Thread: beginning fab shop tools

dont cheap out on a vertical bandsaw....thats my favorite tool in my shop.
worth every peny and useful for sooooo many things.
I bought a cheap one and it sucked. I ate blade like crazy.
i sold it and bought a Jet metal bandsaw.

so the porter cable i posted earlier with a metal blade isnt worth it?
Shop PORTER-CABLE 6" 10-Amp Band Saw at Lowes.com

Originally Posted by Pinned27

good info. ill prolly do this to my HF notcher even tho i dont have a problem so far. just keep it really lubricated.
and nice sandals

My moms slippers are comfy

Originally Posted by Pinned27

so the porter cable i posted earlier with a metal blade isnt worth it?
Shop PORTER-CABLE 6" 10-Amp Band Saw at Lowes.com

I wonder if it spins slow enough. I use a jig saw which works pretty good for most things since I cant afford a big air compressor to run a plasma.

Originally Posted by toyick

dont cheap out on a vertical bandsaw....thats my favorite tool in my shop.
worth every peny and useful for sooooo many things.
I bought a cheap one and it sucked. I ate blade like crazy.
i sold it and bought a Jet metal bandsaw.

How does it eat the blade? U have to have it at the right speed. Like 80sfpm. U can't expect a band saw blade to last when it's runing like 2000sfpm that for cutting wood! I worked for a guy and he had the cheapest band saw u can get with pulleys to slow it down and it cut 4130 plate no problem I though it was a joke but I can't say it didn't work.

Originally Posted by Prenissan

Agree Mark, a larger compressor is a must. I got a 21 gallon this summer and it rocks.

21gallon? Your kidding right? That's small! You would have to stop all the time and wait for it to catch up. more like 60gallon min with 175psi.

Tank size means relatively nothing when it comes to running tools. The pump means everything.

Originally Posted by mark

How does it eat the blade? U have to have it at the right speed. Like 80sfpm. U can't expect a band saw blade to last when it's runing like 2000sfpm that for cutting wood! I worked for a guy and he had the cheapest band saw u can get with pulleys to slow it down and it cut 4130 plate no problem I though it was a joke but I can't say it didn't work.

true but if it has bad rollers, and supports for the blade it can wear faster...
it will work your way...buy buying the right tool the first time makes all the difference in the world...esp with this.

Originally Posted by toyick

true but if it has bad rollers, and supports for the blade it can wear faster...
it will work your way...buy buying the right tool the first time makes all the difference in the world...esp with this.

What will wear? The blade or the rollers and supports? It doesn't sound like u have much experience with this. I have a nice higher end band saw and its great, but what I'm saying is that in this rare case this is one place you can go cheap if u need to. With a little work putting the pulleys and new belts on a cheap wood cutting band saw. From what I can tell their is very little to no difference in the rollers and supports on a band saw wood cutting or metal, speed is the main difference. You need good supports and rollers when cutting wood too and the blade is traveling at a much faster speed. In fact if you have ever seen a high end do all band saw it cuts anything just change blade and or speed on it. with a good bi- metal blade ( their not cheap a last a long time) at the right speed and right teeth per inch (3 teeth in the work) it will work and u will be amazed how long it will last. The guy I know that had one built 4 trucks with it, we thought it was going to die at point but it was just the belt was loose.

Originally Posted by maxyedor

Tank size means relatively nothing when it comes to running tools. The pump means everything.

Also Horse power rating is also misleading, sfm at the same psi is whats important when comparing compressors.

The compressor I bought is for my garage. It tops out at 140psi with 2 1/2 hp. It runs my air tools very well. No complaints here. I do understand and if I had a shop like you it would be worth getting a much bigger unit.

Originally Posted by mark

What will wear? The blade or the rollers and supports? It doesn't sound like u have much experience with this. I have a nice higher end band saw and its great, but what I'm saying is that in this rare case this is one place you can go cheap if u need to. With a little work putting the pulleys and new belts on a cheap wood cutting band saw. From what I can tell their is very little to no difference in the rollers and supports on a band saw wood cutting or metal, speed is the main difference. You need good supports and rollers when cutting wood too and the blade is traveling at a much faster speed. In fact if you have ever seen a high end do all band saw it cuts anything just change blade and or speed on it. with a good bi- metal blade ( their not cheap a last a long time) at the right speed and right teeth per inch (3 teeth in the work) it will work and u will be amazed how long it will last. The guy I know that had one built 4 trucks with it, we thought it was going to die at point but it was just the belt was loose.

Yes... i know nuthing...i had a crappy band saw...and it flexed and moved all around...the blade supports were crap...and wouldnt stay and always needed adjustment... The pully configuration was stupid and didnt allow you to adjust it correctly. and it was supposedly a do all. I now have a whiton/Jet higher end band saw around the 1200 dollar range that is the correct speeds for wood or metal, i have not needed to change out the Bi-metal blade at all since i purchased it..and it works amazing.. Go the cheap route you will wish you had upgraded the first time..and since you have a nice higher end band saw...your points are void...
Every person and every crappy band saw that they bought in the fab shops i have worked in have upgraded to nicer ones in the end. So just save your money and do it right the first time.

