One tool for cutting

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I have looked through a number of threads on this site and have a ton more to read.What I was wondering, and I know I will probably get a hundred different answers, but here goes.If you could only have one tool to do your cutting, what would it be?My reason for this is I have a Oxy/Acet. cutting outfit and I don't have the dollars to get a number of tools like chop saw, band saw, plasma cutter, whatever. I soon will also be  buying a Miller 211 mig welder so that leaves the finances not able to buy a lot of extra at this time.I am a hobbyist, so it will not be used everyday for work.I am leaning toward the Rage 3 Mitre saw as it should replace the small mitre saw that I have now for wood  as well as do some metal cutting. Any other ideas?Thanks so much in advance for your opinions on this.Cheers
Reply:Just posting so I can keep track of this thread.  I'm interested too.
Reply:I am sure that there are a lot of us hobbyist's out there that would love a whole range of tools, but just can't justify or afford them all.I am of the opinion of buying a good tool once rather than a bad one several times. That's why I decided to get the Miller and not the cheapest thing I could find. Besides I liked the dual voltage feature and no one else seems to have it.
Reply:Haven't heard of the rage, 'course I haven't been shopping for one. I'd go ahead and get it. I have a Makita chop saw and it has served me well for several yrs now. I got it because a friend has one he's used in his truck bed installation business for a about 14 yrs and it's still going strong and gets a workout almost every day.                               MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Well, I'm a hobbyist also...but I'd probably go for a bandsaw instead of a chop saw or dry saw (of course if I could afford a cold saw...I'd go that route in a heartbeat).The reason I'd take the bandsaw is just due to versatility in cutting.  I can cut inside corners, curves (if they're not too sharp), different pieces/types of metal, etc...  I see alot of limitations which exist with a chopsaw.  Although given the chance, I'd add one to my set and probably use it all the time...but I don't really need it as long as I have a bandsaw...and I could see needing a bandsaw if I just had the chopsaw.Of course, I'd also like a plasma cutter, but I count a good plasma cutter in about the same price range as a cold saw...so sheer cost at the moment takes that off the list.--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Ya wintermute, you see my dilemma, and I am sure we all have the same one. Too many wants and not enough room or money. I would love one of each myself but I have to figure out which one I will use the most and can afford and go from there.I have this strange feeling that by the time this thread is doone I will be more confused than when I started. LOL
Reply:Originally Posted by MrBillYa wintermute, you see my dilemma, and I am sure we all have the same one. Too many wants and not enough room or money. I would love one of each myself but I have to figure out which one I will use the most and can afford and go from there.I have this strange feeling that by the time this thread is doone I will be more confused than when I started. LOL
Reply:i've had a Milwakee Chop saw and a HF horizontal/vertical band saw , both for over 10 years now......cant kill either one of them......and cant say i could live without either.- gotta have'em both        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3
Reply:only 1 tool to do it all.  It would have to be a bandsaw!  there are faster ways to cut, but the bandsaw has fewer limitations compared to other devices.
Reply:WoW I am just the opposite... I have a band saw but I use my my cordless makita metal saw more than anything. I am going to go with a plasma.  quick painless cuts more and takes less room that a band saw.  Then sell the band saw.  But if you have to have a band saw get a used one.  You might have to drive a while to pick it up but I got mine for $50.  just needed a blade and a couple bearings.
Reply:I have a plasma cutter, vertical band saw, air powered cut off tool, hand held grinder cut off disks, a sawzal, skill saw, and a jig saw, and still don't have the cut off tools I need all the time, lol. I would like a nice swiveling mast horizontal band saw, but can't justify that expense just yet. Maybe in a few months.
Reply:I agree, I have the chop saw, band saw, plasma, angle grinder, sawz all, etc. I think a good 7x12 band saw would be my choice, maybe a little bigger.
Reply:Depends on what you cut.  If you are cutting lengths of stock, a chop or horizontal band saw might be best.  Sheet or plate perhaps a vertical band saw or plasma.  If only one perhaps a low cost convertible horizontal/vertical band saw since you already have an O/A rig..
Reply:the question is a bit of a loaded question if you think about it.Some people have sugggested a plasma cutter, but you are realistically looking at spending at least $600 for a plasma....and that's a chinese unit. OF course, to run your plasma, you have to have already have an air compressor, too.For $600, you could buy a 4x6 bandsaw, a 4.5" grinder with cutoff wheel, elctric shears, electric or air nibblers, an air powered die grinder, and an air powered cutoff wheel, and  a 14" abrasive chop saw...........and have money left over. Moreso, if you don't have a cutting jig for your plasma, you will be make alot of imprecise cuts.  With the assortment of other tools, you'd have the ability to make much cleaner and precise cuts as compared to hand-wielding a plasma.  Just my $.02Last edited by BurningMetal; 01-29-2010 at 09:46 AM.
