TFS: 3 Metal Cutting Saws Tested and Compared

Evosaw380 vs. Dewalt abrasive chop saw vs. KAMA EV996 Bandsaw. Which one will make the cut? We'll find out!
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[@TheFabricatorSeries]

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[@damonfawcett]

Get a thinner chopsaw disc 3/32, less material to cut and faster.

[@eviethekiwi7178]

Is this sponsored by Evo?

[@bikedeefer]

Did you find the Evo saw chatter at all in the cut? It drives me nuts with mine and the cut quality suffers.

[@sandman900rr]

@@bikedeefer mine chatters once in a while, and when it does.. it loses teeth.. I found a local guy who sharpens blades and replaces broken toooths..

[@darylyounger6793]

The advantage with the bandsaw is you can walk away while it cuts and do other things. It also accurately cuts mitres repeatedly, with no dust and minimal heat. And makes hundreds of cuts on one blade.

[@RadDadisRad]

Daryl Younger agreed. I have a JET that has a coolant system and feed rate setting. It has a 20” opening but I can only cut 10” thick stuff.

[@custardavenger]

But then factoring in the blade cost as well, you have to be pretty serious to get the most out one.

[@blairfleming5861]

also out of all the saws i find it has the least waist which i find pretty important for me cause i use rather expensive steals like pattern Damascus and certain cpm alloys over the course of a year you can save almost the entire cost of the tool in stock plus at points the abrasive saw can heat up the metal to much and cause some light decarbing its pretty minuscule but always good to take into account depending on the job

[@Swilling]

@@blairfleming5861 im trying to get into a wet/cold saw for accurate metal cuts. I have a pos horizontal bandsaw, but it does take up some space. Im not finding anything good as far as a cold cut chopsaw for under $2000 - but i can find a LOT of quality 220 horizontal saws. for much less. I hate the footprint, but i feel like the horizontal bandsaw could do everything the chopsaw could but more.. What am i overlooking about a cold cut chopsaw, since the price seems so much higher, any ideas? Cheers

[@alexisxyz7531]

@@Swilling I saw the evolution ones have much play on the blade so it is not so accurate, maybe the dewalt is better.

[@gurjindersingh199]

I love my bandsaw. I was reluctant to get one but I'm glad a good friend of mine persuaded me to get one and it has since been a great addition to my garage

[@Just1GuyMetalworks]

I absolutely love my tct bladed saw. Cuts through just about anything. I've cut copper tubing, to steel tubing, to two inch hex stalk. Apparently supposed to switch blades for alloys but I've cut stainless, aluminum and 4140 (annealed). It's a beast 😁!

[@antoniogarza6089]

Great video! I don’t even have an abrasive anymore, I got rid of it once I got my Evo saw about 3 years ago. For anything large and in charge I use a large industrial Ramco bandsaw,. For anything 3 inch and below I just use my Evo. Blades for an abrasive run anywhere between $7 and 15 bucks, but a user will blow through them quickly. Blades for my Evo run anywhere between $90 and 110 depending on where you get them, And will last a bit of time if you take care of them. Now blades for my bandsaw run anywhere between $45 and 55 also depending on where you get them, and those will also last a bit if you take care of them. I dug your “man glitter,” joke! Lol. Keep on making these very informative vids, you always explain everything that you do very well; so well in fact that I recommend your vids to my apprentice as outside the shop study and learning materiali. Thanks brother!

[@vincentsalerno8675]

Nice job on the review. I agree with previous comment about bandsaws you can multitask when running them

[@stevebliss1566]

That Kama saw is my favorite tool, I smile everytime I use it.

[@mmcalifornia8600]

The abrasive is just nasty. Least favorite tool in my garage. Love my band saw. I would consider the evo for quick cuts

[@petermurphy3354]

My abrasive saw is somewhere under a bench, Ijust use my horizontal bandsaw even though it is only a 50 year old 6" x 4"I can still make it cut true enough for welding.

[@FTGMotorsports]

Great video as usual - Like most fabricators I have all three - I have not taken the Abrasive off the shelf in 3 years. The bandsaw is my goto, its accurate and clean. Although when I build a trailer or chassis with a lot of heavy tube to do, the cold saw is FAST.. I wear full sleeves and a hat - those chips fly hard and fast

[@motoxjim929]

Awesome video!!! The evolution saw is sweet. I have the Evolution 9" metal cutting circular saw it is a beast.

[@zakikahl6904]

Nice video. I think another extremely valuable cutting tool that shouldn’t be overlooked is a portaband. I just picked up a Milwaukee Portaband and as someone who’s not got a big enough shop for a full automated band saw it was a huge game changer. Haven’t touched my abrasive chop saw since I got the portaband about a week ago.

[@shifter3479]

I have an Evo rage 2. It has the multi purpose blade. I'm very impressed Hundreds of cuts and it keeps on going. Hearing protection is a must

[@larsmark]

The thing I don't like with the evolution rage 2 is that mine has got a sheet metal base which is just flimsy and when you tighten down the piece you are gonna cut it gets out of alignment. And there is no way to adjust the angle of it so mine cuts crooked. The one he tries here does look A LOT better and I am thinking about either rebuilding my base or buying the blue series one.

[@zf4120]

The Rage2 I own has cast base so there's no flexing. I think they tried the sheet metal base on a model or two and went back to cast.

[@craigrager1]

I have all 3 devices, and here's my input. One very critical issue besides the quality of the cut and left over burs is the ACCURACY of the cuts. I have noticed that the abrasive disks "walk" considerably during the cut, (partially due to their flexibility) and end up with an angled cut that's not 90 degrees requiring grinding to make them square. The Evolution also "walks" very slightly, but overall has a fairly accurate cut. By far the bandsaw is the most accurate cut, nearly perfect 90 degrees. Of course the larger the piece the more angled the cut becomes. I hope this helps.

[@gregghernandez2714]

I am a woodworker, and your video has me sold...on the Evolution products. They make a small miter saw that uses one of their metal cutting blades. Occasionally I need to cut up some small tubing or steel stock for jigs or other things, and that Evolution blade seems to work really well. Thanks for the demo!

[@vladorlovsky6623]

Awesome video Justin. Thank you very much for helping me make my decision. Keep up the great work.

[@markthompson8659]

I have the same evo saw in your video and it absolutely rocks!! Yes crazy load, however I wear ear and full face protection all the time after seeing a fiber blade explode in a guys face several years ago!

[@drewt3210]

I have the Evo 380 & love it for it's price, speed, clean cuts & small footprint. Mounted between two 6' long benches like a woodworking miter station. Only bummer is the whole saw has to swivel for miters. Wish the saw head swiveled like a wood miter saw. Thanks for all you do, you're a great teacher! Best, @HoneyOnWales

[@joshwelch8288]

I have the same evolution saw. And a jet mitering bandsaw, the evo saw i love bc of the speed. The bandsaw i love bc of the work stop feature, im currently working on a design to make one for the evolution, but i love how fast it is!! And the finish its beautiful, ive actually cut 5" C channels and it came out beautifully square and very little dressing

[@tysonlessing9034]

thanks for the info for us,don"t forget you can walk away from the band saw.

[@4BoltClevo]

Wastage is a lot less on the bandsaw as well. Those chips add up, not only in wasted material, but in wasted effort. On a saw running all day nonstop, someone has to sweep up regularly on the evolution and abrasive (and the mess gets spread out a lot more) but only once at the end of the day on the bandsaw.

[@kaptein1247]

I'd rather not wait at all.

[@happydoggs]

The safety guy says other wise lol

[@markconley9279]

You can multitask.

[@petermurphy3354]

@Phil Harvey Also you are limited more on the depth of cut in both the Evo & the chop saw ( less as the fibre disc wears too). I have cut solid 6" M238 injection mold steel on my cheap 6x4 band saw at 11pm without disturbing anybody. I could not have done that on my Chop saw or Brobo cold saw. Not sure whether the Evolution would cope with a 6" x 6" SHS or solid in one go even though it has a 7" depth of cut. Imagine the noise making a few of those cuts, very unhappy neighbors even in an industrial estate.

[@KorysRides]

The Dewalt's keyless blade change is really cool. I have that same spark chucker.

[@lachimsalim]

Great video ,I have been using evolution saw for last few years and it have been the best buy for budget to cut steel or if needed sometimes wood . Great saw to have I payed for my saw £180 in UK with 350mm blade .pretty chip brand new

[@TempleThomas]

Thanks for this side by side. I love my Evolution saw but damn it is loud !! Definitely need to add a band saw to my lineup

[@donnyo65]

love my bandsaw for solid stock - mine is a tiny portable one that I got on sale for £220 (Not sure about the USD, possibly about 250) and I have cut 5" solid medium carbon steel with it. the beauty of the bandsaw is you can just leave it to do its thing while you go and do something else. I am definitely going to get an Evolution for tube though as it looks so easy. Great video.

[@MrJamesIreland]

I’m pretty happy with my evo saw for mild steel but for cutting steel studs it was a let down. I had a big job with heavy gauge steel studs and ended up digging the Rigid abrasive saw out after running 3 blades through the evolution in one day.

[@chriskent9021]

I've been using the Milwaukee dry cut saw for years, they are definitely loud, but fast clean cuts. There a big step up over the abrasive cutters.

[@robert5]

What blades do you like, if you can come back and tell me that would be great.

[@bobuk5722]

Hi Justin. Thanks. Really useful. One other 'horizontal' bandsaw advantage is that some can be used vertically for small pieces, which can be useful in a hobby shop. Just had a cheap Chinese bandsaw die (blade tensioner cracked) so I'm in the market for a replacement. It won't be an abrasive saw after watching your excellent video! Cheers. BobUK.

[@roundthree4729]

classy performance as usual brother. great vid

[@jovand6606]

I recently bought a super cheap band saw (portable with a stand) and im super happy with it, is still loud on high speed, but its much quieter than an angle grinder and no sparks which means i can use it inside my shed.

[@westernclimber]

One thing I found using my "dry" cut saw was to just cut outside and use a hose to flood the cut with water. I had to cut 2×2 square stock (solid mild steel) without water the cut took forever and the heat effed a few teeth. With water it cut faster, stayed cold, left a better finish and the teeth were fine- in under a minute.

[@AS-ug2vq]

Since its carbide teeth, it's prone to shattering because of thermal cycling on and off. Run the cut under water.

[@luketilley9137]

The evolution, hands down! I also love the band saw. In the shop, the band saw is the only way to go! Thanks for the video. Have a Blessed Day.🙏🕊🇺🇸🦅

[@Agislife1960]

What I don't like about most Chop Saws is when you try to cut 45 degree angles, the jaws that hold the metal in place are no longer aligned directly across from each other, nor do they hold the metal in place very well.

[@phi376]

I have the Evo with the 15 inch blade and love it. I use both the steel and stainless steel blades without issue in the appropriate material. One suggestion: pay attention to how the instructions tell you to mount the material in the vice. Not only does it make a big difference in how fast your cut will be, but makes a huge difference in how long your blades will last between sharpening.

[@KEWS54]

That attachment is not just a pipe holder on the Evolution. Try the square tube positioned the way the instructions suggest so everyone can see how fast it really is. I believe the blade will last longer as well. Be careful with the blue blade on thin metal, get the thin metal blade... trust me.

[@1903bretep]

Thanks Justin that was very informative for someone like me looking to buy a saw.

[@spunrdneck]

Yup, love my Evo!

[@mariomolnar3184]

thank you! great video. this was the exact comparison i was looking for

[@ThantiK]

Very cool, thanks for the comparison video!

[@tuberider1171]

great comparison - many thanks - as a home handyman who does a bit of hobby welding you've helped a lot - the dry cut saw with teeth is the way I am gonna go. Thanks from Melbourne, Australia

[@winnietheblue3633]

I'm from Melbourne too. Which product did you get and when and where did you get it?

[@tomconetsco5371]

You forgot to mention that the abrasive saw blades can shatter. The Evolution saw is great for quick cuts. We have a Amada bandsaw at work,it cuts anything up to 10 inches in diameter. It’s great for repetitive cuts and you don’t have to stand there and watch it. Great video 👍

[@fearnobeer9077]

One thing that needs mentioning is the band saw you can set and walk away, the other two are hands on the whole time.

[@foxwood67]

Fun in the shop. I think most guys start off with the abrasive saws I did. Loud and messy but beats a hack saw and cheap. I bought a HF model and put some serious hours on it. Next was a portaband with swag stand good set up for detailed stuff but not serious band saw by any means. Next will be the dry cut saw. Great post thanks 👍

[@1970chevelle396]

At first I was using a Dewalt Abrasive chop saw. The 45's were terrible, the blade would flex around so much that the cuts were all crooked. Then I got the Dewalt Cold Saw. The vise on it was junk. Now I have the Scotchman Cold saw. It's the best saw. The 45's are perfect every time. It also doesn't leave a big mess with metal chips everywhere like the Dewalt does.

