Chop saw decisions

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96Cruiser13

96Cruiser13

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Jul 11, 2007
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Burlington NC
I'm looking into getting a 14 inch chop saw instead of a cutting torch since my garage is attached to my house. I don't want the danger of my house exploding. I know I won't be able to do everything I can with with a torch ( bend metal, cut shapes, weld, ect.) but I want to be able to cut metal for most of my projects and if I NEED to use and torch, I have 4 at work...

My problem is I've only used the Dewalt pictured, and it is excellent. It cuts anything I've thrown and it! ( 2 inch round stock is the thickets I've had to cut)

Here are the 3 I'm looking at:

ForumRunner_20131128_124339.webp



ForumRunner_20131128_124351.webp



ForumRunner_20131128_124400.webp

If anyone has any knowledge here, I'm all ears! I'm not limited to these three, so if someone has one that they love, I'd be willing to hear!!

Thanks!
Ryan

ForumRunner_20131128_124339.webp


ForumRunner_20131128_124351.webp


ForumRunner_20131128_124400.webp
 
If you have used and like the Dewalt then stay with it.


Most tools now are sadly made in China and quality has suffered across the board.

There are some still made in other places but the price rises steeply.

When I look for power tools now I check craigslist for older models that were made in US/Japan/Europe and are still in good condition.
 
My experience puts more focus on the actual blade/cutting wheel than the "machine" when it comes to these, more money doesn't necessarily give more performance unless you have a nice cutting wheel. The blades off the shelf at your local hardware/tool supply suck IMHO, I buy the cutting wheel from the welding supply store, they are metric and thinner, removing less material during the cut.

But, I sold my cheap Northern Tool saw because I'm looking to get something with more performance/less noise/dust whenever I get to move and set up a new shop...
 
I have alot of Dewalt tools here. Most last me years and I am rough as heck on them and they keep going.
 
Have you considered a dry cut saw? More expensive at first but the blades last longer than the abrasive so in time the cost averages out and there are no sparks. They run at a lower rpm too. Whatever you do don't get an abrasive saw and put a dry cut blade on it. It gets scary..... even though i did it anyway haha.
 
I don't think this type of saw is terribly accurate, so if you're gonna invest in a tool like this for doing accurate work, get a porta-band.

If you want/need a chop saw, harbor freight and northern tool make decent ones for pretty cheap.
 
Yeah, accuracy is marginal with these things but it comes in handy when you have a project with tubing. The slower speed of the dry cut helps a little. I had no hesitation selling mine to boss man. Northern tool has a decent horizontal band saw for a few hundred bucks. I always wanted one. You just set it up for the cut and let the saw do it's thing. It's a bit of a space hog though.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365120_200365120
 
While I am a fan of Dewalt products, the chop saw I have had for years is a Hitachi (CC14SF). I have used it for a ton of projects including full roll cage, front and rear bumpers, sliders,..as well as smaller projects cutting angle for battery trays and roof rack for trailer. I still use a torch setup for heavy cutting of plate and wide stock as it will end up overworking the chop as well as your ears. (plus overheating the blade which can have catastrophic results…ask me how I know)

Not saying the Hitachi is better than any other, it is just a tool that seems to work when needed and has lasted for over 10 year.

Mike
 
I bought the DeWalt from Home Depot this summer. It's been great! My cutting tool for the last 12 years had been a plasma cutter. DeWalt is a brand that you will be able to get parts for in the future.

And remember:
"A poor carpenter(or metalworker) blames his tools"
 
Professionally use multiple on a daily basis and, hands down, even the newer "Made in Taiwan" Dewalt is a superior product, from a longevity and durability standpoint.

Employees abuse, leave in truck beds when it frosts, and will run 300' extension cords from generated juice, and they can't be killed, which is more than I can say for the same brands other products.

Still have one Dewalt (Black & Decker) from the late nineties that hasn't been touched mechanically, and it cuts all day, every day, no problem. Know for a fact it's sat out in pouring rain on numerous occasions, too.

Only Dewalt products that haven't seen a dramatic decline in quality are their chop saws and rebadged generators.

The rest is junk, from a professional perspective, and all are now considered expendable.
 
I use a chop saw on a fairly regular basis. It is a rough cut off tool in my eyes. I do not use it for final cuts on anything as it is simply nt a percise tool. That said, using a thinner blade is best for the reasons stated above.

I have used a Sears Craftsman Proffesional (older model) for years until it finally died. I have been using a back up Northern tool model since with good results. In general I view a chop saw as a short term tool in that they are subject to a ton of metal and abrasive disc dust that eats them from the inside out. I have a full size stand up band saw so a portable band saw is something I really do not require.

So unless you see yourself using a chop saw on a somewhat regular basis I would buy something within reason (price) as it will more than likely last a long time due to infrequent use.
 
Y'all are spoiled. Unpriviledged folks like me use a cutoff wheel in a 4" angle grinder. I go through a lot of wheels....
 
I use a 4.5" cutoff wheel a great deal. Lots of tube work.

THis is a very handy tool for tube work. I bought a set of 3- 1.25", 1.5", 1.75" . I also made a "jig" from 3 pieces of 11" tube, one of each size at .125" wall DOM so they slip inside each other and telescope out to length.

http://www.pipemastertools.com/
 
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^^Did you mean to have a second link?

I'm still running an old 14" Hitachi that's still going strong after thousands of cuts. Having said that, that bandsaw looks pretty friggin' handy.
 
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