Anybody have a power hacksaw in their shop? These were standard pieces of equipment in machine and fab shops back when The Lindy was all the rage... they've hung on at some places, and you can still buy blades for them, but I think they've largely been replaced with abrasive cut-off saws, cold-cut saws and horizontal bandsaws. I've got a decent little Shop Fox horizontal bandsaw that I do most of my cutting with. I've also got a nice Craftsman chop saw for going through things quickly (but it's messy and loud... I have it on a cart that I roll outside to use it). I also have a larger capacity, but still portable, Kalamazoo horizontal bandsaw that's big enough to cut through cylinder heads. And... I've got a smallish Keller power hacksaw. The Keller (and the K-zoo) both need to be restored. Of the two, the Kalamazoo is the closer to being functional. And, since I've got a Corvair head I need to dissect, I really should move it to the head of the list. The Keller saw is solid early-to-mid century heavy construction... it's obsolete, and very "Function over form." Which is one of the things that makes old tools so cool: The manufacturers built a LOT of "function" into old tools and equipment, and didn't start cheaping-out on quality to save a few pennies on every unit. I'll have to fabricate the drive bar for it, since the one on it has been broken and brazed twice. Other than that, it seems to just be a matter of taking it completely apart, cleaning and derusting everything, painting, lubing and putting back together. And then finding a spot for it in my shop. So here's the question: Is there really a justifiable use for a power hacksaw in today's shops? Let alone our hobby shops? Especially with a shop that already has three different means of cutting stock, and isn't exactly overflowing with floor space? -Brad
Im not to sure about usage in the auto industry.. But in the Fabric Styled Aircraft end of it.. they are useful.. cutting 4130 tubing can be a pain by hand.. I know of a few Shops that use those still... ..
I think that my Milwaukee Sawsall will do just about every thing that all those saws of yours do, if you use a good blade and take your time, plus when I'm done I put it back in it's little red box and slide it back under the work bench............
While I'm still trying to get my bought used low end (price wise) horizontal bandsaw to cut a perfectly straight cut the power hacksaw might not be a bad thing to have if it makes a straight cut time after time. I'd clean it up and restore it to top shape and use it if it were me. It was probably left to sit and rust because it was considered to be way slower than what ever replaced it rather than not being a good piece of equipment. There are a lot of clips of power hacksaws working on you tube, some of the saws being quite old.
So here's the question: Is there really a justifiable use for a power hacksaw in today's shops? Let alone our hobby shops? who needs to justify cool old tools in the shop? ...not me.
I don't have one but I have been looking for one. I worked with them before and I believe they are WAY better than a equal sized band saw. They cut cleaner, square, and bigger. Pivotal band saw just wiggles around and about the hinge too much. Always reminded me of trying to maintain perfect control of the end of a 10' pipe while holding the other. Bust a tooth off on your band saw blade and you can forget about precision cuts.
Sure if you don't mind standing there and hand cutting everything and hoping that you get it nice and straight. The joy of a bandsaw is that you chuck the piece into it turn it on and walk away. When it's done cutting a nice clean straight line it shuts itself off and you can retrieve your material when you are ready. I use my sawzall alot but it pales in comparison to my bandsaw.
The way I understand it is the bandsaws became more prevelant in industry for cutting metals when the technology became available to make band saw blades with hardened teeth only and the rest soft. This allowed them to bend around the wheels. Before that only straight hacksaw blades could be made hard enought to cut difficult materials. Obviously band saws are a lot faster but an old hacksaw will do the job, just slower.
I also use a Milwaukee Sawsall for most of the cuts. I have used the same saws-all for the past 30 years and have never replaced the motor. Many switches and blades but other then that you cannot kill that tool. Jimbo
Try disecting a cylinder head with a sawsall I too am curious, will these things cut as square as a bandsaw, say through something larger, say, heavy wall tubing or pipe. Or a 2"x4" piece of steel to make a die block out of. Or something similar. You can pick these things up for a song. Who cares about time. Set it up, let it cut, find something else to do and come back when its done. Perfect for people easily distracted, like me....