[@MrEd-fu3dq]

Similar experience with a Makita abrasive chop saw; for 90 cuts there was too much flex in the "blade" after the first cut and just wouldn't make square cuts when cutting either aluminum angle or angle iron.

[@keithrogers5832]

I looked at several different brands and have ended up with the Fien Slugger, don't forget the earplugs, for about 150.00 you should consider the mutabo with a cutoff blade, I spent more but made the upgrade on the mutabo. The mutabo will go more places than the bandsaw being fully portable. Great topic.

[@quartfeira]

Mutabo is the chinese version of the Metabo?

[@darrenvohs]

You're description of the saw biproducts was great!

[@kstricl]

I literally JUST, 5 hours before watching this video, bought an evolution rage 3 (10" blade). I've only cut some OSB and 1/8 flat bar, but it is crazy fast and clean. I'm glad stainless was mentioned - I won't attempt wrecking my new blade with it. Edit: I bought it on clearance for $195 Canadian - so glad I caught that sale.

[@juancortez4726]

great comparison and loved the insight! thank you!

[@patclements3067]

I had the cheap Evolution saw, the orange one. It cuts square 90’s very fast and straight. The blade warps on angle cuts and doesn’t leave a true cut. They’re also VERY loud, and the chips mine made were like tiny razors, and they went everywhere. My go to is an old American made Kalamazoo band saw. Cuts straight and true, stock sizes of anything I can handle. I can even throw a stack of material in there and let it chug on the stack while I do something else.

[@Twinfire]

Excellent video comparison TFS. I have a makita 12" cold cut, eats mild steel tube all day, does the mitre cuts for neat framework. Needs more teeth on the blade for stainless steel, different tooth profile too.

[@Mortemar]

Your industrial saw is à very good tool for a big shop, i dream to have one of this masterpiece. I use evolution saw for somthing like 15 year in France before moving to Canada, its a very good tool to have in a little shop, for a Tech or à single métal worker or à constructor worker. Very polyvalent tool. Thanks for the vidéo, you rock ^^

[@jamessonger3]

I have the evo380 and LOVE IT. i made a little cubby hole type of stand to keep most of the chips from flying everywhere lol. Great saw tho. Worth every penny.

[@RicardoGarcia-104]

Definitely had the evolution on the need this list but u have confirmed it that it is worth the money.

[@BigPowerAL]

Great information snd done well as always. I’m thinking of getting a portaband type saw the is attached to a chop saw stand. Seems to be a nice option for my home shop.

[@colinjohnson5515]

I bought the Bauer porta band from HF a few months ago on sale. $100 plus $30 for a 2 or 3? year warrantee. It’s a solid tool. I know dewalt and Milwaukee are probably better tools. But for me not worth the 2.5-3X extra cost

[@southerntommygun1353]

Good video. To each their own. Every time I think about getting a chop saw I find that I can use my bandsaw, stack several pieces of whatever in it, turn it on and go do something else. Still, good information and a well developed video.

[@jj5585]

Nice comparison. I knew from the start the Evolution was gonna wipe the floor with the others as I have an Evolution compound mitre saw for wood and it cuts through metal just as good as you saw yours work. I have to say the Evolution brand of saws and other tools they are bringing out are one of the better deals you can get and with one of the smoothest results you will find. JJ

[@mully006]

The Evolution 10in miter saw also can cut metal and has double angles with miter cuts. Only $200 when I bought it. Does go through $50 blades pretty fast.

[@bingoberra18]

Great test, Id love a bandsaw but for a happy garage amature the Evo seems alright!

[@scottcarr3264]

At work we have a Band saw and a cold cut saw, the band saw is a Square cut only with an adjustable length feeder and cut counter, very good if you want to cut a lot of parts the same length and walk away from the saw to do other things. The cold cut saw is what was called a "Brobo" saw, which I think was a brand name years ago, its a slow speed about 350mm diameter blade, coolant system and double vices, NOT carbide tipped, when the blade gets blunt, it is taken off and sent away to be re-sharpened. It does angle cuts up to 32 degrees from straight, that's way more than the old abrasive chop saws that can only go up to 45 degrees.

[@charlieblanchard4968]

Me and my buddy were just talking about the differences in saws. I'm going to send this to him. Thanks for making this video.

