UniChris

The point was you were recommending the purchase of garbage that was barely cheaper than a good solution. One can make do, but the difference in usability is huge, for a very small amount of money. There are places to economize, and there are places to buy the right thing the first time.

If I still had my 4x6 tilter, probably 3/4 of what I do with a hacksaw I'd do on the bandsaw (or even the lathe...) Better results at less effort.

But living in an apartment, or doing things in an office? Sure, a good hacksaw.

Iride01 

It's still a valid consideration. Throw away is our society. I sometimes buy cheapo 10 dollar spray guns to use with epoxy and other two part curing paints. I can just throw them away between coats and not have to worry with the time of properly cleaning my 200 plus dollar spray gun. The results are more than acceptable considering the use for the part. Time is money, and sometimes the care of an expensive tool isn't worth the simple cost of one time use stuff. It's also more cost effective for employees you will never teach to care for expensive tools that require more than just putting away in a tool box.

What does that mean? How does that relate to what you quoted? Or do you think that the original reference to a hand held power band saw was serious. Maybe so..... The author of that will have to tell us. I thought it funny when viewed with the way the topic is skewing.

But how do you know what the OP wants to cut will even chuck up in a lathe. Or can be held in the vise on your tilt floor mounted band saw (that was what 4x6 tilter meant?). Might be overkill for the OP.

Just state your opinions and quit quoting me as if my opinions are completely wrong. We don't all require the same stuff from every tool in our tool box as another does.

So some of us can sometimes get by with a cheapo harbor freight. Other times we cant. I consider how often I'm going to use or need a tool when I buy. I'm not paying for quality I don't need. Especially for a one or two use item.

UniChris

For something that will be damaged by use or mis-use, sure. But good hacksaw frames endure more than the cheap ones, and they aren't really harmed by paint.

You also don't loose the blade holder bits the way the stamped ones tend to if you store them without a blade in them.

Hence the quarter of what I use a hacksaw for that I'd chose a hacksaw for even if I still had a fixed bandsaw available.

My guess however is that a hacksaw would yield better results than the portable version of the band saw, as it's going to be easier to control. Or would be if it was one with a frame that didn't twist.

WizardOfBoz

Agree. Today, for large cuts one might use a torch (for the i-beams) or a waterjet (for shapes in thick plate). The portable bandsaw is for lighter duty on-site work. Like cutting grating material to fit in a sump in a driveway.

Also, horizontal bandsaws are routinely used for cutting off stock. They can get very complicated and costly.

See here: https://wfwells.com/wp-content/uploa...nt-300x274.jpg

Iride01 

@UniChris Okay....... I think we've gone far beyond what the OP want's to know. Do we need to piss some more? You're not understanding at all the context of my original post. The discussion we are having is meaningless with no specific aim.

If you claim that your way is the only way, then that is your opinion. I think there are almost always multiple acceptable solutions.

UniChris

Speaking of context, the OP was contemplating a $27 tool. Its non-branded functional equivalent is available for $12. Junk is available for $5.

It's not about handle comfort or durability, to anyone who has actually used both, the difference in actual sawing resulting from the tension the $12 and the $5 can put on the blade is immense.

While the difference between the $27 and the $12 will likely not be detectable.

southpier

also, please ask if I store less than the suggested blades in the backbone, will they rattle when I saw. I have no patience for a rattling saw. thanks in advance.

FWIW: I also ordered the Parks saw just to spite the naysayers and will return the one which I like least.

carry on; you guys have the ball so run with it!

wingless

That was easy enough to test, no need to wait for Lenox Customer Service working hours.

The saw is dead silent when used partially loaded w/ blades. The saw has a noise cancelling function, w/ a USB cable to charge the battery, like a Bose headphone, to eliminate the rattling sound and to quiet the noise when cutting. It needs to be charged to work.

So much for dripping sarcasm... (use a paper towel to mop up those sarcasm drips)

Yes, the internal blades make a rattling noise when stored within the extra blade cavity. My observations were that rattling noise existed when shaken w/ one, two or three blade. I was unable to create noise when shaking w/ four or five blades.

The thumb screw is positioned to squeeze the tip of the stored blade, not to gate the opening shut.

wingless

Some of my favorite tools were inherited from my now-passed father. I treasure these tools and always think of him during usage.

WizardOfBoz

This is an opportunity! You could be the first to find out. Although, given the wide variety of materials people have used in bike construction, maybe a girder bike has already been done...

wingless

The Lenox customer service department was contacted to discuss these questions / concerns.

They informed me that the standard reciprocating saw blade is inserted into the opening. It is retained by using a screwdriver in the thumbscrew slots to mash the blade in the cavity.

My concerns about the absence of mechanical features to restrain the blade from arcing and to properly secure the blade were noted by the agent for feedback to the product design engineers.

They confirmed that the correct blade tightening instructions are 12 turns maximum, from when the slack is removed. This instruction ambiguity was noted also for feedback to update the documentation.

southpier

not solid girders, but flippin' cool nonetheless: the Bugatti revue, 14-2, Bugatti bicycles

southpier

postscript: I received both the lennox & parks hacksaws. the lennox is a tank, much the same as my tried & true Klein which lives in the bottom drawer of my shop toolbox.
since I want the new saw for a bag which will permanently reside in the van, I am keeping it for its lightness of being, and blue finish.
amazon wants to give me about 75% of the purchase price as credit on the lennox, so 22 minus whatever amounts to 16 & change. the landscaper I use helped me this morning for a few minutes and refused the 30 bucks I tried to shove in his pocket. so I went to the van and pulled out the lennox, which, by now, i'm sure everyone will remember was on its way back to the ups store. he was very grateful to have such a magical, Excaliber-esque piece of cutlery.

so I guess that wraps up the whole saw. saga.story. whatever . . .

wingless

Glad it worked out.

What saw(s) are now part of your tool set? Have they been used? What are the impressions of the tools?

southpier

the Parks saw, I call him "Blue-Boy" now proudly answers the call to all of my metallurgically separating sessions!

JoeTBM 

You do have one in the lower right corner of the post you want to "like"

blakcloud

At the time he originally posted in 2018, there wasn't a like button. Now there is. Hence his original comment was correct for when he wrote it. (Sorry not bike related)

Cyclist0108

What is the best hacksaw tension-setting screw thread lube?

JoeTBM 

Very true, didn't notice the date of the post.... my bad

02Giant 

A topic I don't recall being debated on BF... Inquiring minds want to know.

Iride01 

Lard oil.

<GRIN>

Metaluna

I use a tensiometer to make sure I have the blade at just the perfect tightness, then boiled linseed oil to lock the screw in place. My next DIY project will be to retrofit fenders on my hacksaw so I don't need to worry about the lube washing out during those rainy sawing sessions.

UniChris

You "tool steel is real" holdouts are living in the last century.

This is how we cut things in 2019

TiHabanero

We have a Park hack saw at the shop and it cuts real well. Also have a traditional adjustable metal frame saw and it, too, works, however there is definitely flex to it, and we cyclists don't like flex! Honestly, I do like the Park saw much better, and it seems most everyone else in the shop does too.

southpier

I was using a pressure washer to clean a pool filter about 10 years ago. I got my finger in the way of the spray nozzle and before I felt the burn I had pressure washed it right to the bone. sum*****athurt.