CH Hanson vertical band saw opinions?

Smallshop

Smallshop

KNIFE MAKER
My little Rigid band saw has been complaining lately...new tires and guides and still not liking life...lol. (had it for 17 years and use it most every day....)

I'm thinking of upgrading to an 18" CH Hanson that has 6 metal cutting speeds and the wide open for wood/plastic.

Does anyone have experience with these?
 
I'm not familiar with CH Hanson but I do like the looks of it. One vendor has the 15" at $2K and the 18" at $2.3K, only $300 difference. In which case I'd go for the 18" for sure. BUT, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYS1X0E? has the 15" for $1,030 shipped, and the 18" for $2364 shipped - around $1300 difference.

With that saw designed for metal OR wood it surely would be a useful machine. I'm interested in that $1,030 unit.
 
I'll be honest never used one much till I built up my Dewalt Portable Bandsaw! I was in love with it until recently when I had a problem after changing tires and a blade!! (Reference this thread, https://knifedogs.com/threads/anyone-have-this-same-problem.47971/). Still trying to run down the bug there!!

Now having said that if I had the money and the knowledge I would look for three things. The first being the guide blocks for the blade, buy one that has the best!! It is all about those guides and how well they perform.
Another thing I would love to have the capability of running a narrower blade for inside radiuses. A blade a 1/2'' wide will not turn a tight radius.
Also even though mine has an adjustable speed there are times I bind a blade or chip out teeth because the blade grabs the material unexpectedly, I think the speed could/should be easier to control.
However that last thing could me operator error. That much I have learned bout bandsaws, that and, they will eat a finger before you can blink!!
 
Cliff, that 18" ($2364 shipped) band saw Ted mentioned has some VERY nice specs:

Blade Width 3/16 to 1 in (3/16" will allow some pretty tight radius, and 1" would give a nice smooth cut)
Blade Speed 45, 65, 90, 110,155, 215, 3000 SFPM (this should cover metal as well as wood cutting. Depends on how much hassle it is to change blades to switch from metal to wood.

Throat Depth 18 in (18" gives plenty of room to cut.
Table Size 19 x 19 in

and it's a 1-1/2 hp motor. Weights in at 415 lb so it's a solid piece of equip.

Even the 15" model of $1,030 shipping sounds pretty good.
Blade Width 3/16 to 3/4 in (I think I could live with only 3/4" wide saw blade for wood)
Blade Speed 45, 65, 90, 110,155, 215, 3000 SFPM (same speeds as the 18" model)
Throat Depth 15 in (I think 15" would be plenty - MUCH more than I have on a portaband)
Table Size 15 x 15 in (I've got a 6"X6" and it works ok:)
Still pretty nice with a 1hp motor and weighting in at 345 lb.
 
OK stop it, you got my mind thinking,...……….. lets see, can't sale my first born, NO he has a family of his own now days. :eek::DHmmmmmm!

That is one thing I learned about buying less than the best a long time ago. If it doesn't do the things you want it too you will never be happy with and if a machine you use falls into that category, you will start to avoid it and that money you spent is totally wasted. However on the other hand I do sometimes have to justify do I want the chrome plated one or will the plains steel fit my needs!!

So it always comes down to this with me, when purchasing a high quality machine, buy the best you can afford!
 
Guys...last year I nearly starved....and then got stuck with a 40k tax bill from the year before(always file late 'cause I'm an idiot....)...this year is gang busters again....I'm going to lower my gross with some nice shop tools. I have neighbors that work full time as gov't employees...are on welfare....and medicaid....and go on expensive vacations every year....who's subsidizing all this....SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS...not me this year...not any more....I learned to love beans last year and not eating out....so the shop will be full of sweet write offs...and I hope to never see a tax bill like that again....literally made me wanna barf....
 
Smallshop said:
Guys...last year I nearly starved....and then got stuck with a 40k tax bill from the year before(always file late 'cause I'm an idiot....)...this year is gang busters again....I'm going to lower my gross with some nice shop tools. I have neighbors that work full time as gov't employees...are on welfare....and medicaid....and go on expensive vacations every year....who's subsidizing all this....SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS...not me this year...not any more....I learned to love beans last year and not eating out....so the shop will be full of sweet write offs...and I hope to never see a tax bill like that again....literally made me wanna barf....
Click to expand...

Holy write-offs Batman!! That is a chunk of change. They would just have to set me up for 3 hots and a cot, cause my whole entire life ain't worth that much anymore!!
 
Smallshop said:
Guys...last year I nearly starved....and then got stuck with a 40k tax bill from the year before(always file late 'cause I'm an idiot....)...this year is gang busters again....I'm going to lower my gross with some nice shop tools. I have neighbors that work full time as gov't employees...are on welfare....and medicaid....and go on expensive vacations every year....who's subsidizing all this....SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS...not me this year...not any more....I learned to love beans last year and not eating out....so the shop will be full of sweet write offs...and I hope to never see a tax bill like that again....literally made me wanna barf....
Click to expand...
Ok, I'm not complaining anymore about my $6K bill. Still not a fan of the tax man
 
C Craft said:
Holy write-offs Batman!! That is a chunk of change. They would just have to set me up for 3 hots and a cot, cause my whole entire life ain't worth that much anymore!!
Click to expand...

It almost ended up that way,Cliff....I got the letter threatening to seize my property...while I was waiting for a customer that was about 5 mos late paying 60K for a big job we did together....I had to threaten never working with him again (I was serious...went from being friends to strictly business now...) to get him to start moving some money my way....first check of 34k...and ALL OF IT to the IRS....it was right down to the wire...

anyway...something's seriously wrong in our country when 30% or so of our people are on welfare....Most walmart employees here in our area are on welfare....what gives??!! Why should I have to subsidize a large corporation because they do not want to pay their people enough to live?

I just don't get what's happening....I don't want to believe what appears logically to be the endgame here...as it would mean the end of America....the juggler has way too many bowling pins in the air and appears to be getting tired....

Coming here has been a nice sanity check this last year...people concerned about beauty and quality and function...doing their very best to produce just that....that is the America I still love....

sorry for the "bleed out"....lol. I'm wore out from stress of
the last 16 mos.....
 
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Ted, I'm posting this response just because I didn't feel like my "like" was enough. I wanted to say "Hang in there Buddy". I agree with everything you're saying.
 
Hang in there Ted. Somedays it ain't worth chewing through the straight jacket, and if it hadn't been for my faith. I'd have hung it a long time ago! So each night I sit down and talk to the man just like he is my best friend. The way I see he surely is!!
 
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