Thread: Chop Saw Recommendations

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I've been looking around at chop saws recently, preferably a 14". Looking for a nice well built one for the home shop. I don't need or want an industrial strength mega $$$ unit, but I don't want to buy a cheap one that won't last, just something for occasional use out in the garage for cutting steel tubing. The Northern Tools web site has several from Milwaukee and DeWalt which are name brand units, what do you guys recommend?

Mike

i have the dewalt for the shop that works good with the right chop wheels

Yes, we also have a Dewalt 14" in our shop and it works great.

But as Pat said, you need to buy the right wheels, some cut well and last, while others don't. I have found the best priced and quality wheels at our two metal supply yards.

Originally Posted by John Palmer

Yes, we also have a Dewalt 14" in our shop and it works great.

But as Pat said, you need to buy the right wheels, some cut well and last, while others don't. I have found the best priced and quality wheels at our two metal supply yards.

yes the dewalts wheels are junk they seam to get glass hard i use the ones from the welding shop they are Sait work the best ones i have used they do not over work the saw and cut quick and brake down of the wheel is not bad. the hard wheels last longer but you push harder and over load the saw and have bad cut that are not square

I bought a new Ridgid this summer to replace my old Milwaukee. It was about $200 at Home Depot and the blades that come with it are the best I've found so far, and I've tried a lot of different blades.

Sean

The blades make the saw. Some wear and cut real good, others wear out fast and then some won't cut or wear out. Basically more money is better blade, generally.
I have used Dewalt and they are good. Lots of Ryobi tools rate very high and the price is good.

I've got a DeWalt, had it for 10 years. It replaced a Makita that I used for about 20 years.... Fairly good return on investment for me.... Quality tools will usually pay for themselves over a period of time.....

Thanks to all for your recommendations. It looks like the DeWalt is the favorite choice, is there a particular model number that's the best to get?

Pat, which Sait blade do you use for cutting metal and where do you find them?

Mike

Originally Posted by Mike52

Thanks to all for your recommendations. It looks like the DeWalt is the favorite choice, is there a particular model number that's the best to get?

Pat, which Sait blade do you use for cutting metal and where do you find them?

Mike

i will get the number off one when i go to the shop .i think they are iron/steel ones they are on line not sure it you can buy from sait. i buy then from linde gas if you have one of them ?

But I like my bandsaw much better, would take it over a chopsaw anyday.

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

But I like my bandsaw much better, would take it over a chopsaw anyday.

well i like my sawzall over my torch i like my chop saw over the sawzall i like my band saw over it all there should be the hack saw in the mix some were to

Originally Posted by Mike52

Thanks to all for your recommendations. It looks like the DeWalt is the favorite choice, is there a particular model number that's the best to get?

Pat, which Sait blade do you use for cutting metal and where do you find them?

Mike

i would buy the chop saw that has the biggest amp motor

I have the std duty HF chop saw, which I got on sale for $49 a few years ago. it's been really good, and it chopped all the pipes and angles for the tubing for my turbo setup..

Thanks for the information, I did not know a chop saw could handle metal. I almost bought one for cutting wooden rafter beams on our recent 20'x30' "Sun Room" addition but after we cut out one pattern beam with the appropriate notches for the edge of the roof I was able to make 34 copies with just a hand circular saw. For steel rectangular tubing on my Brookville frame I made an additional crossmember out of 1 1/2" x 3" rectangular tubing by taking a stock piece to a guy who has a pro fabrication shop who took his Chemistry from me and he cut both ends on an angle for me free on a very neat metal miter hacksaw setup but that looks like it is really expensive since he can saw 4" square (hollow) beams on it! Anyway with the miter angle on the hacksaw I got a really good fit to the bevel on the Model A frame and welded my safety U bracket for the drive shaft to the bottom of the new crossmember.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Originally Posted by Don Shillady

Thanks for the information, I did not know a chop saw could handle metal. I almost bought one for cutting wooden rafter beams on our recent 20'x30' "Sun Room" addition but after we cut out one pattern beam with the appropriate notches for the edge of the roof I was able to make 34 copies with just a hand circular saw. For steel rectangular tubing on my Brookville frame I made an additional crossmember out of 1 1/2" x 3" rectangular tubing by taking a stock piece to a guy who has a pro fabrication shop who took his Chemistry from me and he cut both ends on an angle for me free on a very neat metal miter hacksaw setup but that looks like it is really expensive since he can saw 4" square (hollow) beams on it! Anyway with the miter angle on the hacksaw I got a really good fit to the bevel on the Model A frame and welded my safety U bracket for the drive shaft to the bottom of the new crossmember.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don, just make sure you're looking at a chop saw for metal and not a miter saw for wood....... Don't think I'd use a chop saw on wood rafters......