# Difference between metal-cutting bandsaw and power hacksaw?



## HMF

Don't these two machines essentially perform the same function?

What, if any, are the differences between them?

Thanks,


Nelson


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## Tony Wells

I know of no current manufacture power hacksaw, so there must be reason. Speed would have to be one. I imagine any reciprocating machinery has more wear and tear parts than a rotary machine. Also, blade selection is bound to be far wider with a bandsaw. I've run a power hacksaw, and was not impressed with the speed or overall performance.


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## hq308

Nice question! 

I'm thinking about buying a saw and was actually wondering the same thing, I guess I'll be buying a bandsaw.


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## Hawkeye

I actually have a power hacksaw. The poor thing sat there at the scrap yard, pleading with me for a whole summer. I finally gave in and took kit home and restored it. It's pretty cool. The blade is lifted up a bit during the return stroke and dropped back down on the forward stroke. I added a switch to shut it off when the blade drops through.

It works quite well, but, as mentioned, is a lot slower than a bandsaw. I don't use it any more, since I got a portable (HF style) bandsaw and an old Cosen 912.

I have a short video of it running, but it is an avi file, which this site doesn't allow.


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## HMF

> [author=Hawkeye link=topic=2881.msg20096#msg20096 date=1311916414]
> 
> I have a short video of it running, but it is an avi file, which this site doesn't allow.



We do now!

(We now allow the following extensions: doc, gif, jpg, mpg, pdf, png, txt, zip, flv, avi).

Post away! I'd love to see it work!


Nelson


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## Hawkeye

Okay, hear goes. The two pawls in behind the connecting rod are for raising the blade on the return stroke.

Yup. It works. Just click on the file below. It may take a while to load because it's around 9Mb.


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## HMF

Hawk,

That saw works nicely, and while, it's slower than a bandsaw, it's fun to watch!

The video worked real nice for me- I should have added AVI files long ago,

Thanks!



Nelson


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## Charley Davidson

Benny has an old one he's gonna fix up for a mailbox post or something, maybe he'll pipe in and tell you more


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## bcall2043

Charley Davidson said:


> Benny has an old one he's gonna fix up for a mailbox post or something, maybe he'll pipe in and tell you more



It has pretty much been said by the others. The slower power hack saw got left behind in the industrial rush. 

The power hack saws are neat to watch, kind of like the shapers going back and forth, back and forth..............with all the neat mechanisms adjusting things as they run.

The old power hack saw I have was rescued by a friend from a open field up near Boston and hauled back to TN. It is too far gone to rebuild in my opinion but I can't just throw it away.

Benny


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## aametalmaster

I have a couple of metal cutting bandsaws and now i want a power hacksaw. I am going to build one like this one. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvl_GwnKQPA I have started gathering the parts. I need to cut lots of 6" solid bar i got for free...Bob


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## GK1918

Myself I have absoulutly no luck with any kind of band saw, I got 3.  I find them to be
blade eaters.  My three most used in order #1power hack saw, #2 chop saw, and
#3 torch.  Hack saw mfg. in 1914 cuts not only big stuff but straight.  It has an oil
pump and it shuts its self off, blades last and last nice heavy vise, can use drain oil
for coolant it doesnt care.     Atleast my kid got some of the floor painted


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## RRT

All of you power hacksaw fans are making me take another look at the one I have deep in the barn.  It has a 3 phase motor, so I dont even know if it works.  I assumed it was cheaper to buy a band saw than try and fix this one up.  It's a bit of an overkill for my needs.  I would appreciate any comments as to whether it would be worth getting a motor to try it out.


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## aametalmaster

RRT said:


> All of you power hacksaw fans are making me take another look at the one I have deep in the barn.  It has a 3 phase motor, so I dont even know if it works.  I assumed it was cheaper to buy a band saw than try and fix this one up.  It's a bit of an overkill for my needs.  I would appreciate any comments as to whether it would be worth getting a motor to try it out.



I would give my left nut for that machine...Bob


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## ScrapMetal

RRT said:


> All of you power hacksaw fans are making me take another look at the one I have deep in the barn.  It has a 3 phase motor, so I dont even know if it works.  I assumed it was cheaper to buy a band saw than try and fix this one up.  It's a bit of an overkill for my needs.  I would appreciate any comments as to whether it would be worth getting a motor to try it out.



What is this "overkill" thing you mention??? :headscratch:  :biggrin:

Nice saw!

-Ron


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## toag

I have a power hacksaw in my shop and i have used bandsaws for years in other shops and i would say hacksaws cut truer than band saws.  I think it has to do with the size of the blade, and the fact that the blade isn't twisted like bandsaw.  Yes they are slower, much slower, but i am a one man show, so its never been a huge issue with me. 

here is my baby


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## RRT

ScrapMetal said:


> What is this "overkill" thing you mention??? :headscratch:  :biggrin:
> 
> Nice saw!
> 
> -Ron



Just compared to my little 1932 SB 8" lathe.     

Now that I know it's value is at least equal to Bob's left nut, I will try and fire it up.


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## GK1918

Hi RRT, you really dont need 3ph or 220 mine was the same deal and I chose 110vt cause it was just
easier to change motors than run 220 to the other side of the shop go back to my photo, clearly
you can see the motor is a run of the mill washing machine motor and it runs perfectly.  sam


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## Ozwelder

Hi guys,
Some band saws can be pivoted vertical and a plate attached that will allow you to cut curves in sheet metal thickness.this makes you band saw unit more versatile. If neighbours are close by and you work into the evening a bandsaw is far less noisy that a power hacksaw.
has this helped ?

