DeWalt DWM120K Heavy-Duty Variable Speed Deep Cut Portable Band Saw Kit

I cannot write enough good things about this saw. I'm in the real estate business, and was in construction for the previous 8 years. I'm picky about my tools, and this one knocks it out of the park. I bought this one with the case to replace one that was stolen from a gang box last week. FIVE STARS!!Here is why:1 - hard case. this is a MUST for me, and there are a few nice dewalt tools that I will skip over because they don't have them. It also stores extra blades (I prefer lennox brand for this thing) without having them fly all over the place. Safe and organized - it's how tools should be.2 - capacity - if you know what's what, you can slice up to 6" pipe with this thing. Thick metal - no problem, just feed it nice and slow. the variable speed is within thumbs reach during a cut if you need to adjust it - another big plus.3 - cord is not too long, not too short, and very heavily armored. lets face it - anyone who has worked at a jobsite more than 3 minutes has seen, or picked up a tool by the cord - a no-no for sure, but it happens, and this thing is clearly built to take the abuse.4 - light - I had an older milwaukee, and while it was a brute, the lack of light in a dark/confined space sucked. I have no idea whether that's been fixed, but I do know this one has a very bright LED that stays on for seeing the cut, and I like it. A LOT.5 - toolless blade change - yeah, if you use anything long enough, you'll tear up a blade. changing this one is so easy as to be laughable. I think I could train my dog to change it in an hour. No lost wrenches, pinched fingers, bad words, or loss of production. Just swap it and get back to mangling metal.*the only small thing that I do not totally love is the stock blade, but, lets face it - dewalt makes great tools and crap blades. I've replaced every dewalt blade I own right off the bat and been super happy. Might make some of you cheapskates mad, but meh, get over yourselves.**also - dewalt is pushing to make things in the USA, but hasn't moved all the production back here. I haven't been able to verify if this saw was made in USA, but I will gladly support a company who is pushing to bring manufacturing back on our soil. And who owns only 1 dewalt tool anyway?

Good price for a DeWalt product, especially for a deep cut portable band saw with the features it does have. I mounted this saw in a SWAG V 3.0 Portaband table which is a great combination to have a compact vertical band saw that is versatile and well made. The built in LED light with its own switch works especially well when used as a vertical saw. Variable speed works well for my purposes and the saw easily maintains blade speed. If I were to use it as a hand held portable the adjustable handle has 3 positions for a comfortable grip. It looks like a well made product and has a good warranty. I would have liked a trigger lock for use with the SWAG table but I just use a velcro computer cable organizer to keep the trigger switched on and I use the foot switch from SWAG which is a Harbor Freight item capable of 20 amps. Just a heads up, some of the images are "cutaway" views and the bottom drive wheel is solid like the top idler which protects the drive chain. I do suggest using Olson Saw AC70010 Saw Blade Lubricant or BOELUBE Machining Lubricant - MFR : 70200-00 or similar which you can find on Amazon. I cut a lot of aluminum and it keeps the chips from sticking to the gullets of the blade. Also I recommend Lenox bimetal blades for all metals, Lenox makes the best blades in my personal opinion. The saw is made in China, it does not mean it's cheaply made but I think you should know this. In addition it is stated a table does come with the saw but it only has a foot plate included.

So far, so good.I never noticed this, but when you use the light function, it's focused in just a way that the shadow it casts of the blade is where it will be cutting. It's not offset or like a non-directional flood.Anyway... This is a handy useful tool. With a Portaband Pro Deluxe Band Saw Stand, it can double as a fixed vertical bandsaw.The speed is useful in adjusting the cut rate.It comes with an attached Allen wrench so you can adjust the stop or add a third party plate. It adjusts the depth of the backstop so you can cut larger items.I haven't had to change the blade yet so I can't comment on that.I would recommend this portable band saw to anyone looking for a portable bandsaw.

I've been cutting high-carbon steel with various methods, each having their own drawbacks. My latest process was to use bi-metal blades with a sabre saw (also a DeWalt), which can be a painfully slow process and require frequent blade change-outs. However, this bandsaw really "kicks it up a notch." Being DeWalt, it is really well-built, and I expect years of good service from it.Since the blade only moves in one cutting direction, the bands last much longer and cut much faster than the sabre saw. My only complaint: The only way to really make one of these portable band saws shine is to get a table/stand/rig. That will allow you to use it like a regular metal/wood/plastic stand-up bandsaw. DeWalt does not offer/make such a "thing."To get that functionality, you have to get a 3rd-party extra. The Swag table looks good, but only gets you "standard" band saw functionality. The Portaband pro rig gets you both table and chop-saw functionality. You'll have to decide how you plan to use the saw to determine which table you "need" (if you need one at all).

Set saw up vertical using the Swag band saw table. Everything is working wonderfully. The only thing that was upsetting is the blade that came on the saw snapped right at the factory weld the second time I used it. Must have been defective as I was cutting mild hot rolled steel slowly. No heat and no rush. Shame and a waste as the blade cut better than the blade I replaced it with. Very pleased with saw performance. Variable speed is nice. Blade changes are easy.