Reply:Binford Cut-O-Matic  Maybe a nice laser?    How much did you say your budget was?  Oh, how about a waterjet?  Wire EDM?etc, etc, etcAs others have mentioned, there are many (MANY) different cutting tools.  They ALL have strengths and weaknesses and trade-offs.  So -YOU- have to decide what you want and need and what trade-offs you can accept.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:I think the Rage is an excellent choice for a first saw.You can add a Bandsaw down the road if you need to.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Thanks to all for the input. I knew this would open a can of worms because everyone has their favorite and we all are doing different things, so what is important to one in not necessarily important to the next guy. Yes MoonRise they all have their strengths and weaknesses and trade-offs. I guess one way to look at it is buy one and if it doesn't do what I need it's an excuse to buy a new tool. By the way it looks like the bandsaw is out front for votes. LOL
Reply:I get by just fine with my cheap clark 4.5" grinder using a dewalt .045 metal cutting blade, I don't buy the exended or long life blades because they seem to cut slower and burn more. These blades are cheap and work well for many applications, do to money it's all I have right now but with carefull marking and cutting I get good miters and everything just takes a little effort which is fine for hobby uses. I can also do a proficient job cutting 11 gauge sheet.A saws all or a handheld jig saw with a bimetal blade can be alot of use to.In the past when I had access to a torch, I tended to use guide plates to help steady the cut, works pretty good.
Reply:kenklingerman: All great points and since I have all of those I should be set to go, but now I have no excuse to buy a new tool but I am sure that I can come up with one.
Reply:Originally Posted by MrBillkenklingerman: All great points and since I have all of those I should be set to go, but now I have no excuse to buy a new tool but I am sure that I can come up with one.
Reply:i'd vote for the horizontal bandsaw.  i'm a hobbyist too.  I started with a chopsaw that was made for wood, but got a metal cutting blade for it.  It was messy.  comparing to horizontal bandsaw, the chopsaw throws saw dust everywhere.  Yes, chopsaw will be much quicker, but on a hobbyist level, where you have to put away all the tools when you're done, and sweep like crazy, this is a big deal.  Horizontal bandsaw is slower, but not by all that much.  plus, you can also use it as a vertical bandsaw, which chopsaw can't be used as anything but to chop.I also have a plasma/air compressor.  the reason for getting plasma is because i am afraid to store acetylene around the house.  Maybe I'm paranoid, but for the occasional cutting that i have to use it for, its not worth it for me to have that and the oxy tank around.  I used my OA kit to learn how to weld... the few times i tried to cut with it, made me nervous.  storing a plasma cutter has no danger at all.  and i dont get nervous using plasma cutter.  worst case scenario, i made a bad cut and throw sparks everywhere, or break the plasma ...but i know my plasma cutter wont explode.however, if capital is an issue, there's no tool more versatile more then an OA welding/cutting kit.  a tool to weld (mig/tig) is gonna cost at least $500 (harbor freight), a tool that cut as well as OA is gonna cost at least $500, plus a $400 used air compressor.  Since you already have the OA kit, you can do everything from cutting and welding, and not having to spend $1400+my sugguestion is to keep the OA kit and learn how to use it.  That skill, eventually, will transfer DIRECTLY to tig welding and plasma cutting (should you decide to go that route later)sorry for the rambling, just barely woke up
Reply:In my little home shop in the garage I have O/A, Plasma, a little Triton metal saw (carbide blade), cut off wheels for grinders, hacksaws, recip saw, jig saw, porta band and the Harbor Freight 4x6 horizontal/vertical bandsaw.  The 4x6 gets the most use, followed by the porta band.  If working away from the garage the portaband takes over in first place followed by the plasma, unless I need miter cuts which I do on the Triton.  In the shop or away I use the cut off wheels on the grinder mainly as an "eraser" to take a joint apart and try again.If I could only have one, you already have it, the O/A setup.Larry "I feel for the man who cannot spell a word more than one way."  by Mark TwainLincoln AC225-SLincoln Weldpac 100 Miller Matic 180 (auto set)Miller Spectrum 375 ExtremeMiller Spoolmate 100Victor Super Range II
Reply:Originally Posted by oxy moroni'd vote for the horizontal bandsaw.  i'm a hobbyist too.  I started with a chopsaw that was made for wood, but got a metal cutting blade for it.  It was messy.  comparing to horizontal bandsaw, the chopsaw throws saw dust everywhere.
