Cold cut saw or bandsaw

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What would the experienced folks here have to say regarding which saw to buy?I can't justify the money for more than just one of the two, either a cold cut saw like the northern tool $299 deal or a portable band saw like the dewalt for about the same price.I weld to keep my own equipment running (and to fix friend's gear), usually tractors, implements and equipment trailers, that sort of thing.  I rely on a grinder and OA for just about all my cuts right now.  My volume is low as I am not a production shop.Which would you buy if you could only afford one, the portable band saw or the cold cut saw.Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:i have both saws but i gota tell you the band saw is in the corner of the shop i refer to as the retirement home.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:The band saw is great for volume; you can bundle pieces together and work on something else while it cuts through 6 at a time.  The cold cut saw is lightning fast, by comparison.  No issues with setup and your cuts get made right now.I bought both, and then sent the band saw back.  I think it's a great tool, but my needs didn't justify the expense or the floor space it needed.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:i like my band saw.I would buy a iron worker over a cold sawand a real good cold saw is 3 phase Attached Images
Reply:I would say it's dependant up on the kind of work you are commonly doing.  If you only commonly make straight or mitered cuts...then go with a cold saw...it's amazing at that.  If you need to make curved cuts then get either a vertical or vertical/horizontal bandsaw so you can use it for that.  Also, if you commonly make cuts in alot of material that you can bundle up (as previously stated) then a bandsaw is awsome for that.--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:Bandsaws are very quiet.
Reply:Originally Posted by daddyBandsaws are very quiet.
Reply:I like to have both, but if others are going to be using it, keep in mind that if it gets abused at all, quality replacement blades for the cold cut saw are expensive. You also have to consider whether or not you will be cutting s/s or aluminum. This is probably not a concern  for you, and if it is only getting intermittent use, you are probably better off with an abrasive cut off saw.
Reply:Can you link to the northern tool $299 cold saw?  My guess is that its an abrasive saw, and not an actual "cold saw", as most cold saws start at the $1k mark and go up from there.  I'm told my Haberle H300 is about 6 grand delivered today (comparatively, I've got less than $400 in mine, but I bought at auction).If the debate is abrasive saw vs. bandsaw or portaband, I'd definitely get the portaband or a cheap bandsaw.  Abrasive saws are loud, messy and throw sparks everywhere.  Portabands can do a lot, especially if you get a vertical table for one like what swag off road sells or make your own.That said, I had a HF 7x12 coolant flooded bandsaw, I sold it after I got my Haberle and dewalt portaband and have not regretted making that decision.
Reply:i think hes meaning a drycut saw like this http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...6857_200326857  not a cold cut or abrasive350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:a good cold saw is around $3500.00and if you dont have 3ph add another $700.00
Reply:where do you shop ffs.
Reply:The OP wants opinions between the following:NorthernTool Dry cut metal saw and Dewalt Portable band saw NOT a cold saw and a horizontal/vertical floor band saw Attached Images
Reply:Gotcha.Okay.  Unless you need to use this out in the field, then the cut-off saw is probably the best way to go.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Jack, I'm unsure of which of the above tools you're referring to as the cut-off saw.  The dry-cut?Gwiley, I own a deep-cut Milwaukee porta-bandsaw and a Milwaukee dry-cut saw.  My work is 75 percent mobile, and is usually equipment repair.  I use the dry-cut saw 10x as often as I do the porta-band.  That's probably because most of the non-torch cutting I do is on new material that I can lock into the vise on the dry-cut saw.  I use the torch and a grinder with cut-off wheel almost exclusively for the "demo" side of the repair work - seldom do I need the accuracy of a porta-band because once I cut something off, it's rarely going back on.  For fabbing new material, I use the dry-cut saw or torch, and occasionally a cut-off wheel.  The dry-cut saw is heavy to get out and load back up, but it has an 'onboard' vise, I don't have to lay out cut marks to follow, and it's faster in the cut.If I had to choose one, I'd choose the dry-cut saw.
