I have one of Mach.Mart Clarkes ( usual disclaimer ) 6" x 4" bandsaws, does the job for me fine albeit a bit on the heavy, awkward to move size on its sheet metal legs, got it on one of their vat free days about 5 yrs ago, cost me £269.99 then, todays price is…

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cbs45md-41-2in-x-6in-metal-cutting-ban/​ … £269. ex vat.

​apart from a slight adjustment for square alignment it worked straight out of the box.

George.

p.s. on the last of the 5 blades that I bought with the saw… 5 blades in 5 years aint bad, but there again never had need to put it to daily use so…

Geo.

I suspect you'd struggle with the 4×6 bandsaw. As you probably know, they have a max round capacity of around 120mm and the workholding is pretty basic. They also take forever to cut anything approaching that. But there are any number of bandsaws above that size….

Taking Grizzly's range or those from Axeminster as representative of what comes out of China these days, you can take your pick. Even better, a proper (used?) professional machine would be a nice result if you have the space – some even come with hydraulic feed, hydraulic vise(s), auto bar feed, coolant etc.

Murray

I have a Rapidor. Does what it says on the tin and cuts as square as you can reasonably expect. Never measured it but probably around a thou or so per inch out on a decent chunk of solid with a new blade.

Actually I have two of nominal 6" capacity. The one I use is a later closed base version with a fixed vice and stop switch in the contactor power feed. Paid £160 for that on a package deal witha Pollard 15AY drill.

The other is an older open frame version with angle adjustable vice and mechanical clutch to disconnect the blade at the end of the cut. Cost £20. No motor and needing decent clean up out of the craziest workshop I ever saw with flat belt drive to the machines from a line shaft running in an uncovered gully on the floor immediately in front of them. I could be persuaded to part with it for £ very reasonable. Far as I know it still works fine. Only reason I've not used it is the other, complete and running, machine turned up a fortnight later before I'd sorted a motor, pulleys and belts. I went for the drill but …

Also have an early, Alpine badged, 6 x 4 bandsaw. Less said the better.

Clive.

Andrew,

bought my SIP 12" horizontal B/saw from a place that took back the returned machines….heard Machine Mart + Clarke has such a place……just over 1/2 price of the retail……mine had a damaged starter push button box…gaffer taped it up about 10 years ago, never fixed it…still works a treat…..has a Hydraulic ? damper for the down action….cut's pretty square except when the blade starts to wear….blade about £30 and last quite well……..always have a new 1 when cutting RSJ and the big rounds….it's on wheels with a coolant pump…..for really heavy jobs I pay someone to cut to order…..and a whole lot cheaper to run than the abrasive cut off saw's…..

clogs

This struck a chord with me as my ancient 4×6 Warco bandsaw motor does run very hot. I notice that the motor plate includes the wording "TEMP RISE 55 deg C". My interpetration of this is that it is permissible to run the motor at, say, 55 + 20 (room temperature) = 75 deg C. On prolonged cuts I have attempted to monitor the motor casing temperature by using a Maplin laser thermometer and have given the motor a rest when the temperature seemed too high.

I'm not sure whether the "rest" should be a switch off or continuing to run off load so that the fan can do its work. Like Rik Shaw with his much newer machine I am using one of Tuff Saws' excellent blades. I can't say I have noticed any burning smells, however.

Bought new in 1981 the machine cost me £166; this compares with £215 for the newer machine with slightly less capacity and VAT now at 20% as opposed to 15% in 1981.

I realize this is a bit OT but would be interested in the views of other owners on the hot running point.

The 6×4 bandsaw motors do indeed get silly hot but put up with it remarkably well. I once set mine to do a cut whilst I went to lunch, came back around 3/4 of an hour later to find it stalled halfway through with the motor case so hot that touching it gave em a nice little burn. It survived just fine. I think they are very inefficient on 240 volts.

Unfortunately the 6×4 saws are a severely compromised design. Blade run is too short , wheels too small and twist rate between guides and wheels excessive for the size of blade. Being made to sell at a low price doesn't help either. There is a limit to what can be done for the money. My view is the market defined price point is about £100 too low so rough edges come with the territory.

Next size up are vastly better machines. Over double the price means that most of the rough edges have been smoothed out and some of the nice extras important for a workhorse saw included. Best of all the larger wheels and larger bow are much kinder to the blade so things just work that much better. I'd never completely trust a 6×4 again but the bigger ones are approaching the Rapidor in leave it to beaver competence.

Clive.

Can we assume for the purpose of this discussion that "6 x 4" is the same thing as 4 x 6, and vice versa?

Ian S C:

Was overheating an issue for you, please?

From reading all the posts here,it seems that most guys prefer the larger size band saw.

I would agree with this view as the bigger machine will do all that the smaller one will,and they do tend to be better finished. If I had to replace my own saw,I think I would go for the next size up,even if they do cost twice as much [or more ] they would still be worth it. You should get years of work from it,and think of the elbow grease you would save !

Even so,I would not part with my cheap one,it owes me nothing,and so what if it does get hot,it keeps my hands warm on a cold morning. I did worry about the heating of the motor in the beginning,but since it never caused any problem,I leave it alone. If it,s going to burn out,I will smell it quick enough,and motors of that size are cheap enough anyway. I often look at some of the bigger machines in showrooms from time to time,then say "No you dont need it" and walk away [not always easy ]

Last use for my bandsaw was cutting sheet for a motorhome bed to make a couple of shear webs. The material I had most easily to hand was the window blanks I cut out of the previous van – from a 1997 Merc Sprinter (one blank made the drip tray for my Warco lathe). That was distinctly horrible to cut with the bandsaw. The steel was so ductile & gummy it clogged the blade & frequently bent enough to stick in the rollers just below the table, jamming the blade and jumping it off the wheels inside the saw. I was mighty glad to finish that bit of the job, ended up having to cut at about one third the feed rate I get with a higher yield bit of steel sheet.

Regards,

Richard.