Which 14'' cut off saw should i get?

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What cut off saws do you guys got and like? Like...milwaukeeboschcraftsmanrigidmiketaharborfreight?dewaltThanksShane
Reply:Ellis  http://www.ellissaw.com/unless I am cutting metal studsSee:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=24751Last edited by Fat Bastard; 10-26-2008 at 12:53 PM.
Reply:What is the budget like? Just looking for an abrasive saw, or are you considering dry cutting or even cold cutting machines as well? I have a Makita LC1230 dry cut saw and it is excellent. If you don't need the extra capacity of a 14" saw, I reccomend it, as it seems to be much stiffer which is a good thing for cut squareness, etc. It seems a lot of people dislike makita on here, I dunno why. I think they are excellents, especially when it comes to cutoff/chop saws.
Reply:We've got a Jancy Slugger 14" http://tinyurl.com/66hsvl at work and it one of the better 'cheaper' tools they've ever bought.Outlasts abrasive blades 30:1 at a minimum, clean cut, accurate, no fiberglass particles in the air. The only thing you have to be aware of is the piece you're cutting cannot move or the carbide will be destroyed, which stands to reason. You can cut a piece less than the thickness of the blade off a piece of material. Unlike an abrasive blade it won't creep sideways.There are different blades for s/s, m/s and aluminum although I've used the m/s blade on aluminum with a bit of lubricant to prevent sticking.....Mike
Reply:DeWalt, Rigid, or Makita, in no particular order.
Reply:Or how about the harborfreight hor./vert metal cutting bandsaw? Anyone like this, or have good experiencs. Im kinda a skeptical on spending 199.00 (even if i do get it cheaper then that) for something at harborfreight?
Reply:I bought the little bandsaw from lathemasters.com,  I've had it for a while now and been very happy with it.   I originally bought a Dewalt chopsaw and could not get it to cut square enough without needing a grinder to clean up the cuts.  I then bought a 4x6 used bandsaw could not get that to work for me to well either.  I searched around and found the bandsaw on the lathemasters web site.  It is a copy of the one made by KAMA which sells for around $900.  I get my blades at Harborfreight, they are made by Morse and are in a 3 pack for $20 .The saw cuts very square wuth no need to debur or true with a grinder.  The angle guage on the saw leaves something to be desired but by marking your stock and then aligning the blade by eye you can be fairly accurate.  If I would have know of this saw I would have purchased it first and I'll try to find a website where a gentleman did his own review on the bandsaw.
Reply:A second website to check out this bandsaw is thehobbyistmachineshop.com unde tools G5010 bandsaw.
Reply:I have had the dewalt chop saws and I honestly never had one that lasted.  In my opinion most any Bosch power tool will be hard to beat.  I have a Bosch, and also a hitachi, and for the money the Hitachi has been a great little saw for the money.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:I favor Makita.  Had a DeWalt that bit the dust in one day.  (made outside the US, like most name brand tools nowdays).First thing to look at is the amp draw.  A good saw, with plenty of power, should draw 15amps."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammFirst thing to look at is the amp draw.  A good saw, with plenty of power, should draw 15amps.
Reply:Oh Yeah.Lot of folks don't know that the amps shown on the attached plate on the saw are "run" amps, not start amps.  Might run at 15, but it probably starts at closer to 20+ amps."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Ive had a Metabo for 15 years....has not skipped a beatA good guess is better than a bad measurement
Reply:I don't remember how old my ryobi is. I don't even remember if that's the way you spell ryobi.I bought it my more than 10 years ago. 1 reason I bought it over other brands was the heavy cast iron base instead of a stamped sheet metal thing. I guess if someone is having to carry the saw a lot lighter might be better but for most of my stuff more iron is better.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:I have a Milwaukee 6176-20 - no complaints at all. It cuts perfectly straight and the angle on the vise stays adjusted wherever you set it. The dry cut (carbide tooth) saws are much faster to use and make a cleaner cut, but I couldn't afford one at the time I purchased my saw.  If you get a dry cut saw, be aware those little chips they make are sharp!I prefer to use my old horizontal bandsaw when time allows (less mess, less noise)-Matt------------------------------------------
Reply:I would recommend a milwaukee. I used to like dewalt untill I started buy milwaukee tools. The milwaukees run so much smoooooother than the dewalts. It is like night and day. Makita also make good products. My dewalt saws and grinders have never failed me, but they could be of better quality.
