Band saw

[srobertb]

I’m rockscaping my tank using dead/dry rock. I tried with a new hacksaw and bi-metal blade but cutting the rocks is a PITA. Anyone have any experience with a $200 band saw from a big box store? It wasn’t impossible with the hacksaw but was time consuming enough on a small rock that it gave me pause.

 

[Saltyreef]

If you are cutting dry rock, any powered harbor freight bandsaw would work.

 

[srobertb]

If you are cutting dry rock, any powered harbor freight bandsaw would work.

9” and 2.5amp sound about right?

 

[Saltyreef]

9” and 2.5amp sound about right?

I would factor if it will cut fully through your pieces at the narrowest width

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hammer and chisel works well for me.

 

[exnisstech]

Diamond blade on a table saw works here.

 

[Saltyreef]

Hammer and chisel works well for me.

Not the cleanest for a flat cut on a base piece of LR lol.

 

[Saltyreef]

Diamond blade on a table saw works here.

Little more spense than a cheap band saw to make a flat cut.

I agree though, i use my table saw for everything lol. Even things that require the use of my miter :face-with-tears-of-joy:

 

[srobertb]

Little more spense than a cheap band saw to make a flat cut.

I agree though, i use my table saw for everything lol. Even things that require the use of my miter :face-with-tears-of-joy:

I have an expensive chop saw. Wonder if I could get an appropriate blade for it. I don’t think my wife will approve a $500-$1500 band saw. $200 I can probably slide thru.

 

[exnisstech]

I have an expensive chop saw. Wonder if I could get an appropriate blade for it. I don’t think my wife will approve a $500-$1500 band saw. $200 I can probably slide thru.

You probably could get a blade. It makes a mess because you have to cut dry but works,. Chop saw mite even be better than my table saw because it will blow the crap out back. This saw blows it down and then out.

 

[Idech]

Hammer and chisel works well for me.

Same here.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Not the cleanest for a flat cut on a base piece of LR lol.

I don't recall the OP mentioning needing "flat cuts". Chisel and hammer work very well on natural limestone -- not so much the "Life Rock" aka cement.

 

[Saltyreef]

I have an expensive chop saw. Wonder if I could get an appropriate blade for it. I don’t think my wife will approve a $500-$1500 band saw. $200 I can probably slide thru.

A bench top chop saw may work but kinda sketchy with a rock lol.

This would be more appropriate and unless you have something larger than 9"x whatever then it will be just fine. Otherwise a chissel and hammer would be a good idea before.

This could cut all of the flat base pieces i ordered from marco rocks lol.

https://www.harborfreight.com/power...-saws/13-hp-9-in-benchtop-band-saw-60500.html

 

[Saltyreef]

I don't recall the OP mentioning needing "flat cuts". Chisel and hammer work very well on natural limestone -- not so much the "Life Rock" aka cement.

But he did ask for a recommendation on a band saw so I could only assume he wanted a clean cut :winking-face-with-tongue:

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

But he did ask for a recommendation on a band saw so I could only assume he wanted a clean cut :winking-face-with-tongue:

Or, he hadn't thought of other methods, which is why I suggested the manual option (which I see you now recommend as well...)

 

[Saltyreef]

Or, he hadn't thought of other methods, which is why I suggested the manual option (which I see you now recommend as well...)

So now you are undermining the OP's intelligence? Lol.

For what its worth, it does help to break the rock into the proper size to feed the band saw he asked for a recommendation on, Keanu.

 

[Rmckoy]

If precision cuts are required I would recommend a tile saw with a diamond blade or even a grinder with a diamond blade .
if just smaller pieces to fit the aqua scape I would use a masons chisel and hammer

 

[biecacka]

I used an angle grinder to cut some of my rock With a stone blade on it.


corey

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So now you are undermining the OP's intelligence? Lol.

Not at all.