Welding Tips and Tricks

So getting more and more into this stainless exhaust work and thinking I should have a chopsaw to use if needed. Now with that being said I have cheap HF one that the clamp broke on it and I have an evoltuion rage 2 saw. I absolutely HATE the rage 2. Too loud, clamp isn't great, too powerful and wants to throw any part it can. So i'm going to sell that one and junk the old HF one. The new HF ones seem to have a better clamp now (oh also about 10 cuts on the rage and the blade is dull)

So i'm thinking I won't use it terribly often but want to have one for when I do need it and not spend a lot; so back to HF I go.
Here are my questions/thoughts/concerns.

http://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-2-hp ... 61389.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-3-12 ... 61481.html

Both saws are the same size one is 2hp and the other is 3.5hp. Will the higher hp one be more prone to ripping a part from the clamp and throwing it off? If so I'll get the 2hp one. I'm trying to make these cuts slow as keep them tight on the clamp but I can't overtighten them as the pipe will distort. that was another issue I had to fight with last night.

Or is there a better saw for not a whole lot more than these that would work well and hold round tube better?
Unfortunately not everything fits on my bandsaw.

angle iron supports in place of the stock flatsides clamp will hold the thin wall tube

What blade in the Rage are you using for SS that get dull?

rick9345 wrote:angle iron supports in place of the stock flatsides clamp will hold the thin wall tube

Tried it on the bandsaw and that jaw isn't large enough to get a piece of angle in the front and back. The rage has a V groove but still ended up making it a little oblong. Or spit out. So i chose oblong lol

AndersK wrote:What blade in the Rage are you using for SS that get dull?

The one that came on it. Bought it new, did a few cuts to test it, maybe 3 or 4. Then maybe 5 or 10 cuts of the stainless tubing. So I'd say 15 cuts at the absolute MAX, but more realistic is about 10

The standard blade is not for stainless, and they state that.

They have a blade made for ss but I think its twice as much.

I killed my standard blade too cutting ss but was able to sharpen it with the side of a cut off disc.

oops lol. Didn't know that

I posted some about the different Evo blades in this post a while ago
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... 368#p44364

morse makes a stainless blade i have never tried this blade
but own a morse chop saw and 9" hand saw and the aluminum
and steel blades great.
the number 9" stainless # is csm960ssc
the chop saws 14" #is csm1490ssc
hope this is some help
craig

motox wrote:morse makes a stainless blade i have never tried this blade
but own a morse chop saw and 9" hand saw and the aluminum
and steel blades great.
the number 9" stainless # is csm960ssc
the chop saws 14" #is csm1490ssc
hope this is some help
craig

Thanks ! Just ordered two 9" for my LC1230 for stock.