I'm about sick of my abrasive chop saw. I really like what I see in this Hitachi saw. Anyone have any info on it? I dont really know anything about Hitachi tools.

I know dewalt makes one too. I have tons of Dewalt tools, and the only one I dont like is my chop saw. The first one died after two months, so I'm leery of the Dewalt. I dont really like the stamped metal table either.

Anyway...thought on this one?

http://www.hitachi.com/hpt/metal/05metalsaw/halp-ZZZ7Y7Z0CDC.html

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000614UM.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg



Good info I turned up on the subject:

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/content/tools/2000/april/steelworkers/default.asp

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23036&highlight=multicutter

i've never used one before, but they look awesome. They are really $$$ though. The ones i have seen for sale are btwn 500-700. Dunno if it's worth the $$, but go ahead and buy one, then let us know!!

I never used one, but Hitachi makes great power tools. Everyone that I own, I wouldn't trade for anything.

Did you look at the Porter-Cable 1410? I have a Dewalt dry cut and hate all the plastic on it!

Ever look into a metal cutting bandsaw?

For the money they are far beter, and more accurate IMO.

Can't stand my abrasive saw, Its a Ryobi, and works great but getting a square cut is a chore.

Next stop is a horizontal/vertical metal cutting bandsaw for me.

MJ

those saws work awsome. blades last about 100 times longer than an abarasive. just dont lean into them too hard or they shatter. also cost about 90-100 bucks to replace. but well worth the money. alot cleaner and more accurate that a abrasive as well.

Get a band saw from Enco or Grizzly. I got one for about 600
shipped. I have a porter cable dry cut saw, believe me the band saw is a way better buy, cleaner too.

I actually started out thinking to get a band saw, but I did not feel like I knew enough about them to buy one I could afford w/o risking buying a POS I'd hate.

There was one a Grizzly that looked pretty sweet for the money:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?Product_ID=12035&&User_ID=1947136&St=8201&St2=46489237&St3=-39567281&DS_ID=1

It seems hard to believe all that would cost simliar to a dry cut saw and be good quality.

So let's hear it. Tips on what to get in a band saw? I'd say max budget is around $700 (inc tax and/or shipping). It will be used on a daily basis. Accuracy and reliabilty/ease of servicing are key to me.

Jim

For $700 I would find a bandsaw that has the capacity you would typically want to deal with.

As the others said they cut far straighter than cut off saws(In large stock)...they tend to be slower but the time I spend fixing slightly skewed cuts would be more than the band saw takes to cut right the first time.

Blades last a long time as well.

I have heard that the carbide blades tend to lose their teeth and that it hurts when they do. :eek:

No doubt abrasive blades suck...but I've learned to get quite a few cuts out of them...and to vac up the mess as soon as possible. :rolleyes:

EDIT: that Grizzly saw would be sweet.
No clue on the quality...probably made in taiwain but then again so is everything else nowadays.

MJ

My Dewalt chop saw is made in CHINA. :mad:

RE: mess My shop floor looks like a black sand beach. :D

If I get a band saw am I going to need to also have a chop saw?

Thanks for all the info so far everyone.

I have a band saw and a chop saw,I pretty much only use the chop saw on stuff thats been hardend. Band saws the way to go imo :beer: