Yeah, part of it is also wanting to learn for myself what all the tools are like and what they are good for and not good for. I really just want to own one of everything! The chop saw seemed like an obvious place to start because it works fine for what I currently need to do.
Yeah, the first thing I noticed about the school welding lab was the fact it was so damn dirty! Everything was black. That was my first introduction to what happens when you do a lot of work with metal - especially stick welding and grinding. That fine powder ends up everywhere no matter how much time you take trying to clean up.
Yeah, I'll have to see how it goes and adjust my usage depending on the mess it makes.
Yeah, Mike wanted to try that and I didn't get a good picture of the result. He's taken the part home now so I can't take another picture. Half of the final piece can be seen in one of the pictures.
The tape came as part of the powder coat starter kit from Eastwood but I had never tried it until last night so it was just to see how it worked. It is heat resistant and is designed to be baked in the over with the powder and them removed. It's for masking just like you do with normal paints and the results were basically the same. It created a sharp (but slightly irregular) edge just about the same as what you get using masking tape with paint.
To mask off larger areas, they say you should use the tape along with aluminum foil - like you would use masking tape and paper with regular paint.
Don't try to buy a Bently if you don't need one to show up. HF band saws work without any problems (just don't buy their blades) and they are much cheaper. Most of others are the same saws with different label/paint color.
"Ignoramus6985" wrote
A very good point I forgot to address from the OPs original. If he was concerned that the neighbors would get upset from him cutting and grinding the few pieces for the support frame, think of what they would say if you cut and ground a few hundred pieces for a fence or some gates. Or any other sizeable project.
I love my bandsaw. I set it, turn it on, then go off to do something else. I don't really leave it unattended, but I can do two things at one time, and still hear Rush and Sean and Levin.
Steve
I think everyone here has had one at one time or another. It's a good starter and MUCH better than a hacksaw. But you'll find other things and as you say, probably end up with one of everything.
A guy can never have too many tools. Even if they sit in a corner.
Steve
AND ANOTHER THING ..................
I think chop saws did the most to damage my hearing. I could be wrong.
Steve
What did you say? I can't quite hear you? My ears are still ringing from the chop saw and grinding I did the day before yesterday. Yeah, it would be smart to take the ear plugs out of the pocket of my welding jacket and actually put them in my ears when I do that stuff!
I like the ones on a spring clip. When not in use, they hang there ready to go. Trouble is, I still got a couple of pimples left from pubertyhood, and one is inside my ear canal. It gets plugged up every few years and creates a booger of a painful zit. Then I have to go to the sweaty cups or just quit until it pops and drains.
It's always somethin.
Steve
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