Metal Saws

Gigan‡
Grizzly G0737

Sears/Craftsman 15"

The G0737 is a variable-speed 18" saw that provides blade speeds from 75 to 385 FPM. I opted for the mechanical speed control over the electronic for two reasons. The main one was cost. ALthough the VFD saw could achieve much higher blade speeds, I did not really need them, and the VFD saw was far more expensive. Second, with my shop, I can probably repair a mechanical drive more easily than an electronic one, should the need arise.

What I like

  • I like the digital speed readout.
  • Changing speeds is simple.
  • Changing blades is also simple.

What I dislike

  • The upper doors act like a sounding board, so this saw is much louder than it needs to be.
  • The lamp requires a 240V bulb. I will rewire it for 120V once this bulb burns out.

Problems

  • None yet

Other comments

  • I have yet to try the blade welder.

‡Gigan has a vertical row of teeth on his chest that can oscillate up and down, allowing him to saw his enemies.

Guiron‡
Grizzly G0561

Sears/Craftsman 15"

I bought this saw to have more capacity than my OMT saw provides. The Grizzly is not frustrating like the OMT is. The gas system for controlling the arm descent works well, as does the coolant system. It offers four blade speeds (90, 135, 195, and 255 FPM,) but I seldom change speeds since I'm not under production time pressure and can walk away and do something else while the saw cuts.

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What I like

  • The blade stays on the guides like it is supposed to!
  • The quick-change vise works well.
  • The hydraulic feed control works well and is easy to use.
  • Built-in coolant feed, and the coolant only runs when the blade is running.

What I dislike

  • The belt cover is held closed by a screw, making speed changes less convenient than they would be if the cover just unlatched and swung open.
  • The coolant pools in the catch basin, since there is no slope to the drain.

Problems

  • One of the blade guide bearing races cracked; fortunately, it is a common bearing readily available on eBay for about $2.50, and replacing it is simple.

Other comments

  • I cut a piece of stiff rubber and placed it below the plate on the guide pivot assembly. This helps wipe coolant from the blade so that it drips closer to the center of the tray.

‡Guiron has a blade on his head. He pivots his head up and down, much like this saw pivots.

Meganula‡
OMT 4"x6"

Sears/Craftsman 15"

I have a love/hate relationship with this saw - and it is mostly hate. The legs are flimsy and I spend considerable effort reinforcing them so they would not collapse. The bracket holding the wheels would rotate out of position, requiring another repair. The belt guard is cheap plastic that warped, causing the guard to rub on the belt, so I had to reinforce it with metal. The on/off switch failed and I had to replace the cord. Even one of the wheels broke, but the worst thing is, the blade will not stay on the guide wheels if the cut is heavy or if the machine is bumped. Hours and hours of adjustment helped, but did not solve the problem. On the other hand, the saw cost next to nothing when new, and it was one of the most-used tools in my shop until I bought the G0561.

What I like

  • Not much, but I've used it a lot.

What I dislike

  • The blade jumps off the guides whenever the saw is disturbed in almost any way.
  • The belt cover is held closed by a screw, making speed changes less convenient than they would be if the cover just unlatched and swung open.

Problems

  • The legs that came with the saw are flimsy and I spend considerable effort reinforcing them so they would not collapse.
  • The bracket holding the wheels would rotate out of position, requiring another repair.
  • The belt guard is cheap plastic that warped, causing the guard to rub on the belt, so I had to reinforce it with metal.
  • The on/off switch failed and I had to replace it and the cord.
  • One of the wheels broke and so I needed to make a new one.

Other comments

  • All of the braces and the shelf at the bottom are modifications that I needed to make to keep the legs from collapsing.

‡Meganula swarms (from Godzilla vs. Megaguiras) remind me of a locust plague.

Done