Best Cold Saw for my $

[bru21]

So I am in the market for a cold saw (not a cold sore ha ha),

What are you guys using and are you happy,

Looking at the bottom end $1k-2k max,

Want it for cutting RHS and 4130 tube,

Single or ideally 3 phase,

Spent the last 6 months looking on ebay and nothing decent in qld comes up, so I'm thinking hare and forbes?

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S816" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S828" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or:

http://www.cheapesttools.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=9879" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

cheers bru

[Struth]

They are all small machines but would suit what you want to cut well, I would go the H&F 3 phase out of that lot.

Would find though that they may only cut up to 50mm RHS at 45 degrees.

Cheers

[Tiny]

I prefer band saws like https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/B006" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Struth]

I prefer band saws like https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/B006" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think they are too slow for anything other than large sections, they also have a tendency to wander off angle if you try and cut at anything other than the lowest speeds.

If going cheap you will definately get better cuts from a cheap cold saw vs a cheap bandsaw.

Cheers

[offroadboss]

Grays online has been awesome for this sort of machinery

[bubs]

I prefer band saws like https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/B006" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think they are too slow for anything other than large sections, they also have a tendency to wander off angle if you try and cut at anything other than the lowest speeds.

If going cheap you will definately get better cuts from a cheap cold saw vs a cheap bandsaw.

Cheers

You are correct band saws are slow, but providing you run the blades in correctly you will not have the wandering issues.
The blade running in has more of an effect than the down speed I have come across over the years.

[Dirty]

Bru,

I have a H&F CS-315 (or of sorts, the current one on their website isn't the same as the one I have, so they have changed the product along the way somewhere).

As single phase which is all I have it has worked a treat. I have had it for around 2 years now and it has had a moderate level of usage. Most of my fab work is done in bursts. It will get used constantly for a couple of weeks, then sit for for a couple of months before the next project.

The first one I got the motor burnt out in about 2 weeks, H&F replaced it at no cost, they even covered the freight of sending it back to them and delivery of another one. (the second one was dropped off a forklift by the freight company and turned up on my doorstep as a collection of cast steel fragments, so was also sent back). I have no issue with the service of H&F, they where great to deal with.

Most of my work on this saw has been cutting: RHS, 25x25x1.6 up to 120x80x3; Tube up to 60x1.8; solid round bar up to 30mm. None of this material has caused any issue. 45 degree cuts haven't been a problem up to 80x80 RHS.

- David.

[bru21]

Thanks for the input,

How do you go with blade life? I see the blades are $140-190 depending, so you would want a few cuts!

Also I have a baby bandsaw that I aquired and I never really use it. I should fire it up, its a trade tools http://www.tradetools.com/Catalogue/Pro ... Code=RF128" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I bought it for work when we had a fencing business to cut 5"x5" PVC RHS and it was always way off square - up to 10mm, so I canned it and got a compound slide. Might be worth trying with a starett blade and some smaller sections,

cheers bru

[BlueSuzy]

I like bandsaws, The one we have at work has a table to put on so you can cut vertical. Excellent for cutting plate or things to shapes for gussets and other things.

You get to know the machine and how it may wander, If it does, there will be fine adjustments and if needed, you can always manually take/grind some material off the slides/guides.

[Dirty]

How do you go with blade life? I see the blades are $140-190 depending, so you would want a few cuts!

Still on my original blade, but it is a little dull at the moment. But even said, the blade is still fine and very much in working condition. So at my usage rates possibly a couple more years before a sharpen. And coming from a drop saw I would guess a cold saw has a lower operating cost, I would have consumed close to a replacement blade price worth of discs and it is still going strong. But I wouldn't be buying a Cold Saw based on price, they just cut cleaner, faster and more accurate than a drop saw, don't have a bandsaw to compare to. You will save hours of your life with a cold saw compared to owning a drop saw.

I haven't priced the cost to have it sharpened, but a mate that once owed a large scale engineering company would always get the blades sharpened/repaired as a more cost effective solution to replacing. And he had some really crazy looking blades that had been snapped in two and brazed back together that worked 100%. Those blades would be punished by employees that DGAS and when it was time to sharpen they where missing teeth and completely shagged and the sharpener would bring them back to life.....

Has been 10 years since I have seen him, so maybe all these Chinese products have brought an end to the sharpening business, I don't know what it cost to have one sharpened back then, just was cheaper than new.

If you have the $$ to drop on a cold saw, and you do fab work, you will be much happier and be more productive when working in the shed. After the initial cost, it hasn't cost me anything to use it.

- David.

[nastytroll]

I have only used BROBO cold saws. I have used many band saws and never had any real issues with wandering. I would say good blades, a quality saw and the right speeds and feeds has alot to do with it. It is still cheaper to get cold saw blades sharpened. Band saws are more versatile that cold saws for different materials and will cut thicker sections and tougher materials. You will need a special blade for high tensiles and the saw will hate you for it. Cold saws are good for stainless fab though, especially when tigging but still only good for lighter sections.

I have cut 100dia sold mild but the saw was not happy and I had to rotate the bar and work my way through it. Don't let drillers near it, they will trash the blade with drill pipe.

[Ice]

IF you can afford both bandsaw and coldsaw get both... have used quite a few brobo's in my time and resharpening is always done, if your cutting ally or copper you get a different blade than you use for steel.