Reply:Porta band is the tool I probably use most. You have a torch and a grinder. A good drill press probably comes before a precision chopping tool.Lincoln SA200, HH135, Lencospot, HF80 Inverter, Rockwell 11x35 lathe, HF drill mill, Kama 554 tractor w/ FEL & BH, Belarus 250AS, lot's of Chinese tools
Reply:If i had to choose between one saw in the garage it would be a hard choice in between the evolution chop saw and the horizontal band saw. I would probably go with the horizontal band saw for its ability to do heavier duty stuff.Here's the Grizzly 4x6 I was looking at.http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-x-...-Bandsaw/G0622Are there Evolution/Rage dealers in the US?
Reply:that "Rage" Saw , he's talking about............does'nt seem to be a proven metal Saw....slides and cuts wood and metal.....looks kinda like a weeek gimmik to me......but whada i know.i still vote for the :  milwaukee , deWalt or Makita chop saw  or the dual HF horizontal/vertical band saw.  or absoultely both.!**** , i've also got the plasma cutter , pneamatic muffler cutters , auto body saw (which by the way is a must have too ) ,  sawz-all  etc.,        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3
Reply:I got a rage 3 for chrismas.  I wanted one for doing angle cuts out in the field vs a porta band.   Well since christmas my Delta Band saw has been used once.   I used the rage 3 for everything now.  It will cut alumium as fast as you can bring it down the blade.   In steel its comparable to any other multi cutter saw speed wise.   Its british made and well built.  Having the laser is also sweet.  Just the amount of time it saves by being able to switch to random angles in seconds vs the time it takes to move the vice on my band saw makes it worth every penny. I would recommend purchasing it with the steel and aluminum blades.  The stock blade really isn't designed for non stop steel cutting.   Its more of a wood with nails blade.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:How much is the Rage 3 saw?Anyone recommend of a decent affordable portable band saw?
Reply:Wow!!! Lots of good suggestions.Oxy - I do know how to use the O/A setup, just looking for a quicker and easier alternative.MoonRise- You got a link for the Binford Cut-O-Matic. What runs it, Big Hemi V8 ?
Reply:Portable hacksaws with optional vise tables are nice. A lot of plumbing supply houses use them to cut pipe for customers. A small jig saw with some of the rather long lasting modern blades is also a very real and useful tool today. It is not like years ago when I took my fathers craftsmen jig saw and toasted a blade in 2.5 seconds on steel. It will cut aluminum with a little bee's wax for a long while. It will cut steel for a while and even stainless steel for a while. A circular saw is also a cheap and awesome way to cut aluminum sheet. Just be careful. It can kick like a mule. A band saw is great, I would recommend a three wheel saw. We cut stacks of sheet metal with one all day long. With just a carbon steel blade. It was specifically designed for metal though. We even cut stacks of stainless steel all day long with one blade.        Sincerely,             William McCormick
Reply:Originally Posted by dstevensAre there Evolution/Rage dealers in the US?
Reply:Originally Posted by MrBillWow!!! Lots of good suggestions.Oxy - I do know how to use the O/A setup, just looking for a quicker and easier alternative.MoonRise- You got a link for the Binford Cut-O-Matic. What runs it, Big Hemi V8 ?
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1http://www.evolutionpowertools.co.uk...on_rage3.html#is not an Abrasive Blade Chop saw.This is the Saw he mentioned.
Reply:Thanks for those links MoonRise. I will have to see if I can order one. If it's good enough for Tim the Toolman Taylor, it's good enough for me.
Reply:MrBill,You have to answer one basic question. What will you be cutting? The best tool for the job totally depends on what you are working with. You say you are a hobbyist, what kind of things have you done? What kind of stuff do you want to do? I'm slightly more than a hobbyist and I have most of the cutting tools mentioned in this thread. One project may require extensive use of a certain cutting tool, while the next may require several cutting tools. Its never the same. The next cutting tool I buy will simply be decided by what my next project dictates. If you really don't know what you are going to be doing yet, just wait and the need for a specific tool will present itself. In my opinion the most over rated tool for the hobbyist is the plasma. The most under rated is the 4 1/2 inch grinder. The grinder is the only tool I use on almost everything I touch. If you don't have one already (you didn't mention it), then a grinder is the next thing you should get. Rather than getting one name brand one, I would highly recommend getting 2 or 3 harbor freight versions, so you can have a different tool loaded on each ready to use.Last edited by slagmatic; 01-30-2010 at 03:43 PM.
Reply:Hey slagmatic: Some great thoughts there. What I will mainly be cutting will be mild steel. Angle and such. I haven't built a lot of stuff yet. A few special tools for working on aircraft. A couple of tow bars. I don't have any plans of anything specific.I do have a 4 1/2" grinder, sawsall, jig saw, and of course a good old hack saw.
