# Opinions on this particular Kalamazoo band saw??? - Model H9AWV



## MikeInOr (Oct 28, 2019)

I have been looking to upgrade my steel cutting capabilities for quite a while.  Currently I have a HF abrasive saw and a Delta 14 vertical band saw factory geared for metal cutting speeds.  I have been seriously considering a Evolution EVOSAW380 14" dry saw.  I have a mess of really nice stainless rod and thick wall tubing that I picked up at a recent auction (thanks alloy!) and the abrasive saw just sucks.  From what I have read I am a little worried about cutting thick ( 3" - 5") stainless with a dry saw.

The following Kalamazoo 9"x16" band saw became available locally for $1000 firm.  Compared to other H9AW saws I have seen this appears to be a good price.  What do you guys think?  Like most here I am just a hobby guy and speed of cut isn't of much importance to me but squareness of cut is.  This Kalamazoo is in the upper price range that most of the used Chinese / Taiwanese horizontal band saws go for locally.  From all the youtube videos I have watched the Kalamazoo's are pretty hard to beat for squareness and cut quality when using a good blade.  From the serial number I believe this is an older version of this saw but I don't know the difference between a H9AW and a H9AWV... I would guess the "V" model might be newer???

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This is a working Kalamazoo Model H9AWV Horizontal Band Saw 9".
-S/N 16906







I am guessing from the paper taped to the saw that this couldn't have been left outside too long?  The other assorted rust makes me think it is plumbed for coolant?


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## matthewsx (Oct 28, 2019)

Looks like an upgrade to me

Assuming they will power it up for you and let you take a test cut.

John


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Oct 28, 2019)

Looks like a beast....if you have the space and coinage then go for it.


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## projectnut (Oct 28, 2019)

The same saw is currently listed on eBay for $999.99.  It's being sold by a dealer with another nearly 20,000 items for sale at his store.  Very few of the items are machine shop related, so I would bet he doesn't know anything about the saw.  While it is less expensive than some others listed I doubt he paid anywhere near what he's asking and regardless of the claim of the price being "firm" I would bet there's some leeway if you find the machine has problems.

Having said that Kalamazoo saws are generally well built and dependable.  However like all equipment it does wear.  If there's any chance to inspect it I would do so.  Check for things like a working coolant pump, along with worn blade guides, and bearings.  Power it up to be sure the motor and transmission work properly, and check the bearings that lower the head and the retard cylinder and condition of the band wheels and bearings.

Keep in mind this was an industrial saw and as such parts won't be cheap.  Even things as small as the blade guide bearings can cost $30.00 t0 $40.00 each (you'll need 4) from a Kalamazoo parts vendor.  I would also check the blade width and length.  Most premade bandsaw blades sell in the neighborhood of $50.00 to $75.00 depending on length and tooth configuration.

In short they are good saws if they are well maintained.  It does appear to be coolant equipped, but personally I would run it with dry cut blades in a hobby situation.  Coolant gets nasty over time, and is hard on blade bearings and guides.  I use my Startrite H175 on a daily basis with bimetal dry cut blades.  They generally last 2 to 5 years depending on the size and amount of material cut.


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## MikeInOr (Oct 28, 2019)

projectnut said:


> The same saw is currently listed on eBay for $999.99.  It's being sold by a dealer with another nearly 20,000 items for sale at his store.  Very few of the items are machine shop related, so I would bet he doesn't know anything about the saw.  While it is less expensive than some others listed I doubt he paid anywhere near what he's asking and regardless of the claim of the price being "firm" I would bet there's some leeway if you find the machine has problems.
> 
> Having said that Kalamazoo saws are generally well built and dependable.  However like all equipment it does wear.  If there's any chance to inspect it I would do so.  Check for things like a working coolant pump, along with worn blade guides, and bearings.  Power it up to be sure the motor and transmission work properly, and check the bearings that lower the head and the retard cylinder and condition of the band wheels and bearings.
> 
> ...



