Which dry cut saw to buy?

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I've been hearing a lot of people talking up dry cut saws. I've never used one, but if they work as well as it sounds it'd be great to have one around. I do a lot of work with 1"-2" 11ga square tubing and it'd be nice to use it to miter the corners. Like I'd said I've never used one, so I'd like recommendations on which one to buy. Thanks for any help!Also recommendations on which blades as well.-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:I don't understand why they are so popular.  I'll take a horizontal bandsaw all day over a loud, fast spinning dry cut saw.  Blades are affordable and last way longer.  With that said, I have used a Milwaukee dry cut.  It ripped through metal alright, but also though blades equally fast.  My two cents.  I'm sure you'll get plenty of additional responses more along the lines of what you're looking for.  Good luck.Lincoln Square Wave TIG 200Lincoln SP-175 PlusDynabrade 52636Grizzly Lathe + friendsAll in a barn too far awayCertifiably uncertified…
Reply:In this dilemma myself. I picked up an old horizontal bandsaw but I cant get it to cut straight yet. The blade walks and leaves an angled cut. I need to do some more adjusting and maybe a better blade. The dry cut saws sound pretty cool and a step above my old sparky abrasive saw. The Evolution saws get mixed reviews. Some love them others hate them.
Reply:I have an old J model Johnson that I just completely rebuilt last winter, and an iron worker so I have  plenty of means for accurate cutting. However, the old Johnsons you have to move the solid jaw every time for mitered cuts. Then resquare afterwards. I'm not going to do that every time I want to miter a piece of tubing so I cut it to length and then trim the miter with a cut off wheel or portaband. This is my reason for wanting a drycut saw, but maybe I should just save my money and continue doing things the way I have?
Reply:Nice saw but how much would one cost a guy Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Looks like $1040. Wish I knew someone with some experience with one before shelling out that kind of money.
Reply:I have an array of cutting devices including a Johnson Model J & 5X6 pivot head bandsaw, 3 portabands and a 14" vertical bandsaw and still purchased one of the 14" dry saws from Cleveland Steel Tool at Fabtech. My reasoning, it is quick  cutting on material within its range (Last edited by kioti; 04-15-2016 at 09:19 AM.

Originally Posted by derekpfeiffer

!What's everyone recommend for spare blades?
Reply:Thanks for the link on the blades! What applications should the 100T vs. the 60T be used?Thanks!-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:

Originally Posted by derekpfeiffer

Thanks for the link on the blades! What applications should the 100T vs. the 60T be used?Thanks!
Reply:

Originally Posted by derekpfeiffer

What applications should the 100T vs. the 60T be used?
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Originally Posted by kioti

The saw will come with a 60 tooth blade which is good for general purpose work on thicker materials.I use a 72 or 100 on thin walled tubing .049-.058 4130.
Reply:I'd use the saw for a while before buying a bunch of different blades.I keep a 60, 72 and 100 for spares.Here's a piece of 1" x 1" x 1/8" Aluminum angle I just cut to show the finish it leaves, cut was with 60 tooth Makita blade that has over 500 cuts on 1" x .250 wall dom steel tube.



Reply:Very nice cut! I was just going to order 2 spares but then thought maybe about buying one aluminum blade and the 2 steel blades they offer (60 & 100) this way I get over the $150 for free shipping.Thanks for the help Kioti!-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:For aluminum I use my old Ridgid chop saw with a normal wood blade.  The higher RPM keeps the blade clean. The slower RPM of the dry cut saw tends to load up with aluminum between the teeth and makes a rough cut with a low tooth count blade. My dry cut is only used for steel, I don't like changing blades.Miller Dynasty 200DXMiller 252 Miller 250xMiller Syncrowave 250Miller AEAD200 LegendMiller 375 Xtreme plasmaLincoln WeldPak 100Victor O/A
Reply:I would rather change a blade than go to my other shop and dig out my miter saw. It'd be much quicker and simpler to just swap a blade quick.-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:We've had a Steelmax S14 saw at work for the two years I've been there and a couple before that. It's a Chinese saw, but very solidly built with a heavy iron base and fence. This saw has been used to cut through 1"X4" stainless flatbar, large ⅜" to ½" wall square tube and tons of other stuff. It was the only saw in the shop until we got a horizontal bandsaw about a year ago, now it's pretty much relegated to cutting .065 to .125 square and round tube. Even though all of these saws are supposed to be "dry" saws, I've found having a spray bottle with water based coolant to spray on the blade while making a cut greatly improves cut quality and blade life.
Reply:I went through this dilemma about 2 months ago and I'm not going to lie, I wish I had bought an abrasive chop saw instead of the Evolution Rage that I bought. Even with their steel blades, I have to clean up the cut a small bit. The miter fence is "iffy" at best. And it's a lot easier to use a shop vac to pick up abrasive saw dust than those annoying *** metal chips that get thrown EVERYWHERE with the Evolution. And the dust doesn't get stuck in the soles of your shoes like those chips do. And lastly, blades are easier to get for the abrasive saws. At least here in Dallas they are. Mess up a dry cut blade on a Saturday after 11:00 am? No more cutting until Monday.Big F**king HammerJumper cables & 2 marine batteriesJaws of life
Reply:I have a abrasive saw and absolutely hate it. Leaves such a nasty burr and is not accurate. It ONLY gets used for cutting rebar.I'm not concerned about the blade availability. I will always stock extras and worst case scenario I use my Johnson band saw, one of my portabands, iron worker, or a cut off wheel. It's not like I'm down and out, just may be more inconvenient is all.-DoogieMiller 350PMiller Trailblazer 325 EFI w/ Excel PowerLincoln LN25 suitcase welderXMT 304/22a feederMiller Syncrowave 350LXMiller EconotigHobart Handler 140(2) Uni-Hydro 42-14Hypertherm 65 plasmaWEBB Gap bed lathe
Reply:I have been curious myself about the Evolution compound miter saw (it was in the $400 range I believe) I could see where it would be very useful. However other than that one a horizontal band saw is (IMO) the way to go.  I have an Ellis bandsaw and love it and it cuts straight. My Milwaukee dry cut saw works excellent also but has been collecting a lot of dust since the Ellis arrived. Just my two cents.
Reply:I have the little Evolution Rage compound miter saw, and have found it to be extremely useful, and my go to saw. I had to learn the hard way though about how to clamp things down in it, and not baby the blade too much. There is a sweet spot on pressure for getting the most life out of the blade. Can't say I'm impressed with the blade life though, and am installing a new brand of blade tomorrow that the LWS says will last 2-4 times longer. We'll see.
Reply:Rage2 owner/operator since 2013.  Inexpensive, but mobile and strong enough to cleanly server the HSS, solids, and channel we mainly use.  It's ok.  Until we can allocate enough shop space for an Ellis 1600, a stop-gap measure we are exploring for cutting is to source the Italian made  Femi ABS-NG120XL.  $1.34k on eVilBay.  Inspected the unit at FABTECH'15 and she was nice.