[@cherylcentenioblessedvirgi3241]

I will be purchasing the DeWalt and use the DeWalt Angle Grinder for metal cleanup. Thank you for sharing.

[@sskillie1]

I had a project where I had to cut stainless for 10 days. 1.5"x⅛" stainless angle. I have a Morse 14" chop saw. We used several different brands of blades. The one that almost doubled the cuts was the original Morse 90 carbide blade. I do want to check out a band saw. Thank for the video!

[@drewl4762]

You can also put a bundle or multiple pieces into a band saw at once which helps get more equal pieces and can save time in the long run

[@stellarpod]

One advantage to using the bandsaw is the ability to set it running and move on to another job, thereby allowing you to save time in the shop as you multitask. And there are other cheaper vertical bandsaw options. Nonetheless, this segment was insightful. As always, thanks much for sharing. Steve

[@steveh8724]

Depends heavily on what you're cutting. For typical cuts, the Evo finishes in less than 1 minute. Less than 2 minutes for extreme cuts. How much work can you get done during that interval? None.

[@bikerbrego]

I recently purchased the evolution from Home Depot. I used it to cut 2 -7/8” pipe. Did great 👍

[@cutweldngrind]

I need to cut 2 7/8 pipe as well. I'm thinking of finally picking a saw up.

[@bikerbrego]

@@cutweldngrind if you get the evolution get more cutting blades for metal. I have to drive 70 miles to get them. So I buy extras

[@cutweldngrind]

@@bikerbrego Thanks. I just got the specs by email on several saws to compare but I will sure get blades. I do own plasma cutters but this will help me rebuild a goose neck trailer faster. Thanks

[@nikitanadein]

I have all three types, my go-to for everyday use is a bandsaw (cheapie small one without coolant), for lots of cutting i bust out the noisy dry cut makita, and old abrasive makita is collecting dust in the corner for years. Makita dry cut saw comes with blade for thin wall steel, but it cuts stainless or thick stuff without any issues, just be gentle on the handle. I'd say i made at least 1000 cuts with stock blade and it still rocks. And cutting speed just blows me away every time i use it.

[@matiashernandez4314]

Thanks for the demo.

[@nicholas920us]

In our Welding classroom we have a large Bayleigh bandsaw that did most of the heavy lifting until the teacher brought in the Evolution saw with a steel and aluminum blade... it is a phenomenal improvement in speed, the dry chips are easier to sweep up (instead of scraping up coolant sludge) and it is movable... I would complain about the noise but it cuts so fast, the noise doesn't last too long.

[@Ax000r]

Nice Video! Im glad i bought the Bosch GCD 12. Just like the Evolution its fast and a clean Cut. Although the clamping seems to be not as solid as the Evolution one

[@Chads6Strings]

I bought my Evo chop saw about 7 years ago at Home Depot. 199.99 and the Evo circular saw 59.99. Both were for half price during their beginning promotion.

[@dankronenberg946]

I bought the evolution Saw Very impressed with the working of the soul

[@LukasGilkey]

Love your stuff as always! If you get a chance, would love to see a review of that snazzy Fronius helmet you have. Haven't seen much on it.

[@haroldwatkins7059]

Great objective comparison. I do own an Evolution as tested. If I am not mistaken Evolution offers a separate blade specifically for stainless material. Hope to see you again at Fabteck in Chicago. I am already making my arrangements.

[@johngilley3518]

It's funny that your comparing saws this week. Someone left a huge mess in our Fab room and the boss took photos of each tool and area and assigned each of us something to clean. LoL, some people's kids, right? I got the Milwaukee chop saw that I haven't used in a year and a half. 😂

[@tjtrimble1654]

For speed and clean cuts, you cant beat a cold saw. Had a Kalamazoo at a fab shop I worked at years ago, and have missed it everywhere else I worked!

[@Sonic_Ox]

I have a fairly inexpensive band saw from Grizzly that I LOVE. It doesn't have built in coolant but I keep a small pump can of cutting fluid with it. I use it when I really need accurate, clean, mitre cuts. For the rougher cuts I have a dirt cheap Harbor Freight 20" abrasive. Works as good as my buddy's Dewalt. I have under $500 invested for both of these tools and they work great for my light to medium fabrication needs. I've not been tempted (yet) to spend the big money for a dry cut.