Reply:Yes.  That's what I meant.  A portaband is a great tool to own.  But a chop-type cold cut saw will make straight cuts all day long -- easy as pie.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Thanks for clarifying, yes I meant the cheaper dry cut saw.  It sounds as though the balance of the feedback is to go for the dry cut saw rather than the band saw (they both cut about the same thickness).Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:I've used both. The porta band is a great tool for demo work or cut-offs. Darn near impossible to get a straight cut. Blades are thin. Cut-off saw will be a lot more useful unless it's all field work. Even at that a cut-off could be set up for on-site fab work. Build or buy a good saw stand or cart. Either infeed and outfeed tables or portable support stands. Get it set up right and you'll use it a lot. AlA man is judged by what's between his legs...always ride a good horseMiller DialArc HFLincoln Classic 300DThermal Arc 181iPowermax 45Scotchman Ironworker(2) BridgeportsOkomota Surface GrinderAutoCAD 2010
Reply:Originally Posted by ed maca good cold saw is around $3500.00and if you dont have 3ph add another $700.00
Reply:There is a fairly recent thread in this section of the forum that talks a fair amount about the Dewalt Portaband titled [How did i live without you!!]I looked at a cold cut but with other cutting toys I have in the shop it was a hard sell for me.  Everything bar the bigger bandsaw is easily transported in the ute for onsite jobs.In the event of blade/band breakage I recon even my floor mount bandsaw still comes in well under the cost of a cold cut blade.
Reply:depending on what your cutting,  i have a portaband and sometimes it can be a bear to habdle.  it doesnt like to cut strait and the blade can get pinched.  i like a sawzall better. if i where you i would get a abrasive chopsaw for $200 (dewalt) althow ridgeds cast base is nice. and get a nice heavy duty sawzall.  i just find i can control the sawzall better then the portaband and it can get into tighter ares.  and that cold saw looks like a chop saw with a metal blade. you can do better quality for the same price if you shop around.
Reply:I would get the Makita instead of the Northern Tool.Much better quality and a little more money.http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LC1230-...068670&sr=1-10
Reply:Originally Posted by gwileyWhat would the experienced folks here have to say regarding which saw to buy?I can't justify the money for more than just one of the two, either a cold cut saw like the northern tool $299 deal or a portable band saw like the dewalt for about the same price.I weld to keep my own equipment running (and to fix friend's gear), usually tractors, implements and equipment trailers, that sort of thing.  I rely on a grinder and OA for just about all my cuts right now.  My volume is low as I am not a production shop.Which would you buy if you could only afford one, the portable band saw or the cold cut saw.
Reply:This forum seems to hate porta-bands. I don't mind them, they function just fine for me. I love a thin band for slicing through welded miters. A nice clean cut with little dimensional change is perfect for modification work. Especially at height.Cut-off saws of any flavor are really for one purpose, cutting up stock. Whereas a porta-band is suited to cutting material in situ, and would be frustrating to use for cutting large quantities.Two totally different tools with totally different purposes IMO.mens agitat molem
Reply:I thought one of the biggest issues with the Cold cut/Dry cut saws is the number of cuts they can make before you have to replace the blade?   I've heard it's fairly small, like 600-800 cuts, but that might have been someone's burning up the blade pushing to fast - as a product test.     The bandsaw blades will last a long time, I'm on only on my 2nd blade in 2 years, and I broke the first pushing it thorough something, but I do agree the miter cuts are fair to poor.   Seems like the harder I tried, the worse the cut, so I just cut and grind it to the angle and fit-up,  or fill with weld.      I tried an abrasive disc saw (chop saw) and it's even worse for miter cuts.   Seems like the disc will bend enough you'll get multi-angle cuts, and lots of sparks and junk.I never use my portable band saw unless I have to. I use my 7" horizontal band saw more then any other tool in the shop it seems. Can also be used as a vertical.