tbone550 runs a Femi saw and has shared his experiences with the unit.  Hope'n to connect with him in the near-future and rip some steel.Last edited by ManoKai; 08-09-2016 at 05:42 AM.Reason: nomenclature"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
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Originally Posted by Baloo2327

I have the little Evolution Rage compound miter saw, and have found it to be extremely useful, and my go to saw. I had to learn the hard way though about how to clamp things down in it, and not baby the blade too much. There is a sweet spot on pressure for getting the most life out of the blade. Can't say I'm impressed with the blade life though, and am installing a new brand of blade tomorrow that the LWS says will last 2-4 times longer. We'll see.
Reply:I just placed an order for the Makita LC1230 today based on this thread.  Tell me I won't regret it...Lincoln, ESAB, Thermal Dynamics, Victor, Miller, Dewalt, Makita, Kalamzoo.  Hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting tools.
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Originally Posted by soutthpaw

Which brand of blade?Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
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Originally Posted by Baloo2327

The Blades that I got were by Tenryu. Hope they are good. Their expensive enough.
Reply:Just in case any one ever wants to sharpen their own blades here is one way to do it.Here is another guy that does it with out a jig.Here is a fancier way of sharpening the blades.Last edited by N2 Welding; 08-10-2016 at 01:16 PM.Lincoln, ESAB, Thermal Dynamics, Victor, Miller, Dewalt, Makita, Kalamzoo.  Hand tools, power tools, welding and cutting tools.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Baloo2327

The Blades that I got were by Tenryu. Hope they are good. Their expensive enough.
Reply:Talked with a fabricator/welder who works in heavy industry. Steel and stainless steel tubing and W beams.  He's  operated his Femi HEM ABS120XL saw hard over the past ~ two years to make 1,200 to 1,300 cuts.  Shop and field work.  Over 80% of the cuts were on grade 304/316 SS tubing.  To date, he's replaced the blade 7 times. Additionally, he's achieved wafer-thin cuts -consistently- to cut washer pieces.Ordered the ABS120XL last night from TrickTools (Pella, IA).

We may sell our Rager2 locally for 35 to 40 cents on the dollar.Last edited by ManoKai; 08-11-2016 at 08:01 AM.Reason: source of purchase"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:I personally prefer a wet band saw.  I am surprised to hear the bad rep about Jet.  I have no experience with them, but they seemed to be a quality product.
Reply:I have (and really love) the Evolution "EVOSAW380" dry cut saw.Its not fair to compare it to a band saw, they are suited for totally different tasks.Since most of my work is mobile or in other fella's shops I need it to be portable. A decent band saw will replace it for most cutting once I get a shop set up but until then my dry cut saw is used a lot.Love the precision of the cuts, the low heat input and the fact that the blade is always 14" in size.Don't like the cost of blades or the metal chips scattered about.But I rarely use my abrasive saw anymore, save it for cutting drill stem pipe and metal who's origin I am suspicious of.Red Seal Journeyman Welder (2003),   Red Seal Journeyman Metal Fabricator (2018),    Welding Engineering Technologist (2005)Pressure - ASME Section IXStructural - CSA W47.1, CSA W47.2Transport tanker - CSA B620Aerospace - AWS D17.1
Reply:

Originally Posted by N2 Welding

I just placed an order for the Makita LC1230 today based on this thread.  Tell me I won't regret it...