Horizontal vs. Vertical Bandsaws: Pro's and Con's

I have a HF 4x6 that has become a necessity in my shop (maybe not the brand - but a horizontal saw that has the ability to quickly convert to a vertical saw).

But when I need to cut a lot of stock for emblems (aluminum sheet and aluminum plate or bar) I converted a table saw to cut metal by using a Diablo carbide toothed circular blade designed to cut non-ferrous material (I also have a ferrous blade for it). I made a "sled" to hold smaller pieces. For what I use it for it is much faster than a band saw and can cut almost any size stock under 1" or so. The drawback is that it is very messy. It flings chips everywhere. I have a catcher under it had all sorts of contraptions utilizing a shop vac (with no combustibles and a bit of water in it for cooling?) but it is still a pain in that respect.

Aside from that metal munching gizmo I think a horizontal/vertical metal cutting band saw is the way to go. And the biggest that fits your budget.
 
RandyM said:
That is simply not true. I upgraded from an Enco saw to an Ellis 1100 and it is no bigger. Their smaller models are very affordable if you want the full functionality of a vertical, horizontal, and mitering saw. I found mine on Craig's list at a very reasonable price. AND, they are American made!
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Then I stand corrected, Randy. The Ellis saw I saw at a friend's place was huge in comparison.
 
I have a small horizontal 5 x 5 bandsaw, it is hafco brand here in Australia, don't know who sells it in USA or under what brand name. It is made in Taiwan, and I'm quite happy with it, I have converted it to operate in the vertical position, and am in the process of making a table for it. I have even had a local blade maker make me a blade for cutting wood, use it for cutting fire wood, saves me a lot of time, and a lot safer, and quieter than the chain saw.
 
Sounds like the horizontal/vertical is the way to go. The Ellis would be great but a new one is outside the budget and I've never seen an Ellis for sale on CL around here. (Not that it couldn't happen.). I'll start looking at Taiwanese saws.
 
This is the style of my saw. It is both 'lop off' mode usingthe vise and 'band saw' mode by erecting the saw & screwing on the table. I use both modes equally so it would be a 50% less useful tool with only one or the other IMO.
The same basic machine comes under a multitude of manufacturer labels, so check around. Some are belt drive with reduction sheaves, some are gear drive in oil bath, typically 3-speed. Mine is gear but I have not heard anything bad about belt.

https://www.jccayer.com/7-x-12-meta...MI_KL1k7zH3AIVSNbACh2wqAOEEAQYASABEgLdSPD_BwE
 
Randy, I looked for one of the small Ellis 1100’s for a long time. They are rarer than hens teeth around here. I ended up buying an Ellis 1600 which size wise is a huge step up from my old 5x6. If you can find a used Ellis 1100 or 1200 for a reasonable price by all means go for that. I had a Jet 5x6 that, while no Ellis, seemed to be a significant step up from the HF version.

To the OP, I added a small vertical table to my old 5x6 that stayed in place all the time. I just had to lock the head in the upright position and I was cutting away. That was a super handy feature that I miss with my Ellis.

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I doubt you will use your table saw or cold saw much after getting a HV bandsaw.
 
I found the 4 X 6 works great for both metal and wood. The only drawback is only uses 1/2" blades but a jigsaw will form smaller blade size

Dave
 
The horizontal bandsaw does most of the work in a metal shop. But there is still a need for a vertical. I have a 7" x 10" vertical/horizontal mitering bandsaw with gearhead drive; this is what I would recommend as a single machine for a small shop. But I also have an 18" vertical. Both machines are Vectrax, from Taiwan.

 
for limited space and maximum versatility, a 4x6 is hard to beat. I have one on a wheeled stand between two of my bikes hanging on the garage wall (10t press behind that). Wheel it out and plug it in to use, wheel it back in afterwards. I made a 3/16x6x6" table for it and use it about 1/4 to 1/3 of the time in vertical mode.

One thing about the 4x6 vs. a small benchtop bandsaw is that it has much more power and far lower blade speeds than most benchtops that you'll find, so ideally suited for metal work. I had a small 3 wheel 10" bandsaw and it was largely useless.
 
Fo ocasional use, the horizontal/vertical bandsaw is the most versatile. I have both a vertical and a horizontal and love having them both.
 
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