Reply:My Hitachi 14" cut off saw has just celebrated it's 21st birthday. It' getting a bit tird but it's done a lot of work and has been loaned to people I wouldn't loan to again. I'm expecting the armature to go as the copper segments that the brushes run on are starting to lift. I believe this is related to cuts being pushed too hard. Interestingly, the current replacement cost s the same as what I paid in 1987. I bought a similar unit on a local auction and it's little used and performs very well.If I was to look for a replacement, I'd check out the following:Hitachi, Makita, Bosch, Metabo, Dewalt.Years ago I'd have looked at a Ryobi but they no longer manufacture and only act as a seller of tools they source. They used to have a Tradeline range that was heavier duty. I'm not sure if Milwaukee tools are available here.I've just searched online for Milwaukee tools in New zealand and when I clicked on by online, it gave me all the 120vAC tools and a US website. However I see they sponsored a car race series here, so they must be here. Also there was this information: In 1995, Atlas Copco AB purchased Amstar, the parent company that owned Milwaukee Tool. It was then sold to Techtronic Industries co in 2005. TTI's global brands include Ryobi, Milwaukee, AEG, DreBo (carbide drill bits), Homelite, and Royal, Dirt Devil, regina and VAX floor care appliances.I then checked out the local website and it's all Ryobi and from Aussie by the look of it. It told me this:Through our parent company, Techtronics Industries Inc., Ryobi Technologies draws upon a worldwide network of product designers, industrial engineers and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to help compliment our own resources.So, I'd stay with the earlier list if I was looking for a new cut off saw."One of the things we have to be thankful for is that we don't get as much government as we pay for." (Charles Kettering)Mitch 180 (NZ)Lincoln SAM-400-220 + ?-400 Fordson Major + 2 x Tractapac Humber 80 + Procut 40 PlasmaMiller Spectrum 375
Reply:Originally Posted by CapnbondoWhat is the budget like? Just looking for an abrasive saw, or are you considering dry cutting or even cold cutting machines as well? I have a Makita LC1230 dry cut saw and it is excellent. If you don't need the extra capacity of a 14" saw, I reccomend it, as it seems to be much stiffer which is a good thing for cut squareness, etc. It seems a lot of people dislike makita on here, I dunno why. I think they are excellents, especially when it comes to cutoff/chop saws.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammI favor Makita.  Had a DeWalt that bit the dust in one day.  (made outside the US, like most name brand tools nowdays).First thing to look at is the amp draw.  A good saw, with plenty of power, should draw 15amps.
Reply:Shane, I guess you need to define what you're going to do with the saw.  Do you want a band saw, an abrasive saw, or a dry cut saw?  Different animals.  I've got a Harbor Freight abrasive chop saw that I hate.  Works OK, but it's slow, throws sparks everywhere, and leaves the workpiece too hot to handle.I've got a 4" x 6" Cummins band saw that I like because of the pivoting head and quick release vise.  It's quiet, and it can be used in horizontal or vertical positions.  However, because of the narrow blade, cuts won't be perfectly straight.I recently bought a Milwaukee 14" dry cut saw.  UPS dropped it and broke the frame casting.  Milwaukee couldn't have been nicer, they sent a replacement in days at no charge.  The saw cuts well, fast, clean, straight.  The workpiece doesn't get very hot, either.  Blades are expensive.  I damaged one by cutting a piece of round pipe at an angle and I didn't have it clamped securely enough...America Needs AMERICA'S Oil!!!"Global warming is the greatest scam in history ...There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril."--John Coleman, Founder of The Weather Channel
Reply:I had a Ridgid chop saw and couldn't take it back fast enough.  The "toolless" clamp was a nightmare.  I replaced it with the DeWalt that I've been using for the past three years with no problems, augmented with the DeWalt carbide cutter to share the load.
Reply:Im looking for something in the shop/garage. Its got to be benchtop type as i don't have a super lot of room for a huge floor model. I actually liking this little 3'' jet horzontial badsaw. http://industrial.jettools.com/Produ...px?Part=414495
Reply:Can anyone give me the measurements on the harbor freight 4x6 hor. bandsaw. The width, length and height? Thanks
Reply:welderShane      Just wondering if you checked out the bandsaw from lathemasters yet.  The cap of the saw at 90 degree is 4" square and @ 45 degree its 2" x 2".  the saw cuts accurately enough where when I tack things together and check for square it is right on.  The base  is a little wider than a chopsaw but pretty much the same size and weight.  If you buy the 3 pack of Morse blades from Harborfreight for $20 then each blade is $6.66 ea and seem to have really good blade life.  If the bandaw isn't the size you need then maybe others can look into this tool because I think it is a tool worth having.
