Chop saw vs. Cold saw

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I am getting ready to buy my first saw and would like to know the pros and cons of each type of saw. I want a saw that will cut 45 degrees both ways. Please let me know what saw you have and how you like it. I am also looking for places that sell them so i can compare prices.
Reply:do you want to spend $200.00or $4000.00 i was looking at aellis band saw thy are the bestbut i was just starting out and didnt want to spend 3 grand onone tool i bought a grizzle bandsaw combo sander both made in tiwan not usa but a lot better than china the saw and sanderare great tools and grizzlys customerservice is the best and i mean the best Attached Images
Reply:DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO CUT WITH IT,COLD SAWS ARE GOOD FOR UP TO ABOUT 75mm AND WILL CUT AT 45 DEGREES NO WORRIES ANYTHING BIGGER I WOULD GO HYDRAULIC BAN SAWBOILERMAKER
Reply:It also depends on what you mean by a "cold saw". As far as circular saws there are 3 types I have seen: Abrasive Cutoff uses a glorified 14" cuttoff wheel, Multi-Cutter saws (Dewalt's name for it) uses a metal cutting carbide blade at about 1/2 rpm of the abrasive and a cold saw which is a pretty high-end machine that has a liquid cooling system and turns very slow, you can count the teeth as they walk by! This is a cold saw: http://www.dakecorp.com/products-det...utomatic-Pivot. The smallest cheapest one is $3000.That being said I doubt you want to spend $3000. I bought an abrasive saw because they are about 1/2 the price if you get a good deal on one. The problem with the abrasive ones is that they are abrasive! So as you cut you are eating up your blade AND your material. Plus you are breathing and spreading your blade and material all over your shop area, add to that the additional fire hazards of burning steel flying all over the place. I haven't used the carbide type but it would make sense that the cuttings would hang around pretty close to the machine.As you can tell I think I would have been better to spend the extra money for a carbide saw but I am just gonna buy a plasma to solve the whole problem once and for all!!!Last edited by salem747; 11-11-2009 at 08:29 AM.
Reply:You mention a saw that miters both ways. The one thing you DON'T want to do is buy a standard woodworking miter saw and just toss in an abrasive blade. You will destroy the saw almost imeadiately. The motor housings, guards and so on are all plastic and WILL melt and the motors are not designed to suck up all that ground up metal and abrasive material and function.You need to get a saw specifically designed for cutting metal. My buddy has one of the Ellis saws. I would love to get one of those if I ever had to replace my current band saw, but they are big bucks..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by salem747It also depends on what you mean by a "cold saw". As far as circular saws there are 3 types I have seen: Abrasive Cutoff uses a glorified 14" cuttoff wheel, Multi-Cutter saws (Dewalt's name for it) uses a metal cutting carbide blade at about 1/2 rpm of the abrasive and a cold saw which is a pretty high-end machine that has a liquid cooling system and turns very slow, you can count the teeth as they walk by! This is a cold saw: http://is $3www.dakecorp.com/product...utomatic-Pivot. The smallest cheapest one 000.That being said I doubt you want to spend $3000. I bought an abrasive saw because they are about 1/2 the price if you get a good deal on one. The problem with the abrasive ones is that they are abrasive! So as you cut you are eating up your blade AND your material. Plus you are breathing and spreading your blade and material all over your shop area, add to that the additional fire hazards of burning steel flying all over the place. I haven't used the carbide type but it would make sense that the cuttings would hang around pretty close to the machine. As you can tell I think I would have been better to spend the extra money for a carbide saw but I am just gonna buy a plasma to solve the whole problem once and for all!!!
Reply:ive got a 14in milwalkee chop saw ive owned for coupla yrs  not a lick of problems replaced the abrasive blades coupla times at 3.99 a pop they sure do cut i picked my up for 189.00 brand new in the boxmiller maxstar 150   hobart handler 210 w mig conversion hobart 250 arc force plasma cutter    boston ind cutting torch miller performance auto darkening helmet milwalkee 14in chop saw 10,000 watt generator huge drill press and industrial band saw
Reply:Check out the evolution rage 3 compond miter saw, not only cuts steel, but can use on wood,plastic,etc. I picked up mine for 269.00 plus 54.00 for an extra blade. since i got it, my milwaukee abrasive saw is collecting dust. I would not recomend for industrial use, but I just used mine to cut a bunch of 2x2x1/4 sq tube @ 45 degrees & then used the saw, with the same blade to trim out some doors with 4" pine. there is a demo on you tube check it out.
Reply:i just saw the evolution demo in my shop by vendor, the one he had was the skillsaw type, they also have a chopsaw type, both had the carbide tipped badeHe cut a picce of 1"x4" flat bar clamped in a vice in about 8-10 seconds and both pieces were perfectly cool to the touch right after.
Reply:Each has their own purpose and you need to figure out exactly what you "need" the saw for. I think you will be better served with a nice horizontal bandsaw with flood coolant. These are nice because they can be left unattended and turn themself off after the saw has made the cut. I have a nice DoAll C-4 that has served me well for many years. The flood coolant is a must in my book. When I make a blade, I can expect it to last a mighty long time. I buy blade in a large bulk size spools and make my own blades. This is definately a time and money saver.A chopsaw is cheap and universal but dirtier than hell and noisy. Still, they are a must have in addition to other cutting tools. They are quick and great for small, fast cuts on ferrous materials.A coldsaw is a great tool to have. I have a Startrite/Clausing coldsaw but it is certainly limited in what you can cut with it. Overall size is limited and blades get pricey. Saws are VERY expensive also, but being able to cut non-ferrous and ferrous materials fast with a great straight cut edge is something!Don't get cold saw and dry cut carbide blade saws confused. The very slow RPM and use of flood coolant is what distinguishes a coldsaw from other saws.Granthttp://jackalopefab.com/MM210Synchrowave 200DXMiller XMT350 w/60series feederMiller Bobcat 250 with SGA 100 and spoolgunHTP PlasmaFull Machine shop with everything