanced Design]

Iron Hauler, my neighbor does similar work for their own farm and a very selected customer base. He attends a lot of auctions and picked up a large capacity bandsaw for reasonable.

Can you make do with the chop saw and keep a look out for a good deal on a band saw? A quality saw will provide years of good service.

[BR3W CITY]

Deep Cut Port-a-band and the little stand for it. Works like a chop, but also works like a band.

[Marv D]

+ Vertical Band Saws take up a rather large footprint. But... I have one of the Milwaukee varible portable band saws. What a PITA to make a straight cut with the way you have to hole it angled.

I have a Milwaukee chop saw,, cuts nice, small , footprint, NOISY and MESSY and kind heavy,,, but get's the job done.

All said,, I STILL wish I had a vertical band saw. But even a cheap chineese intended for the hobbiest not a production shop is around $2000

[Texas1963]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

Deep Cut Port-a-band and the little stand for it. Works like a chop, but also works like a band.

This will be my next set up for the shop. I watched some you tube videos about the saw and table and it seems to be quite a versatile set up.

[midniteblues]

i run a hyd-mech s-20 at work and for a big horizonal saw i can make some very fine cuts with it down too .065. really not practical for a home shop though.

[franken]

People seem to have forgotten they exist, but a power hacksaw can be left to cut a piece while you work on other stuff.

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by franken

People seem to have forgotten they exist, but a power hacksaw can be left to cut a piece while you work on other stuff.

You mean like these? I've used them in industrial shops but never actually heard one called a "power hacksaw" haha. Looks like it does what the horizontal bandsaw setups do, just with the hacksaw motion instead. Kinda cool.