I am actually looking at the saw listed on ebay.  It is about a 4 hour drive from me.  I would show up cash in hand and a chunk of stainless in my pocket for a test.  If ebay fees and paypal fees can be avoided I am sure I can cut a deal where we both come out ahead.  Thank you for the list of things to look for!  This will be a weekend saw at best so running dry blades makes a lot of sense.... thanks!  I will need to sell a couple machines that I am not using but I should be able to make it fit.  I recognize that this Kalamazoo is bigger than what I will probably ever need... but it makes more sense to me than buying a Chinese HF for the same price or a Taiwanese Jet/Wilton  5 x 7 for twice+ the money.

Very astute observation about the sellers other items... I should have thought of looking at that!  




Latinrascalrg1 said:


> Looks like a beast....if you have the space and coinage then go for it.



Actually, this is the Beast saw that makes me smile... but I would have to add an addition onto my shop to accommodate it so that kind of kills the good price.



































$800 and about 20 minutes away from me!

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bfs/d/madras-doall-tf-14ha-vertical-bandsaw/7005072538.html


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## projectnut (Oct 28, 2019)

If you're looking for a vertical saw something like this might better fit the bill:









						DOALL #MP-20 20" VERTICAL BAND SAW  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DOALL #MP-20 20" VERTICAL BAND SAW at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com
				




We had a similar one in our shop for over 30 years.  It can use several different size blades, and is variable speed.  The one you posted is a good saw, but primarily setup for production work.  The hydraulics are nice, but in reality take up just as much, if not more room than the saw itself.

I passed on a Do All hydraulic surface grinder for that very reason.  I would have needed double the space the saw occupied to get the hydraulics and power supply in the room.


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## MikeInOr (Oct 28, 2019)

projectnut said:


> If you're looking for a vertical saw something like this might better fit the bill:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Thank you.  The Doall I posted is just kind of a dream.  Whole saw rotates for miter cuts and the whole heads feeds forwards via hydraulics for 1  button cutting... it is just really cool and only about 20 minutes away from me and is for sale for only $800.   But like you said it will take up a huge amount of shop space and isn't practical at all!

I am actually a little worried about how much floor space the Kalamazoo H9AWV will take up.  I would put it on wheels so it doesn't have to protrude from the wall into the work space of the shop at all times and I could just swing it out for long stock.  I think I might cut a silhouette out of a piece of cardboard and try it out in my shop before making an 8 hour round trip.

I have gotten to the point where the priority of a good metal cutting saw is going up... and the Kalamazoo is well liked old American iron...  which I really like!


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## Cheeseking (Oct 28, 2019)

Cost may be an issue but just for grins check out the Kama EV-88 Its around $1,500 new but they are kick arse saws despite the small size. Personally I am looking and holding out for a used EV-996 but they rarely come up for sale. We have a power down-feed 997 version at work and its been bulletproof for well over 15 years in a production shop. New the 996’s (hand fed) are around $3500
There may be Chinese knockoffs for less like from Baliegh, Knuth, etc. to consider.


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## MikeInOr (Oct 29, 2019)

$1500... GULP!!!  For that little saw???

LOL

I know some really nice tools come in really small packages.  I know some of the small gems can kick butt on their larger brotheren, especially when it comes to precision work.  Small and precise frequently beats big and sloppy.  My father had a little Hitachi wood cutting band saw that kicked butt all over my Jet 18" band saw.  I don't think I could pay $1500 for that small of a saw though... but now that I know what it is and its quality I will know what to do if I happen to trip across a good deal on one someday. When buying used, which I do alot, knowing what you are looking at is 75% if not more of the battle.  I will file Kama along with Doall and Kalamazoo so hopefully it will trip a neuron if I happen to see one for sale.