[@matthewfox3760]

Evolution and chopsaw both require 100% attention from the user wile the bandsaw can be set up turned on and you can manage other tasks or take a break - get a drink

[@SH-pc4xt]

And with its slow cutting, you'll have enough time for a drink. Or two.

[@jeffpitzer8521]

I freaked out when i saw that you have a kama ev 996! I've had one for more than 20 years. I also have kama's semi automatic saw with the same capacity but miters both directions instead only one... I think you should have talked a little more about the mitering of the kama. imho that's one of the coolest features of this saw. If you're cutting off of a 24 ft stick of metal you don't have to do any gymnastics to fit it in the saw. I also have an Uzay 12" capacity double mitersaw that is semi automatic.. it's great for larger stuff but my kama is my go-to saw first. I agree with other comments that for mild steel you should use bunny not turtle. I only use turtle for stainless. Also the accuracy of the kama is superb! Square cuts every time. Getting the blade tooth per inch is important but i keep a 6-10 variable pitch tooth blade on the saw almost constantly and does most of everything I need. Square and round tube of most any size and even some pretty big solid stock that ideally should be cut with a 4-6 blade. I have had a doringer 350 cold saw . The finish of the cuts is better than i need..the accuracy is unsurpassed but the blade tooth is so critical and expensive. Contrary to several comments you can't "walk away" from the kama because it is a pull down style of saw compared to othe types.... but... i have a tie strap on the trigger and a counterwieght that i slip over the handle to facilitate that. I hope that info helps your viewers.. great video.. I'd like to have the evo saw...you couldn't give me an abrasive saw... but...it will cut really hard stuff that the others can't.

[@HoustonKilby]

I got a dewalt dry cut saw and I noticed your evolution came with that v groove pipe attachment that’s nice. My Dewalt did not. I’ll be making one of those attachments and see if that helps any on holding pipe better.

[@davidwhite9906]

I cut 1” stainless round stock with a stainless blade 3 times a week with that Evo saw and I’ve never had a problem with it

[@ouelketken5076]

David White I need to cut a lot of 1,75 inch stainless 16 ga tube . I read a several review the stainless blade won’t last on stainless .

[@bradywilliams2666]

I manage a Sheet metal fab shop for a big HVAC,roofing etc.. company. We use a Dewalt chop saw for the thin gauge vanes for elbows. But for building stands and other thicker steel projects we use a Steelmax cold saw like the Evo saw you used. We have a bandsaw but after like you showed it is slow. I have a huge project that required 2" square .250 " wall steel. Many many cuts. I decided the band saw would take me forever to make all the cuts. So we bought the Steelmax. Now I never use the bandsaw. Only draw back is the cost of blades. But I think we save way more in time.

[@Dr_Xyzt]

I like the band saw. It's quieter, cleaner, and if you have to cut chromoly, stainless, or case hardened stuff, a good Starrett blade will get you there. I want to consider getting an Evo saw because they perform so well, but there's so much variation in the materials I cut, all it takes is one piece of random mystery metal to wreck the blade. I do also keep an abrasive saw, because that's the only way to cut hardened material. Keep a spray bottle nearby.

[@scottmarshall6766]

Results as expected. I'm the retired owner of an Industrial controls business. Have a bandsaw in the shop (now over 40yrs old and still like new) and it's the goto for quality machinery frame fab work and the like. The chop saw is for road jobs, and doesn't get used except for road work and junk that may damage the bandsaw blade, good bands don't come cheap. I went thru several of these over the years, they don't last all that well, and will get you invited off many a jobsite. It's usually a parking lot operation, and you better have a fire ext right there in plain sight at most places, or somebody will complain. The cold saw has been around a while, been kind of pricy for what you get for about 20yrs, so I never sprung for one, seeing as the prices are down, if I was still doing this work, I'd probably replace the abrasive saw with one, and I expect it would get used along with the bandsaw when we get busy. That's my mini-review, Thanks for yours, it's a good look at each, you could have skipped the wood, that's Sawzall material...