Reply:I bought the grizzly horiz bandsaw back wehen they cost $190, thats a few yrs ago.Works great,  but today I would watch crazedlist for a milwaukee portable version, I see them from time to time, usually less than $100.
Reply:I'll add my 2 cents here too.  Seams like the portaband gets the most use in my shop, if that doesn't work its usually done by a cut off wheel in the grinder.  If I've got a bunch of parts all to cut to the same length, I might use the dropping band-saw but I could get by without it.One thing to note though, I don't think anybody picks up a portaband and makes perfect 90 degree cuts the first few times.  It takes practice to get good at using one.Miller 250x & Lincoln V205-TSmith Oxy-Prop torch
Reply:What I use is something like a portaband mounted to a mitering type base.  At 90 degrees it cuts 4" sq. at 45 degrees it can cut 2.5" x 2.5" (a little difficult) or 2" x 3" standing.  As far as accuracy, this little saw can be pretty accurate and clean cutting but I always do a couple of test cuts to check.  It uses regular length portaband blades but in .025 thickness. which I buy at Harbor Freight, under the morse brand. Here are acouple of links www.lathemaster.com/Benchtop%20Bandsaw.htm and www.thms.tedatum.com/shop14.html
Reply:I really like the looks of the bench top horizontal band saw. My garage is full of too much stuff for a full size horizontal band saw, that little buy looks sweet!
Reply:i love the maneuverability and power of the 4.5" angle grinder with an array of wheels but i just ordered a longevity lp-50d and it might quickly become my new favorite
Reply:If I had one tool to cut with, bar none it would be a sawzall. Steel, wood, cast iron, plaster/ drywall, tile and concrete if you're really stubborn. You can get into more areas than with a porta band; you can cut more shapes than with a porta band; you can cut almost as straight as a chop saw, you can cut dirty, oily, nasty crap.You can get blades up to 10" long, and you can set up and change blades in mere seconds. If you need a really long blade, you can weld a blade onto another one, and reach in 18" or so. Sawzall blades do not fly apart like grinder cutoff wheels. The blades do not crack and die if you set the sawzall down hard like a grinder.And, they are relatively cheap; maybe $100. Blades are not cheap, but buy bulk packs of 10.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Since you already have an O/A, I would recommend a horizontal bandsaw (size that meets your cutting needs).  I've had an abrasive chopsaw and currently own a horizontal bandsaw (sold the chopsaw).  The bandsaw has a greater capacity (4"x6"), it is much quieter and less messy.  You can set up your stock, start the cut, and then walk away and do something else while it cuts on its own.  It will shut itself off when the cut is finished.  If you prefer more noise, more mess and constant attendance, get the chop saw.  In the end, both will get the job done.  A sawzall and a 4.5 grinder also see use in my garage shop (hobby).  All have their benefits.
Reply:Originally Posted by joedirt1966Since you already have an O/A, I would recommend a horizontal bandsaw (size that meets your cutting needs).  I've had an abrasive chopsaw and currently own a horizontal bandsaw (sold the chopsaw).  The bandsaw has a greater capacity (4"x6"), it is much quieter and less messy.  You can set up your stock, start the cut, and then walk away and do something else while it cuts on its own.  It will shut itself off when the cut is finished.  If you prefer more noise, more mess and constant attendance, get the chop saw.  In the end, both will get the job done.  A sawzall and a 4.5 grinder also see use in my garage shop (hobby).  All have their benefits.
Reply:I base my choice on what I use most, which over the past couple years is a Metabo 6" grinder running Radnor or Pferd 6" cutoff wheels.I barely use my portable bandsaw and chop saw any more, though I'll keep them. I can cut heavy or light stock neatly, it's light and highly portable, and I can abuse it without worry. If I could have one cutoff tool, that would be it.If two tools, add my Milwaukee 28V cordless Sawzall.If three, add my Milwaukee 28V cordless grinder with guard modified for 6" cutting wheels.Last edited by farmall; 02-13-2010 at 12:46 PM.
Reply:bandsaws?.. chopsaws?.. what if the dude has to cut something in place?.. i agree with everyone who suggested a grinder with a cut-off wheel.. a 6" metabo as a matter of fact.. out in the field, that tool pretty much replaced torch, porta band, and anything else that cuts.. the discs tend to get expensive, but within reason once you know which ones are good for what.. but then again, 25 bucks for 3 porta-band blades aint exactly cheap either.. so.. my vote is metabo..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:Here is my 2cents....I have plasma, chop, portable bandsaw,sawsall,.....I would volt for the Horz, band saw that can convert to a vertical position, my 7" from enco is pretty nice. can't do sheet steel with it though.........