Posted: 1/26/2025 11:59:39 PM EDT
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I am beginning to do some home metal working and need a chop saw to get going. First projects will be a welding cart/table and then a 60 gallon offset smoker. So far I have a Yeswelder 205 Metabo angle grinder I’ll be needing to cut nothing bigger than 2x2 square tubing. Most of what I will use the saw for is small stuff. I am a Glassblower and make little brackets for holding sculptures like fish and such.   I have used a 14 inch abrasive chop saw for years at work, and am interested in this cold cut model. Anyone use one before? Are cold cut saws not that great after all? Evo185 cold cut saw Open to suggestions on other models or sticking with abrasive |
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These are awesome. https://www.vevor.com/band-saw-c_11027/vevor-variable-speed-110v-deep-cut-portable-band-saw-10-amp-motor-w-alloy-base-p_010644193663?adp=gmc&gPromoCode=google202412&gQT=1 
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9 lives - 9 pellets... Coincidence?
| I was going to suggest something very similar. Harbor freight sells a frame to hold a band saw that can also flip up and be used as a vertical saw. |
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I don’t like the small blade on the one you listed, but the 14” is double the price. I have a Jancy 14”. The blades are expensive and are easily dulled if you force it. You can send them to be sharpened. I also have a miter band saw. I tend to use it the most because I can walk away while it is cutting and it shuts off when the cut is complete. A band saw like the one above is not a bad choice either. |
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Originally Posted By Spaceboy: I was going to suggest something very similar. Harbor freight sells a frame to hold a band saw that can also flip up and be used as a vertical saw. Originally Posted By Spaceboy: I was going to suggest something very similar. Harbor freight sells a frame to hold a band saw that can also flip up and be used as a vertical saw. You can take the saw off of the table with three screws, but I never have. I have another porta-band, but I rarely use it now. This is my go-to. It took a couple of washers under the vice to make it square, but now it cut perfect every time. Previously, I used an abrasive wheel chop saw. It's free to whoever will get it out of my shop. |
9 lives - 9 pellets... Coincidence?
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I started with an abrasive saw because I didn’t want to shell out for a cold saw. Abrasive discs wear out faster, they leave a nasty mess to clean up, angles are unreliable and difficult due to blade wandering, cut ends always need truing and grinding,etc. I broke down and bought the Evo 14” and couldn’t be happier. Wish I would have just sucked it up and gone with it first. Now I have an abrasive saw to get rid of and will probably end up giving it away. Buy once, cry once. |
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.
-George Bernard Shaw
-George Bernard Shaw
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Originally Posted By Shooter-Mike: I am beginning to do some home metal working and need a chop saw to get going. First projects will be a welding cart/table and then a 60 gallon offset smoker. So far I have a Yeswelder 205 Metabo angle grinder I’ll be needing to cut nothing bigger than 2x2 square tubing. Most of what I will use the saw for is small stuff. I am a Glassblower and make little brackets for holding sculptures like fish and such. https://i.postimg.cc/yDdXh9Pq/IMG-1646.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/k2pNT412/IMG-1648.jpg I have used a 14 inch abrasive chop saw for years at work, and am interested in this cold cut model. Anyone use one before? Are cold cut saws not that great after all? Evo185 cold cut saw Open to suggestions on other models or sticking with abrasive I built my wife a new greenhouse a few years ago and had to cut a lot of steel tubing. I bought one of those saws, same brand and very similar model. It worked great at making clean square cuts. It also did a good job cutting aluminum and wood. Very versatile. I had intended to sell after I was done with the greenhouse project but liked it so much I kept it. |
“Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.”
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I use a cold cut saw daily. Love it to death. Makes incredibly clean and accurate cuts/angles Similar to this one. Has a coolant pump, low speed and high torque. No sparks, not that loud, and keeps the material cool. Just some coolant to wipe off when done. See if you can find one like this used first, but if not just go with one without coolant. 
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I have vertical, horizontal and hand held bandsaws. I use all 3 all the time. I also have smaller 9" abrasive chop saw I never use. I just got the 14" Evolution. It's awesome. I'm sure for some, it might cover 95% of their needs, but having both, while I use the Evolution a lot, I'm still using the bandsaws. That evolution is FAST though. The right answer is always both. While buy once cry once is true, if you're serious, buy what you can afford that you won't regret. Like a handheld bandsaw and a table mount for it. They are super handy for smaller stuff and can handle decent cuts when needed. When you decide it has to be done faster and your ready to upgrade, the evolution doesn't have to replace the bandsaw if you have the room to keep both. |
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Had a few abrasive saws/ dewalt then a ridged. Got a cheaper cold cut off Amazon works fine. Brother got the expensive evo it is much quieter and more powerful. Gave my ridged to a friend to cut some ornamental metal for his stairs. After using the cold cut I let him keep it. If I were buying today evo cold cut. For a chop saw. I have an older porta-band that works great however I’d get a newer lighter one that has offset motor that allows deeper cuts than mine. The bandsaw is quieter but slower cutting and more precise. So I use both ! I have looked at that bandsaw stand at HF if I had room on my cutting table I’d get it. I built a dedicated table that has my drill press on one end and my chop saw on the other. I welded some brackets to lower the deck of the chop saw to the same height as the metal table top. Makes handling 20’ long pieces easier working by myself. A single adjustable pipe stand I place out in the shop floor to support other end . Saw a woodworkers shop had similar setup for a compound miter saw that I kinda copied it. I’d also get a mag drill instead of my tabletop drill press. It would take up less room on my table and be more portable.. |
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Evolution Saw This one has been fantastic for my needs. |
Flowbee Mechanic
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We started our field welding business in 1992 and around 2000 bought a Makita 1230 cold saw for a specific job that I figured would wear the saw out, maybe midway thru the tens of thousands of cuts we had to do for that project. They were just over $500 then and I plugged the cost of 2 saws and a lot of blades into my quote. But here we are in 2025 and it won't die, still cuts straight, hasn't developed play in the bushings, clamp still works well. We did another job with thousands of cuts about 4 years ago so I plugged in the cost of a replacement but the thing just keeps soldiering on. Probably the best 500 bucks we've ever spent. I think they are around $700 now. You won't put yours thru the duty cycles that we do, but I thought I'd throw that info out anyway. 3 of my 4 kids have made a considerable amount of money running that thing all day every day 
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Originally Posted By Dirtynails: Been using an inexpensive Dewalt with metal blades for years. I would think marketplace would have lots of inexpensive saws. Very cool looking glass bass! This. Just buy a DeWalt 14" and then a Diablo carbide blade for a budget option. If you're cutting stainless you'll need a more expensive blade (more than the saw, LOL. Saunders Machine Works sells a killer weld-table style base for the DeWalt that uses welding quick clamps. If you're production cold sawing, then you're probably gonna wanna buy something made in Italy. |