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evolution saw

1K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  thedownlow 
#1 ·
I just got my Evolution 180 circular saw.
this thing is amazing. Im looking for more things to cut. once the novelty wears off maybe I'll do something productive with it.
 
#3 ·
I bought the Porter Cable dry cut saw a while ago. I use it all the time and love it! I will never go back to abrasives again!
 
#4 ·
so help me out here...what other cutting tools do you have? plasma? vertical band? horizontal band? ect?

where do feel like it fits in with them? in other words would you buy a plasma before it? a vertical band saw before it?

I got jealous when I saw a guy using one at the steel yard but I just can't figure out how much I'd use a tool that can't cut anything but straight lines
 
#5 ·
I never understood the draw to these unless you repeatedly cut thin walled tubing, or repeatedly cut small pieces of steel into smaller pieces (and wanted to do so fast).

A quality horizontal bandsaw will cut straighter, last longer, and allow you to cut ~6+ inches of 1/2" plate numerous times w/no worry of damaging the "blade" or dulling it quick.

Maybe I`m missing some other usages but if I had neither a horizontal bandsaw or a chop saw I would get a horzintal bandsaw any day of the week. Even my cheapy HF unit has come in handy, and when funds allow I`ll def. be upgrading to a higher quality unit. I like being able to 'set it' and 'forget it' on the bandsaw (even the cheapy HF), it lets me go do other work.
 
#9 ·
Exactly it's a time saver. (Like I said previously.)
Many people here are not doing it for a living though so time is not money to most people.

Anyhow, how much faster is the evolution saw than a porta-band??? Probably a couple seconds if that due to prep to setup. Like I said for a shop that does repeated cuts I understand, for the at-home user a horizontal band saw will do the same + more, and for tube a porta-band can even work.

IMHO, having a bandsaw, and previously having a porta-band only I saw no need to get one.

If I ran a shop I would have a good bandsaw already - like the kama or dake. It will cut the tube as fast as the evolution. (I've nver used the evolution but the KAMA can cut as fast as I can pull down, so if the EVO is faster it's not by much.)

It has it's place for some people limited on space, repeat cuts, etc.

Not arguing with you just answering gother guys post still.
 
#10 ·
Awhile back I got a bunch of grating from the local scrap yard. If you've ever priced this stuff, it's VERY spendy. I got about $1500 worth of grating for around $250. I had no good way to cut it. The best and most obvious was the (wood) circular w an abrasive blade. It sucked ass big time. I was showered in sparks and burning galvanized dust. My wife had to hold each panel 'cause I had to press the saw forward so hard just to get it to cut.

This gave me a great excuse to buy the Milwaukee and it zipped thru the grating no problem. Using tool-addict logic, the money I saved on the grating more than justified a tool I can use for many years to come.

Point being, there are applications. We also used it to zip thru mule panel for a friend's deck railing, and I've used it to flush-cut two pieces of square stock welded together at a right angle (portaband can't flush cut due to width of stop).

Examples of the grating here:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=541668

It was cut to form the stairs and landing for my mezzanine, as well as "door mats" outside the shop doors. Pics of stairs in this thread if anyone cares:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=662168
 
#11 ·
I`m a moron and didn't realize this was about the evolution CIRCULAR saw. :shaking: I thought it was about the EVO COLD SAW. :shaking:


The circular saw looks cool if you need to cut a bunch of straight stuff :D No comments anymore since I've never used any steel cutting device that does this only. :smokin:
 
#12 ·
I baught a dewalt 14"chop saw not too long ago. I wish I would have know how good the evo saws worked because I definitely would have gotten their chop saw instead.

granted there are times when a torch, band saw, plasma, or sawzall will have to be used but the evo circular saw will cut faster (in most cases) than any of these. it leaves a clean edge, no flame or molten metel flying, and it will cut at least 1" plate mild steel, we did it at work. now if we had to torch this cut, the time in cleaning the edge alone would have taken at least double the time to cut it with the saw.
 
#16 ·
it is like haveing a 9/16 socket and ratchet and a 9/16 box wrench. they do the same job for the most part, but one will work better than the other. depending on the situation.:D

people with the cir saw don't hate band saws.

no need to convince us they are good, we agree
 
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