Portaband vs Reciprocating Saw

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I like my dry cut saw, but I've always thought it would be nice to also have a portable band saw for things that are already fixed in place.  But as I'm about to pull the trigger, I'm having a hard time coming up with jobs that the portaband can do that a Sawzall couldn't.  Granted, the portaband is going to be smoother and faster.  But in my hobbyist world I'm just not faced with that many of this kind of cuts.  And I'm going to have to find a place to store the portaband.So, anyone want to talk me into buying one of these?  I know they're a good tool, since a lot of guys use them.  But are there jobs a portaband can do that a Sawzall can't?Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:well Jack................ I dont know it, is kinda tough to make that kinda decision, but what do you have for an air source?  I just finished cuting an aluminum fuel tank this morning that I am going to be making into a tig tank. And I used an air cut off tool that is the smoothest cutting tool I have used, the sazall would have beat the heck out of the aluminum and me.  I dont have a portaband but thought about buying one as well but am very satisfied with the air tool.Ron
Reply:Port-a-bands are a lot nicer to run and have better blade life but too many things that I have to cut couldn't be done with a port-a-band, so I have a saz-all. Unlimited money and space I'd have both.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:Each one has there place, I have both on the truck.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Sawzall is a really versatile tool,but not much fun to cut a lot of steel with.Porta-band goes through steel very smoothly and quickly,but is limited in width/depth of cut.Neither is easy to get an accurate cut with.There is a lot of things a sawzall can do that a porta- band can't but as for the other way around...I can't really think of any.I do like the porta-band for cutting long pieces in half before bringing into shopto cut in power hacksaw,And for cutting  pieces of shaft that will be turned on lathe.I guess it dependson what other cutting methods you have and what you will be cutting.I bought my porta-band usedfor $75, twenty years ago and have never regretted it.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Sawsalls are best for destruction & removals. Hard to cut a hole in the wall with a portaband. Need a piece of already welded tubing removed---not likely you'll be able to get a portaband in there flush to do it. Don't get me wrong cuzz I have a portaband and love it. I have a sawsall and rarely use it, but when I do get it out it's because nothing else will do the job or I'm pi$$ed and somethin is 'comin down' or else. If you already have other means of general and precision cutting then you need a destructo tool. A sawsall is that tool. A sawsall is not the tool for all around general fab."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Gotta echo, that Ron.  Just finished putting new shocks and rear shock mounts on my F350.  Only tool I could get at the rivets on the mounts was my air cut off tool.  Supposed I could have used a die grinder, but the cut off tool is much faster.  I probably use it more than any of my air tools, and I have lots. Originally Posted by Ron Padillawell Jack................ I dont know it, is kinda tough to make that kinda decision, but what do you have for an air source?  I just finished cuting an aluminum fuel tank this morning that I am going to be making into a tig tank. And I used an air cut off tool that is the smoothest cutting tool I have used, the sazall would have beat the heck out of the aluminum and me.  I dont have a portaband but thought about buying one as well but am very satisfied with the air tool.Ron
Reply:I have both and use them both.  When at all possible, I use the portaband because it is so much smoother.  I have a Milwaukee brand portaband that I got from a pawn shop for $75.  I put a new blade and power cord on it and it hasn't let me down.  It looks rough, but who cares.
Reply:Thanks, guys.  The real-world uses I'd see with mine are a future project on my front wrought-iron fence and also a back-yard-covering pergola I've got in mind to build next year.  Neither would involve more than a couple of on-location cuts, which makes me think I'll be fine with a sawzall.  As I mentioned, I've already got a Sawzall, a dry cut miter-type saw, and also have a circular saw I use with a steel cutting blade.  I hate to ever talk myself out of buying a tool.  But I don't see any 'what would I have done without the thing' situations for a portaband on the horizon for me.  Still, the thought of building a base so the portaband can also be a stationary vertical cutter, or engineering a guillotine-type hinge so that it can cut like a horizontal bandsaw is appealing.  I don't have room for a stationary band saw in my little garage.Looks like I'm going to wait.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenStill, the thought of building a base so the portaband can also be a stationary vertical cutter, or engineering a guillotine-type hinge so that it can cut like a horizontal bandsaw is appealing.  I don't have room for a stationary band saw in my little garage.Looks like I'm going to wait.
Reply:I do a lot of vehicle demo cutting with my 28V Sawzall (my corded ones stay in the shop) and use cheap spraylube to save blades, but it isn't for long straight cuts.I modded my 4.5" Milwaukee grinder to take 6" cutting disks, and after using that and my 6" Metabo I won't buy any more little grinders. If I had to choose between the Sawzall, the Portaband, and 6" cutting disks I'd take the disks no contest.
Reply:I have all three that farmall mentioned in his post in my shop, as well as a pnumatic handheld sawzall.In order of use, doing a lot of welding and misc repair type work, portaband comes first, then pnumatic sawzall, then cutting discs, then battery sawzall.  The battery powered sawzall does get used for lots of wood cleanup/cutting elsewhere, but in the welding and fab side of my work it doesn't get used much.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallI do a lot of vehicle demo cutting with my 28V Sawzall (my corded ones stay in the shop) and use cheap spraylube to save blades, but it isn't for long straight cuts.I modded my 4.5" Milwaukee grinder to take 6" cutting disks, and after using that and my 6" Metabo I won't buy any more little grinders. If I had to choose between the Sawzall, the Portaband, and 6" cutting disks I'd take the disks no contest.
Reply:I think I'm going to get a 9" grinder instead, this time around.  I've got a handful of 4-1/2" ones, but I think it would be nice to occasionally be able to take away material more aggressively.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:9" hits the "pain in the bvtt" size for a lot of work. I've got a good DeWalt and a Milwaukee, and barely use them except to turn large knotted wire brushes (CUP style only, the disk style are flesh eaters!).We had both DeWalts and Milwaukees at the school where I maintained tools. The DeWalt 28494-series 9" are great, durable tools if you want a 9".I use the high surface speed of the 6" cutting wheel edge to remove material, and for what it's worth they'll cut through a Dana 60 axle shaft with one disk.  The 6" is a magic size that changes the game. They aren't larger than a 4.5 except for the guard, but the capabilities change a lot. I don't even own 6" grinding rocks, I use the 4.5 rocks and flap discs. It's the cutting discs that make a drastic capability difference. The narrow kerf makes the cut FAST (I don't use my chop saw any more) and the portability is very nice.The cut is much straighter than the Portaband or Sawzall. Just wrap a pipe wrap or emery cloth around the object concerned if large enough, soapstone a line, and kick azz. My Portaband and Sawzalls won't cut 3/8" plate for any distance in a straight line, abrasive cuts better than steel, so for clean cuts it's no contest.
Reply:Im with many of the above - both tools have their place and Ive usually got both at every job.  The recip saw with HF blades are mostly for demo - about the only time the porta-band comes out is for cutting down posts on fencing jobs.  Its possible to interchange them on MOST applications but it does make it easier when you have the option.When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives.
Reply:i have a corded sawzall and an 18v.. neither gets used unless nothing else will work ..if the work piece is able to move at all the sawzall will just shake it to death and you along with it. i regard the sawzall  like i do an abrasive chopsaw...yuccggh......i have found that a 9"  grinder(mines is a ridgid) has many advantages over the 4 1/2's............
Reply:Recip saw is a last resort for me for reasons previously mentioned...  The portaband is smoother, quieter, blades last longer because you're using the whole blade for the cut, and not the same 1" worth of blade on the sawzall.  Also, the portaband is much better/more efficient at cutting thicker metal (like 1/2" ++ bar/plate).  That said, I couldn't live without both.  Sawzall can get into places where nothing else can.  For metal cutting, I also have abrasive chopsaw (hate it, ok maybe this one is the last resort  ), pneumatic cutoff, electric grinders with cutoff wheel, plasma, O/A.  Milwaukee VS Portaband is always my first choice, especially working with new steel stock in stick form.Dynasty 200DXBobcat 250, TD Cutmaster 38 Hobart Stickmate AC/DC LXHobart 210 Mig / SpoolgunCentury Mig, O/A rigPress/Ring Roller/Tubing Roller/Hyd. Pipe BenderJD2 Notcher/IR 80gal 5hp compressorportaband/chopsaw/grinders/etc.
Reply:I have both I don't use the potaband very often hence it's a HF I got on sale for around $70 on sale.  I replaced the blade that came with it. The  saw has held up to being used a few a month for about 5 years.  Might be the way to go if you only expect occasional use.
Reply:It's funny.  I don't want to start any HF-versus-other-tools talk, but the idea was to get the HF bandsaw with the 25% off coupon they had for Memorial Day.  I could have gotten it for $53 with the sale price and the coupon, which almost makes it a no-brainer.  But then, I got the 15-amp 9" angle grinder for $37 with the same coupon.  Would I buy the HF grinder if my income depended on it?  Probably not.  But for a hobbyist's occasional use, I think it'll do.  I got a box of 20 9" Norton grinding disks a while ago on Ebay.  Now I've got something to spin them with.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:I went with the Dewalt porta-band.  Made in Mexico (not China) and better prices available than Milwaukee.  Make sure you get all the accessories you want because Dewalt charges a lot more for things like a case.What sold me was the portaband saw stands:http://www.swagoffroad.com/Porta_ban...t_Product.htmlIt took a bit to get this to cut like a precision band saw.... a bit of flame bending.   There is a base plate that attaches to the saw and its one screw to attach saw to stand.  I modified the carrying case so I can leave the mounting plate permanently attached.  Anyway, not quite a perfect 90 degree cut and the band itself can flex, but plenty accurate for a MIG weld.For precision pieces I used to use jig saw - not anymore.  Portaband + stand means I have two hands holding the piece, much more precise.  I don't think I've even pulled out the jig saw in a year...  As for the accuracy.  I'd like to see the portaband stand a little more precise.  On thicker stuff, like 2x4 tubing, its not as close to 90 degrees as i would like.  The steel stand is still a bit off on one side.  More flame bending when I have time.I went with delta because its better padded around the guards and has a work light built in (and mine at least was not made in China).  Its a bit slower in cut than the Milwaukee, but I can wait.Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenWould I buy the HF grinder if my income depended on it?  Probably not.  But for a hobbyist's occasional use, I think it'll do..
Reply:Exactly.  I'd love to own a Metabo grinder, but it would be a 4-1/2" that would make sense.  (I hope to find one second-hand one day.)  I'll pay more for quality on the tools that I know I'll use a lot.  I love my PB Swiss screwdrivers and Knipex and NWS pliers and cutters, for example.  But for something like a hammer drill, which I might take out twice a year, then Harbor Freight is the way to go.  For me, a 9" grinder or a portaband saw both fall in that 'occasional use' category.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:The newer green-and-black Metabos aren't what the old ones were, but are still pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one. The old, all-green, 150 Quick 6" models are great. After using 6" cutting disks for cutting and (yay high surface speed) grinding, no more 4.5" grinders for me unless I mod the guard to take 6" disks.