Band Saw or Plasma Cutter

[WorkInProgress]

I am looking into getting something for cutting plate(mainly 3/16 and down) at a more efficient, easier, and more accurate way. I have about a grand to spend. Cyberweld has a Miller 125 plasma cutter for like $950. I am kind of leaning towards a bandsaw though because it will make less mess and I wont have to do any cleanup work on the piece like grinding. What are your opinions. Can I even get a decent metal cutting bandsaw(vertical) for a grand?

[roach]

a good plasma will do more than a band saw will ever do. you can take your plasma to your work peice, but not your bandsaw. and if your tips are new, and the material is not too thick, you can make pretty clean cuts that dont require too much grinding. i would always make aluminum tamplates (not too thick) and after they were fitted right, i would remove an 1/8th inch all the way around. i would clamp this too my steel and use this as a template that my plasme could trace and the 1/8th inch was to make up the difference for the tip of the plasma. good luck

[ZTFab]

It's kind of a toss up with a bandsaw OR a plasma.....

Bandsaw is good for more precise cutting without a lot of cleanup...
You can cut higher angles on tubes versus a chop saw...
You can cut thinner sheet metal without possibly warping it from too much heat....

Plasma can cut just about anything....
You can use it almost anywhere....
It is more multi-purpose because you can use it for cutting old crap off of your truck a lot faster than a cut-off blade.....

I had this same problem and decided that I just needed to get both.....
You can pick up a decent Wilton 14" metal cutting bandsaw from Enco for just under a grand....Wilton Bandsaw (http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=505-1372&PMPXNO=953995&PARTPG=INLMK3)


For versatility I'd go with the plasma for now and save up for a bandsaw later....
I have a Hypertherm 380 and it's great...never regret spending the money on it...

[WorkInProgress]

How much did you pay for your Hypertherm? Also how do you like your bandsaw? What is the thickest you have cut with it? I am really leaning towards a bandsaw because of the cleanup issus witha plasma. What size air compresser would I need to run a plasma? I have a fairly small one right now but it is continuous. I still have an O/A torch too. Anyone know of any other places that have good deals on bandsaws?

[elcaprerunner]

Don't let the name scare you, but Harbor Freight has a great bandsaw. It's a descent sized unit and could possibly use a bigger table but other than that it's pretty good. All you need to do is change the gear inside to a bigger one (I think?) to slow the speed down and a blade for cutting metal, because it is originally intended for wood. But you can buy the gear at HF I believe. A couple of my friends have this one and infact the shop I used to work at had it and it was used just about everyday with no problems. I'm not real sure on the price so I'll just give a ballpark. I believe they start around $250-350 and they will occasionally go on sale for around $175-250 (depends what the original price was). Save up a couple hundred more and have both.

[FABRICATOR]

Plasma cutter.

[Jkrell]

I have the hypertherm 380 also -- paid a lil less than a 1000 for it on ebay -- works great. I was also in a similiar predicament that you are in a little while back and i settled it with a small jet Horizontal/vertical band saw. At 270 bucks (from western tool) i could justify getting both at the time and so far it has worked great. Harbor freight makes a similiar one for about a hundred bucks less -- but i compared the two and the hundred bucks more was definately worth the increase in quality. The vertical setup isn't as good as say a standart vertical bandsaw but its done just about everything i've need it to do.

jon

[ZTFab]

How much did you pay for your Hypertherm? Also how do you like your bandsaw? What is the thickest you have cut with it? I am really leaning towards a bandsaw because of the cleanup issus witha plasma. What size air compresser would I need to run a plasma? I have a fairly small one right now but it is continuous. I still have an O/A torch too. Anyone know of any other places that have good deals on bandsaws?


I paid around $1000 for the Hypertherm....you don't need a huge compressor for it, but the smaller the compressor, the more it will be running and that will cause more moisture to build up in the air which can eat up the consumables and eventually hurt the machine....I used to run a small craftsman 18 gallon compressor with mine and I attached a water trap right to the back of the plasma cutter to help.

The shop I used to work at had a Wilton 14"....I have a 23" Pehaka....
We used to cut anything from 20 gauge to 1/4" with no problem.....basically with a bandsaw a lot of the cutting potential comes from a quality blade. I use nothing but bi-metal blades with a 10-14 tooth variable pitch. They outlast a regular carbon blade by about 10 times....the main thing to remember when cutting with a saw is that you want about 3-4 teeth of the blade inside the cut at all times for the best quality and longevity of the blade.

I too have heard that the Harbor Freight bandsaw is OK but remember, you get what you pay for....

[mfs]

in my shop i dont use the plasma that much, you can live with out it.

i would say band saw, if u need to make brakekets all the time, cant be without mine, so much less grinding, i sand all the saw marks of. i would recamend a 1/4 14/18tpi lenox diemaster 2 bandsaw blade, only place i know u can get it is to order it from j&l industrial supply.have seen alot of guys buying cheap wood cuting bandsaws and slowing them down with pulleys to cut metal.

i use a torch to cut of brackets of a frame u can get closer to the weld with out cuttin into the frame.
i have a optic eye flame/plasma cutter now but i still use the band saw all the time.

[Josh_K]

PM me, I have a perfectly good Miller 375 that I have been thinking of selling for about a 1K with a stand and long cord, ready to go. I want to step up to something that will blow though .750 fast.

Josh

[WorkInProgress]

Yea but what size compressor would I need for a 375 plasma? Pretty big huh. I am pretty sure I am getting a bandsaw, since most of the stuff I will be making will be tabs, brackets and fairly small plate pieces. I am thinking I will just use my O/A torch for thicker and bigger stuff for now, seeing as how I dont have a very big compressor to power a plasma. Thanks for the help guys. I will let you know what I end up getting.

[outtacontrazy]

plasma and a chipping hammer and you'll be fine, possibly a bench belt or disc sander to help clean the left over slag from the plasma. why dont you use your O/A torch to cut? if used right with the right head you can cut 3/16 plate just as clan as a plasma with O/A....band saws are cool but get a plasma first......got to your local wleding supply store and see if they are selling any used rental plamsa cutters and try to get them to include two -three year warranty parts and labor......i got my 1 1/8 inch capacity plasma for half price of a new one when i picked it up used from my local rental store and they gave me a great three year parts and labor warranty....

[hoeker]

i have both, the plasma rarely gets used, right now i don't even know where it is.

i laser cut all my brackets when time allows. if i'm in a crunch i use the bandsaw.

[5racer]

Don't let the name scare you, but Harbor Freight has a great bandsaw. It's a descent sized unit and could possibly use a bigger table but other than that it's pretty good. All you need to do is change the gear inside to a bigger one (I think?) to slow the speed down and a blade for cutting metal, because it is originally intended for wood. But you can buy the gear at HF I believe. A couple of my friends have this one and infact the shop I used to work at had it and it was used just about everyday with no problems. I'm not real sure on the price so I'll just give a ballpark. I believe they start around $250-350 and they will occasionally go on sale for around $175-250 (depends what the original price was). Save up a couple hundred more and have both.


thats what i did its not a harber frieght though i also mounted it to a table. made a biger table around the blade and turned the rollers around by doing that you can get a 1/4 in blade to fit and scroll what ever you need