After reading more on horizontal band saws I wonder if anyone could share an opinion on a smaller swivel horizontal band saw  vs a larger fixed head horizontal band saw?  I am sure it all has to do with what you are doing.  If you cut a lot of miters especially on longer 20' lengths of stock the swivel saw would be gold!  I am thinking that since I use shoter stock and off cuts a lot the swivel saw probably isn't worth the extra money.  I am thinking that the used $1000 9 x 16 Kalamazoo would be a better saw for me than a $1700 Grizzly 7  x 8.25 swivel band saw?  The $1000 used Kalamazoo is stretching my budget but I don't want to need to upgrade my saw in the future.  A new $1700 swivel band saw isn't in my budget currently but I would rather wait for my last band saw than waste money on an intermediate saw.  Trying for foresee the future I kind of came up with 6" round stock is the capability that I would like to have as a minimum.


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## Cadillac (Oct 29, 2019)

I have a Kalamazoo 610 and I love it. When I purchased mine I went through everything, cleaned everything, painted and resealed the drop cylinder. I added wheels for easy of moving. Love the saw had for over 10yrs with no problems. Cuts straight as a arrow


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 12, 2019)

Looks very much like my 8CW.







It doesn't see much use, but when it does, nothing else will do. Good old heavy American iron, stoutly built. I also like the simplicity of these old machines. There's not much you can't fix. I took the coolant tank off, significantly reduces the footprint.
I would say that $1000 is right in the range, try to get it for $800.


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## MikeInOr (Nov 12, 2019)

MrWhoopee said:


> Looks very much like my 8CW.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you for the reply... they do look very similar, almost identical.  If your big band saw doesn't see much use may I inquire what your main cutting tool is?  I am sick of using the abrasive saw and I am looking for something that will handle all of my cutting needs without being too much of a hassle to use.


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## Winegrower (Nov 12, 2019)

I have a Kalamazoo H9AW, and it's great.   I got it for free, because it had fallen off a truck and broke the main frame casting and one of the big arms that hold the blade bearing was missing.    The thing is, it's a brute, designed with lots of margin, so repairing it was not too tough.   A friend helped me braze the casting, and as my first real mill project, I made another arm with all the little parts like cams to adjust the blade position.   Great fun.

There are cooling passageways through those arms, and yes, it's set up for cooling.   I don't do that, just because it's only occasional use and it seems like a tub full of coolant might be more trouble than it's worth.   

The hydraulic lift is not working so well, I'll have to overhaul the cylinder one of these days....but it only holds it open, and there's a spring tension for adjusting the down force of the saw.   So not really needed.

I also don't know what the V is for.    Good documentation is available.

It's extremely heavy, and so I put it on very sturdy casters.   It's fairly easy to move it around now.   I would think wheels are a must, because of the variability of the lengths and sizes of material you'll want to cut.    That 16" width is terrific, and enables projects that could not be done on smaller saws, for example cutting a bunch of steel roofing panels to exact length.

I say offer less, but get it.


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 12, 2019)

MikeInOr said:


> Thank you for the reply... they do look very similar, almost identical.  If your big band saw doesn't see much use may I inquire what your main cutting tool is?  I am sick of using the abrasive saw and I am looking for something that will handle all of my cutting needs without being too much of a hassle to use.



I have an HF 4x6, which has proven to be a very serviceable saw for anything within its envelope. I did burn up the original motor (which apparently had no thermal protection) trying to cut 1x8 O-1 tool steel. I walked away and left it running, the blade hung and stalled the motor. I can't blame the saw for that. 

For stainless of the size you are talking about, the Kalamazoo would be an excellent choice. I would definitely try to find a way to use coolant without having to mix a full tank, especially for occasional use. I don't think a dry saw would be very satisfactory for stainless that thick, and, as you've found, abrasive sawing is for farms and welding shops.


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## MikeInOr (Nov 12, 2019)

Winegrower said:


> I have a Kalamazoo H9AW, and it's great.   I got it for free, because it had fallen off a truck and broke the main frame casting and one of the big arms that hold the blade bearing was missing.    The thing is, it's a brute, designed with lots of margin, so repairing it was not too tough.   A friend helped me braze the casting, and as my first real mill project, I made another arm with all the little parts like cams to adjust the blade position.   Great fun.
> 
> There are cooling passageways through those arms, and yes, it's set up for cooling.   I don't do that, just because it's only occasional use and it seems like a tub full of coolant might be more trouble than it's worth.
> 
> ...