Reply:I sell a Clarke 14" Cutoff saw for around $200.. They have a 1yr warranty, and have preformend very very well.. I have had one returned to me inside of the 1yr warranty, and we replaced it for the customer that day.. This customer used it daily. He swore to me that it cut better than the dewalt that my (cheap) Saw replaced.  Food for thought. Clarkes tools are Chinesses, but they are not the ot tom of the food chain chineese stuff. We sell tons of Clarke eqipmment and they service there resellers well. We sell about one of these a month, and I Have had 1 returned in the last 4 years..  There good products.. let me know if you want me to ship you one!!!I agree with the post about the HF chop saw, I had one for a few days, screws fell out, but it did cut, kinda weak.I have a dewalt which has done very well for me.Miller 140 w A/SHF Flux Core WelderDewalt Chop SawSmith O/A TorchHarley Electra Glide Classic
Reply:My dewalt has been mediocre.  I had to a new armature in it after about a dozen or so blades.My dad has had a Ryobi he bought 20 years ago still ticking only needed brushes.   He found a new one at a discount a bought it as a replacement and put the other one in retirement, although, he will still use it,  it is rated at lower amps.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Ive got a Dewalt 14" chop saw with a cut tech coldcut 1000 blade. Its not as good as a cold saw but way better than a abrasive blade. It cuts clean and square.
Reply:I have an old Milwaukee with the heavy cast iron base on the truck and a Makita in the shop.  The Milwaukee is the better saw, built alot heavier, but the Makita is a few years old and still working as new and has been a good saw.   I wish they put a stiffer base on it like the Milwaukee though.I also have an Evolution 10" compound slide single bevel dual miter metal cutting saw that cuts very nice, clean, accurate miters.  I save it only for miter cutting cause the blades are so expensive (about $70).   They can be resharpened.  I also have an old Makita 14" miter saw.   It is a very nice, accurate miter saw made for cutting wood but I use it for cutting aluminum and it works very well for that.  It spins too fast to cut steel with a carbide blade and too slow to use an abrasive blade, but perfect for aluminum with a carbide blade.Last edited by DesertRider33; 02-08-2009 at 01:41 AM.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Dude,    If all you want the saw for is home garage project work, buy a portaband. Common cut off saws make a mess of the material being cut, requiring more labor in dressing the cuts. A portaband saw produces a clean controlled cut.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180
Reply:Portaband being a hand held saw is difficult to make accurate square cuts with.  In a shop, a regular horizontal metal cutting band saw would be better.  In the field, ya make due with what ya got.  If it's a portaband, then so be it.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:chop saws suckk  noisy and dirty...portaband  /bandsaw is the way to go.
Reply:i went with craftsman pro it has a HD cast iron base not a stamped one Attached Images
Reply:Just purchased a Dewalt 14" cold cut saw, It was the least expensive ($389) at general tool.I would have gotten a Mikita, but the price was nearly $100 more and it was only 12" and the blades were more. (time will tell)  Note: Dewalt has a yr warranty and a 30 day no questions ask refund!A rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:We use a Steel Max 14"Metal Cutting Saw it will cut solid steel up to 1"For larger stuff we have a Jet Metal Cutting Band Saw which has a a coolant systemI have a Dewalt Cutting saw at the farm. Again what you buy depends on your use and what you'll be cutting.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Any brand name chop saw is pretty good.Only failing in a chop saw is how the cutting wheel wanders.  It deflects, and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it.  You can decrease deflection by not mashing down on the saw.  Let it cut on its own.Leaning on it also glazes the cutting wheel, making later cuts harder because you crapped up the abrasive."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I use the same Milwaukee as Hephaestus. No problems or complaints. Attached Images Ranger 8 3200HD 225 Cracker Box
Reply:I bought a Rigid and love it.  It works awesome.Don't buy a cheap chop saw.  Spend the extra 50 - 70 bucks and get a quality saw.
Reply:I ordered the clarke 14 chop saw around christmas from tractor supply because they had a real good sale going. The clarke has been used pretty good and noo problems yet. I works for what i need! Im happyYa gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:I bought a Metabo, and had no probs with it. But I also use a horz band saw for larger stuff. But for angle and tubing. Had no probs
Reply:I bought one from Graingers (Auckcland-Grainger here in Canada) yesterday.   Box says 3 year Warranty, 1 year free service, and 90 day money back guarantee.  Mine is a D28700. Originally Posted by UltrachopJust purchased a Dewalt 14" cold cut saw, It was the least expensive ($389) at general tool.I would have gotten a Mikita, but the price was nearly $100 more and it was only 12" and the blades were more. (time will tell)  Note: Dewalt has a yr warranty and a 30 day no questions ask refund!