Ozwelder


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## RRT

Ok,  I'm convienced.  I dug around and found a couple differnt motors I can try and heavy metal caster set to put under that heavy thing since   its welded to the crude I beam stand.   All the clamping mechanism is present.   All I need is to source some blades.  I will post my results when I get it going.   Thanks guys.  Toag, your photo of a clean one is inspiring.


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## aametalmaster

RRT said:


> Just compared to my little 1932 SB 8" lathe.
> 
> Now that I know it's value is at least equal to Bob's left nut, I will try and fire it up.



Thats real pricey because the other one is gone . Just being silly. I really do like your saw. New blades are out there http://www.mcmaster.com has some as well as a million other cool things. I even see them on ebay...Bob


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## nicky

Well I still like my power hack saw best. In my store I used to sell two different sizes, 14" and 16". The one I kept for myself was the 14" and it cuts almost everything I ever wanted to. I used to make band saw blades as well, still do for that matter if I have the right material. Farmers would come in and order 5 or 10 blades at a time. I have used my hack saw a lot and for about 25 years. It took me that long to go through a 10 pack of blades. Just bought another 10 pack last year which should last me the rest of my life time.
However if anyone is interested I have an used 18" for sale. About a $100 bill would buy it. It needs a motor as it probably had a 3 phase on it and the fellow I bought it from probably took it off. It looks to be in fairly good shape otherwise. Needs a bit of cleaning and probably some tuning but looks sound.
I bought it because when running the store/shop in town I was going to set it up there and bring my 14" home but now that we have semi retired and sold the in-town shop everything came home to our new shop and I don't need two of them.
We are just across the border from Port Huron, MI if anyone is interested.
Nick


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## auto.pilot

I am interested in the power hacksaw and live in michigan.  I will send you a private message.  Thanks. Jim


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## Rbeckett

aametalmaster said:


> I would give my left nut for that machine...Bob


Bob, 
Youre not really offering much there.  I heard you were already a gomer ( a one nutted Bull).......  Just kidding and having a little light hearted fun at your expense.  Glad to see ya back around again too.
Bob


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## Toolslinger

I'm pretty sure you can still get a new power hack, but damned if I recall who was making it...

The way I look at them is this.  They cut heavy stock, really well.  It depends on the piece you're cutting really, but you can get some insanely aggressive blades for them that will really plow through chips.  Yea, the bandsaw never stops cutting, but in the right setting the power hack will still out cut them.  Given the choice, I'd get a power hack as 99% of what I cut is done on my cold saw.  The only thing I ever need to cut that it can't handle is really big stuff like I beams and big channel.  Sure, I could do all that with a bandsaw, but they're far more fussy... I've never had a power hack not cut square, bandsaws on the other hand seem to cut diagonals better than straight...  In my case it would live in the warehouse and get dragged out when needed once a year or so.  I suspect that the hack would put up with that kind of treatment better than a band.

If I didn't have the cold saw, I'd likely get an abrasive chop before a horizontal band... Just a better setup for the kind of work we do...

On top of that, my father has a hack out at the family farm, and there are a lot of good memories associated with that dinosaur... Its pleasant to watch, and even listen to... Some day I'll have to restore that beast, but until then, it'll just keep cutting down in the basement of the barn...

-Tim


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## aametalmaster

Rbeckett said:


> Bob,
> Youre not really offering much there.  I heard you were already a gomer ( a one nutted Bull).......  Just kidding and having a little light hearted fun at your expense.  Glad to see ya back around again too.
> Bob



Thanks. My wife says you are right ...Bob


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## Phil Morris

I sold my horizontal bandsaw as soon as I got my power hacksaw up and going.  As was mentioned a couple of times, the hacksaw cuts straighter than the bandsaw I had and the cost per cut is dramatically cheaper.  It also has enough gizmosity to make it fun to watch and since I am also a vintage machine freak, the power hack wins hands down.

My little Covel/Craftsman on custom stand:




Phil


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## Hawkeye

That looks pretty much like mine, except that the cast iron arm weight and vise were missing and the connecting rod was broken when I got mine. Nice old machine. And, like a shaper or a campfire, you can't help but stare at it when it's going.


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## desbromilow

My dad has an old unit which uses "normal" hacksaw blades  - 10" long from memory
the blade guide has an inclined bronze block which lifts the frame on the reverse stroke, and lowers the blade on the forward stroke.

I think from memory the motor drives the crank via a wormgear to get the speed down to a sensible range.

once I get photos working, i'll send through some photos, or if you can wait until October, I can get nameplate details.


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## Terrywerm

I've got a power hacksaw and love it. It's great to watch as it goes about it's business, or I can keep an ear on it while I am doing something else. It is far less fiddley than a bandsaw, the blades are far cheaper and last much longer, too.  Of course as others have said, it cuts straighter as well. 

In an ideal world I would have three saws: One large power hacksaw like I currently have, to be used for cutting large, thick pieces. A second small power hacksaw that uses regular 10 inch hacksaw blades and fits on the benchtop would be ideal for cutting thinner bars. Thirdly a vertical bandsaw would be nice to have for some of those special projects.

My current power hacksaw was obtained for a very good price (free, but I spent a little over a hundred bucks for fuel to go get it).  It had a three phase motor on it, so I had to buy a different motor for it, which I managed to get on clearance at a local Tractor Supply store. The worst thing was that I had to completely dissassemble it so that I could degrease all of it, it was absolutely filthy. Once it was all cleaned up I reassembled it so that I could get some use out it and make sure that it doesn't have any other problems before I disassemble it again to strip and repaint it. It needs a little TLC here and there, but nothing serious. I hope to strip it down next spring and give a total overhaul and repaint.


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