You need to use your chop saw to notch tubes. It's probably the second best thing I ever discovered. The best thing I discovered was microwaving flower tortillas with crunchy peanut butter. If you think either of those things are wrong then you have been living a pointless life.

Originally Posted by tacorunner87

Figure out how far out of center your notcher is. Mine was about 1/8" out of center. Measure the bushing assembly to the center of the bushing. Grab a piece of 2" tubing and a small piece of 1 3/4" tubing(spacer between bearings). On a 2" tube center is 1" then add a flat piece of bar to the 1 side of the 2" tube for the difference you need for it to be centered. Weld it together. Tap it for bolts on the back of the flat for bolts. Slide your bearings in place and take if for a test run. I had to glue my bearings in cause they were slightly undersized. Im sure if I would have used a caliper to measure the ID of the 2" tube. I could have found a bearing that fit better.

Awesome man, thanks! Where did u get the bearings?

I purchased the bearings through fastenel. Don't remember what they cost but for some reason im thinking around $5 each. If I remember correctly the spindle shaft diameter for the harbor freight notched is 3/4"

something like this would work.
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...0474470&ucst=t(rubber seals)
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...0474471&ucst=t(metal seals)

I would have to say the best tool I have ever bought was my first Plasma Cutter. Nothing else will add to your productivity like a good plasma cutter. You want a nice straight 3' line cut in 1/4" plate, 10 seconds later you have it...

On the bandsaw subject i scored one for free on here. previous owner said it would prbably need a new blade soon, he cut all the tube for the his truck build with it. I then used it with the old blade an caged the entire cab of my truck, most of the bed cage and quit a bit of plate before the blade broke. I made a nice little table that bolts to it and alows me to cut metal but i can also use it as a vertical bandsaw when i need to cut tube. best tool by far, LOVE that thing. Id still like to have a plasma though haha.

on the subject of air compressors, Max is right, tank size doesnt matter. that only matters if your compressor doesnt put out enough air for what you are doing. Im using a home brew compressor from the 50s. thing is massive and pretty ghetto looking but puts out more air then i have a clue what to do with. Ive had it up to about 180psi and it will keep the tank at 90-100psi even with a cut hose wide open.

What is a good brand for a first pneumatic impact? I don't want to pay for off the truck tools, but I want something that will work when I need it every other month.

I assumed that getting a nice one was just a durability issue so I just bought a $70 starter air tool kit from Home Depot thinking it would at least get me through the teardown of my Ranger before it broke. The impact has absolutely zero power, I got my my bed bolts out faster with my non-ratcheting breaker bar.

I use an old double hammer ingersol rand impact works awesome!

Mike

every ingersol impact i have use i have loved, badass tools. My dad has one of the earthquake ones from HF and loves it but it still doesnt compare.

I had a ir244 impact and lost it it was so nice u could feather the trigger and had so much power.

Believe it or not, my Harbor Freight air impact has more power than my IR at work, however it's about 8 years old and made in Japan, pretty sure HF isn't selling anything close to that good anymore.

Snap-On impacts aren't anything special, and Matco is great, but most are made by IR, so buy the IR branded version and save some coin. However, Matco has been giving away free tools left and right, check with your driver and see what they've got on special, you may come out way ahead.

I run a Baleigh TN-250 tubing notcher in my shop, thing is amazing... only downside is the 600$ price tag...

Dont know your $$$ situation, but depending on where exactly you plan on going with fab, a CNC machine is def on the top list of tools... A) a lot quicker for you to program and cut shit vs making DXF files etc and sending them to someone else, who may or may not cut well.. saves time. and as we all know time is money! haha

low budget vert bandsaw set up

Link to low budget port a band tread I started a while back.

I really like my cordless snap on impact it gets most jobs done hardly use the air impact. Plus u can use it out on the trail or at your buddys house.

We have 10 or 15 Snap-On cordless impacts at work, they are great, but my Makita is every bit as powerful, if not a hair more. Also lithium batteries don't "wear down" like NiCad, they are either full strength or dead, so any bolt you can actually tighten it the same as the last one. Amazon.com: Makita BTW450 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch High Torque Impact Wrench Kit: Home Improvement

Originally Posted by maxyedor

We have 10 or 15 Snap-On cordless impacts at work, they are great, but my Makita is every bit as powerful, if not a hair more. Also lithium batteries don't "wear down" like NiCad, they are either full strength or dead, so any bolt you can actually tighten it the same as the last one. Amazon.com: Makita BTW450 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2-Inch High Torque Impact Wrench Kit: Home Improvement

Does it have that rocker switch instead of a trigger? I hated that on a Dewalt impact I had.

Plasma Cutter? No respectable fabricator uses a plasma cutter.....my vertical bandsaw do-all w/16" throat, best over all tool. work smarter not harder.

Originally Posted by TUKTHIS

Plasma Cutter? No respectable fabricator uses a plasma cutter.....my vertical bandsaw do-all w/16" throat, best over all tool. work smarter not harder.

good thing i dont have a plasma cutter to use lol

I have used them, if you have a legit nice one they are amazing. nothing cuts quicker and if you know how to use it the cuts come out very clean.