[@robert5]

The abrasive saw will blow through hardened steel like no other saw. The Evo blade will liquefy on hardened steel then stall out and the band saw will strip out the teeth and then just set there and not go any further. I got all three saws. Regular mild steel I chose the cold saw or evo style saw. I just use my 20" upright band saw for aluminum. The abrasive saw is mostly as a back up if I kill a cold saw blade. Or, like I said I got a hardened shaft to cut. I got a snowmobile hexagon track drive shaft and a jack shaft and 4 CV joint shafts I need to cut. Those will all be done on the abrasive saw. One HUGE tip for potential abrasive saw users. Throw away the factory blade and buy high quality thin abrasive blades. They are more expensive but so worth it. They will keep burning on through a heavy cut when a thicker low quality blade will stall out. I have done something like 10k cuts on an abrasive saw at a fabrication business I used to work at. That was back before there were cold saws.

[@minskmade]

I'm a big fan of the Evolution saws. I have the EVO380, it cuts super clean. I wished the bed and mitre were more accurate and fabricated a little better. Abrasive saws are nice for cutting tool steel, but you get crazy sparks and potential fire hazards. Nice video and tests.

[@michaelthomas7898]

I have band saws and a abrasive saws. Now it looks like I'll have to get a cold chop saw. Good video, you can get a cheap band saw for about three hundred at HF but don't expect a lot. I love my upright band saw it's very versatile.

[@SH-pc4xt]

Thanks for another great video! Oops @ 4:08: "...but some very quick number crunching here will reveal that Evolution saw cuts it in one-third of the speed of the bandsaw..." well of course that would be ..."one third of the time of the bandsaw" or "...3 times the speed of the band saw."

[@garylarson6386]

I have the small green evolution fury 3 and works great, milwaukee hand band saw when needed, I almost never use the chop saw and then only outside because it can start fires

[@otm646]

In the abrasive saw the blade selection has a massive influence. Generally the harder material you're cutting the softer the matrix required so you are continually exposing new cutting surfaces. Same goes for cutting large cross sectional areas vs things like angle iron. You need to try a few different blades and see what works best with your application and be willing to change the blade when your application changes.

[@c-man4710]

Thanks excellent review.

[@JG-kv4oi]

I have 2 of each type of these saws. Each has their place. My go to saw is a dry cut Ellis bandsaw. I can make a bundle of tube clamped together with a couple chain vise grips and walk away and do something else while it cuts quietly and then shuts itself off.

[@jamesgulrich7416]

That's great! I tried to buy a broken down Ellis from my welding supplier but it was still too much. $2200 is way too much for a hobby fab guy. I could buy 6 to 8 Evo saws for that! I still want that Ellis saw though!

[@JG-kv4oi]

@@jamesgulrich7416 Start yourself a fab/welding biz and then its all Section 179 tax deduction.

[@prayertool]

Thank you sir. Excellent video

[@dandiller8358]

Thank for the comparison

[@HotdogJuulPod]

“Man glitter” and “sparkley tramp oil” thank you.

[@ypaulbrown]

Always great information... thanks

[@dustinwolfe9591]

I was worried about not liking my evosaw after I ordered it but I've never looked back. Won't replace the bandsaw totally but damn they are nice.

[@19672701]

I have the rage 2 evolution as a factory refurbished,same as what your testing but without a cast table,my blade lasted 2 years and replaced it with a Diablo works good for the money,my only compliant is they don't have a degrees miter like a wood saw. If I had the money though,I would have the bandsaw you have or bigger. The best thing is you can handle the piece immediately after cutting and the speed. Evolution is right up the street from me and will be getting one of their mag drills next.

[@Patiboke]

Nice extensive review. I would've liked a section on precision, like when you set a saw at 45°, is it really 45°? I had one that was really bad at that.

[@nvlvdave]

I have all three basically. Chop saw is a Ryobi and I can't even remember where it is - lol. Bandsaw is a $900 Harbor freight and is still my go-to for 8 years now (did a few mods to it). My Evolution is a 10" sliding miter saw. It came with a crappy fence that causes material to pinch blade - grabbed a 1x1x1/8 angle and flipped it hard, smashing my finger through a heavy glove - been reluctant to use it since. You should have addressed angle adjustment with each saw - that's a HUGE consideration. Great vid as always, though. Just my .02

[@prestonmoore2050]

Great episode! Have you ever tried a port-a-band on a miter base?

[@LimitedGunnerGM]

Band saw is also cool. Set it up and walk away. Come back to a cut off piece. Batch cutting. Wipe one part off as the next one is cutting hands free. Even the harbor freight band saws work well.

[@johnelliott4521]

Got an evolution got one at Menards love it for rapid cuts, saving for a band saw.

[@M.Huling]

Great video, thanks