Is your Kalamazoo your main metal cutting tool?


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## Winegrower (Nov 12, 2019)

MikeInOr said:


> Is your Kalamazoo your main metal cutting tool?



Yes, it is.   I wish I had a vertical bandsaw, but space, cost, time, etc.   You know.
I built a small pallet for it that I described in another thread that lets me cut small parts precisely.   Basically a tray with clamps that I can hold in the 9AW vise.   So unless a vertical bandsaw falls off a truck, I'm set.


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 12, 2019)

Winegrower said:


> The hydraulic lift is not working so well, I'll have to overhaul the cylinder one of these days....but it only holds it open, and there's a spring tension for adjusting the down force of the saw.   So not really needed.



Unless your's is different, the cylinder is strictly an air cylinder for holding the saw up and controlling the downfeed pressure. It took me a bit to figure out exactly how it worked.


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## Winegrower (Nov 12, 2019)

It’s hydraulic.


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## Aaron_W (Jun 16, 2020)

Cadillac said:


> I have a Kalamazoo 610 and I love it. When I purchased mine I went through everything, cleaned everything, painted and resealed the drop cylinder. I added wheels for easy of moving. Love the saw had for over 10yrs with no problems. Cuts straight as a arrow




I just picked up a Kalamazoo 610-W bandsaw today. I have found a manual online but not finding much more specific to this model. 
The search here won't accept 610 so I can't look for posts on just this model but I ran across this post and see you also have one of these saws. 

Seems you like it, but thought I'd see if you had any thoughts on the saw, issues to watch out for etc. It appears using it as a vertical saw was limited to only one variant, which is not this one. Curious if you've made any mods to yours to use it in the vertical position.

This saw came out of a fab shop that replaced it with a cold saw. It is old and dirty but appears to work fine, except for the blade coolant system. They don't use it so didn't know if it works or not, and it isn't that big of a deal for me, I can use a brush if I'm cutting something that needs a cutting fluid.


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## 7milesup (Apr 16, 2022)

@MikeInOr   I know this thread is old but I am currently looking at a Kalamazoo H9AW on an auction.  It is a 3 phase but I am thinking I can put a VFD on it, or swap the motor out.    Did you ever get yours?


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## MrWhoopee (Apr 16, 2022)

MrWhoopee said:


> Unless your's is different, the cylinder is strictly an air cylinder for holding the saw up and controlling the downfeed pressure. It took me a bit to figure out exactly how it worked.


Since this thread has been resurrected, I discovered when my cylinder quit working that it was, indeed, hydraulic. I refilled it with generic hydraulic oil. Good for another 50 years.

On the subject of Kalamazoo saws, they are built like a truck and stupidly simple. The perfect combination for a long life.


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## MikeInOr (Apr 17, 2022)

7milesup said:


> @MikeInOr   I know this thread is old but I am currently looking at a Kalamazoo H9AW on an auction.  It is a 3 phase but I am thinking I can put a VFD on it, or swap the motor out.    Did you ever get yours?


I determined the Kalamazoo I was looking at was too big for my shop.  I found a nice old Wells 6x10 that I ended up purchasing.  If the Kalamazoo had fit I would have had no qualms about purchasing it from all the research I did.


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## Winegrower (Apr 17, 2022)

Get the Kalamazoo.  Mine just works, and the design is solid and straightforward, so you can make every part that could fail.  Mine is on heavy casters, easy enough to move around once you get some momentum going. 

I also recently got a big Jet VBS-900 vertical bandsaw, so I’m pretty much covered on sawing for the next 50 years or so.


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## 7milesup (Apr 17, 2022)

Here are some pictures of it.  I am sure that the guys from the Twin Cities area will recognize it on one of the auction sites.  Usually, when I get my hopes up it goes for double what I want to spend.  It is a 3 phase, but I don't really see an issue with that by utilizing a VFD or possibly replacing the motor, although I would prefer the VFD route.


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