I love my plasma, especially when cutting out cracked/damaged tubes!

Plasma is great for cutting up scrap or ripping sheets to get them on the band saw, but I swear I spend more time cleaning up plasma cuts than it takes to cut with a jig-saw. That and I've gotten used to water-jet cuts, even laser cuts look like crap now.

Originally Posted by mark

Does it have that rocker switch instead of a trigger? I hated that on a Dewalt impact I had.

Rocker switch.

Originally Posted by partybarge_pilot

Skip the cheaper notchers. They aren't rigid enough and go through hole saws.

My HF notcher has been using the same hole saws since 1999. Lots of lube and bigger washers on the bolts. I've killed a few drills with it.


Sent from my home using an Atari.

Originally Posted by TUKTHIS

Plasma Cutter? No respectable fabricator uses a plasma cutter.....my vertical bandsaw do-all w/16" throat, best over all tool. work smarter not harder.

not everyone has people to buy them $2500 bandsaws

Nothing beats a plasma for speed...

A good used Plasma cutter will run you $800-1200 on CL...

Get one bigger than you will ever need and tune it well and cleanup will take seconds. If it is only barely big enough to cut what you need cleanup will be a pain. If anyone thinks a bandsaw is faster they have never used a Plasma cutter. If you intend to make money from your shop you need the tools that will make you the most productive!

Isn't this thread about how you would set up your shop? I have used plenty of tools over the years and if there was one tool I can't live without its the plasma cutter, thats from experience. Being efficient in your processes will reward you in time saved and profit...

BTW, Max, I love the waterjet but it is wicked slow and you have to do the CAD before you can turn it on, slowing you down even more.

What do u guys think of the harbor freight plasma? I got a buddy who has one and seemed to be alright. I'm just weary of buying harbor freight electronics like welders and such from harbor freight.

(you guessed it....tapatalk)

So I may have read past all the bickering and missed these items, but if you're doing cage work you should consider getting some hand tools/ measuring devices going:

Magnetic 360 degree angle finder
A large fixed 90 degree carpenter square (1 foot x 3 foot long) This'll help at random times more than you know
Two straight 1' long strips of wood or metal with 1 non-permanent connection that you can loosen and tighten to find the angle you want to bend. I use two pieces of 1"x1"x12" long wood with a bolt connecting them. The 1" surface allows me to measure the angle of the bend using my angle finder
Extension cords
A small and large flame resistant blanket (to keep the sparks off the things you like)
A stocked fridge

Pay your friends in Costco dogs and pizza to stop by and keep you company. It helps to have company sometimes for motivation and critique of your work.
Good luck!
-Dan

Originally Posted by bri_man57

What do u guys think of the harbor freight plasma? I got a buddy who has one and seemed to be alright. I'm just weary of buying harbor freight electronics like welders and such from harbor freight.

(you guessed it....tapatalk)

as much as i want a plasma, i wouldnt buy a HF one and i for the most part support HF. Ive use a nice high dollar Lincoln that has spoiled me, no "cheap" one will ever compare i dont think.

The tiny millers work well and don't take a ton of room up.

If buying a used drill press make sure it either comes with a chuck key or has a Jacobs chuck.

Originally Posted by Ruffstuff Specialties

Nothing beats a plasma for speed...

A good used Plasma cutter will run you $800-1200 on CL...

Get one bigger than you will ever need and tune it well and cleanup will take seconds. If it is only barely big enough to cut what you need cleanup will be a pain. If anyone thinks a bandsaw is faster they have never used a Plasma cutter. If you intend to make money from your shop you need the tools that will make you the most productive!

Isn't this thread about how you would set up your shop? I have used plenty of tools over the years and if there was one tool I can't live without its the plasma cutter, thats from experience. Being efficient in your processes will reward you in time saved and profit...

BTW, Max, I love the waterjet but it is wicked slow and you have to do the CAD before you can turn it on, slowing you down even more.

So you have used a good vertical band saw with a good blade? if you want to be a hack you could blast out parts with the plasma hit it with the grinder and leave it all ruff but parts will not be the same side to side etc, unless you spend more time sanding. Your reputation as a fabricator will show in your work! Some people are more then happy with that that kind of close enough, ruff cut i just hit it with a grinder kinda work. As long as its cheap. But some of us care more and want nice accurate parts. Im sure my Standards of what a nice properly sanded bracket is, is different then what you think it is. for making tabs and brackets with curves and raduis's a well set up vertical band saw with the right blade is faster, more accurate and cheaper than hand held plasma. Where its faster is not in the cutting. (Plasma can blast thought metal but how steady is you hand?it's just a ruff cut) it's in the clean up less sanding less sanding supply's used. We all know the parts on the plasma are not cheap (tip's,etc). a $50 bandsaw blade can build a whole car. Plus it's easy to train people to cut parts on it not alot of skill needed. Turn your buddy's loose with your plasma and you bet they will burn though tips and have some jagged looking parts.