Actually, it was sitting out side in Florida, right where it died. I bombed down to Panama City in a rented hatchback to buy a Corvair engine for my wife's daily... fold down the rear seats, bolt the male ends of the rear 3pt harnesses together for a cargo net, and throw the engine in. This was sitting outside the shop, in the weather... it'd let the smoke out of the motor several years before, and still had the last piece of muffler tubing clamped into it. I offered the guy $20 for it, and we loaded it in with the Corvair motor... all 200 pounds of it. I'm sure my face is on posters in car rental offices... -Brad
That is one thing I have heard about them--they make a very precise, square cut. I've spent some time dialing-in my horizontal bandsaw blade... it's pretty accurate, though I've never done the 45-degree-mitered-corner test on it. One thing about the hacksaw is it's square cuts only. I've never seen a miter gauge or movable clamp on the few I've seen. As for bigger material, I have seen I-beam, C-channel and 3-inch round solid bar stock in them. Start them cutting, go to lunch, come back and pick your piece up off the floor. -Brad
Brad, If there's anything ANYONE wants, it's precise, square cuts You know you wnat to keep it- just make sure you have the time to start futzin' with it...
If I could get my hands one one, I'd get it. I have used them. Nothing like it. Dead square cuts, every time.
Well I have never seen a pivoting bandsaw or any saw for that matter cut square enough to make die blocks. And I've worked with some pretty impressive saws. All things equal, it will cut nicer, cleaner, squarer, and bigger than a band saw. You can put a piece in that is the maxim capacity and it will cut it just as square as a 1x1. it doesn't rely on small roller guides to keep the blade square. You can cut mitered pieces too. You need to make the setup for clamping material and have QT it. You decide if you want to move your in-feed rollers around or move the saw around.
I was just making a quick response......Of course the band saw is gonna be the better machine for speed, but where are you gonna get one for 20 bux, even 100 bux? I was just curious if the part would come out square and parallel enough to just throw on a hydraulic surface grinder and plunge down .025 or so, clean up, flip, clean up other side and be parallel.
I have one I bought from a friend for $40......Excel is the brand name. It needed a new belt pulley and a good oiling, but it works like a champ! Even shuts it self off when finished.... Mine will also cut miters by adjusting the clamp, though I haven't needed to do that yet. One note, you must use quality blades in it, china junk won't cut it.....and a little cutting oil helps too!
I have a #2 Marvel drawcut power hacksaw. I got it for hauling it home, I have no idea how old it it, it does make nice square cut. Yeah, it's slow, but I don't do production work, I suppose thats why I also got a Cinncinati metal shaper, accurate and cheap to tool. One of the things that the hacksaw gets used for a lot is sortening rearend housings. I wouldn't be without it. Oh, one other thing when the Starret high speed steel blades wear out, they make a great knife. Toolroomer
I made this one 15 years ago and it served me well. Once I bought a horizontal bandsaw it did not get much use. It has been retired to wall hanging status. Sent from my Droid using TJJ sucka!
Most hobbyist power bandsaws wont cut all that straight. A power hacksaw will always cut straight if set up properly. Big industrial bandsaws have wider blades and really good guides, and controlled drop on the arm, so they can cut straight. But most of us can't afford a bandsaw of that size, where a power hacksaw is afordable IF you can find one. I use a Milwaukie sawzall too, and a Milwaukie portaband, but both have their limitations.
Most used machine at work and except for occasional maintenance has never failed to perform and it's circa 1960's. Problem is less and less blade manufacturers. Lenox no longer makes Hackmaster blades and Starrett quick making the size this machine normally uses, so we adapt.
Howdee !'As U can C ' I'm frum Tenn. Mine, Is called " A Chainsaw " ........"standback ! ________________________________________________________________________ Luv your quote , Big smile ! smoke'
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