Anything welding

When you use one of those is it up to you to keep the cuts straight? Part of the reason I thought about a chop saw was to help keep my cuts straight. I suck with the angle grinder and reciprocating saw.

 

Yep, but it's easy to follow a chalk mark. Just mark all 4 sides.

The portable band saw is very portable. I just don't see any advantage of a chop saw, unless you plan to use it for wood work as well.

 

I don't need it to be portable so I wonder if I can find one that's more permanent so I could use guides.

 

I'm looking for something to cut tubing straight and at a defined angles which is I was figuring on buying a chop saw. I do a lot of wood work and am just getting into metal and I sure wouldn't use a bad saw to cut my 45's out of wood. Is it that different for metal?

 

You could not give me a Top of the line Chop Saw

But if you have to have one go for it

My Deep Cut band saw more then earned it keep

 

Does anyone have any experience with these portable band saw tables? - http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-V30-Portaband-Table_p_55.html

They look like they are easy to use, and appear durable. People seem to like them.

But I do know anyone with personal experience.

 

I have a Harbor Freight band saw. Over 20 years old, still cuts straight. Sees way more use than my Porta Band

 

My buddy has one. I have used it a few times. Only issue is limited cutting capacity.

 

Like one of these guys?

 

Isn't the frame 11 ga? At some point you'd have to start reinforcing that. But it goes beyond just material strength by design.

 

I've seen these and think they are great, I just need to move my portable band saw around the for this to work for me. So I never got one. The best would be to have two band saws.

 

Mine is green, but other than that it is exactly the same saw.

 

The frame is not the issue. Look at your skid plate. Areas of wide unsupported metal. Add in pointy rocks and a heavy truck. The frame can take a hell of a beating, especially in the boxed sections. Not saying it can't be bent. My friend bent his front crossmember as well as his bumper and leading edge of his skid plate when his tire slipped off a rock. Basically the truck dropped two feet down onto a rock.
My skids are destroyed from mostly smaller impacts/dragging over rocks, normal wheeling out this way.

 

Does everyone beat their truck like a rented mule, as you seem to?

We are all only offering suggestions. This is the welding forum. We all only can offer opinions. Nothing written here is "gospel".

In addition, I'm not bench pressing 60 lbs in an awkward position every time I want to do regular Maint.

 

Not everyone does. But enough of us do, and that caused a certain vendor to make reinforced skids.
Everyone wheels differently, different terrain, etc. That is why so many different products are available.
Need dictates change.
I was merely debating the point that about leaving the skid as the weak link to prevent frame damage.

Perhaps when I make my front bumper I will intentionally make weak welds to save my frame in the event of a major frontal impact

 

Back to welding....
This saw can cut angles up to about 50* depending on material size. Changing the angle is not as quick as with a chop saw . Now that I am in between projects I plan on doing a mod to it to remedy that for my more commonly used angles.

 

A great welder I am definitely not. But so far I am pretty happy with how the drivers side rear quarter panel is coming out. Havent finished the corner side yet or all the spot welds. Still quite a bit of work to do but so far so good!

 

Well since my Divorce pretty much ended the Rig Welder days I don`t think I used the Portable band saw but one time .

The Carolina HD-10 saw in the shop is my Go to saw .

Other then new bearings for the blade guides and a few blades since 1989 I can`t complain

 

I wish I had room for a dedicated floor mount band saw.

Sigh, with everything in life, there must always be compromise.

 

I put mine on a floor jack so I don't get buff.