--- title: Horizontal Bandsaw vs. Cold Saw description: Applications dictate your options for metal cutting. Here are few tips to what type of saw is right for you. image: https://1705447.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/1705447/bandsaw.png --- [![dake corp](https://1705447.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/1705447/hubfs/DAKE003_%20Logos_Red%20(002)-1.jpg?width=1200&height=525&name=DAKE003_%20Logos_Red%20(002)-1.jpg "dake corp")](https://dakecorp.com) Have a question? Call us! 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Here are few tips to what type of saw is right for you. **Size:** A bandsaw will give you a larger cutting capacity. A 14” cold saw may give you a capacity of 4 ¾” round material, where as our [SE912 bandsaw](https://www.dakecorp.com/videos/dake-se912-horizontal-band-saw) will give you the capacity of 9” rounds. Why, with a larger specification of 14”, is the saw's capacity less with a cold saw? They are denoted by blade diameter, not capacity. The blade hub and radius will limit the material size that the cold saw is capable of cutting. With a bandsaw, it goes by clearance of the blade to the head frame. A bandsaw model will usually give you a hint to the round capacity such as our SE912 (9” capacity), JHW10 (10” capacity) and [vertical bandsaws](https://www.dakecorp.com/products/vertical-bandsaws) will be rated the same way. **Hardness:** Material hardness also comes into play in your decision-making process. How hard of a material are you needing to cut? A cold saw will limit you to hardness you can cut. Anything above 42RC is going to turn your blade into a butter knife in short order since the harness of the blade is only 60-63RC. Bandsaw blades have many different configurations and teeth hardness which most of the time will give good results on hard material, yet there are still a few applications that neither can handle, which requires abrasive cutting (I can’t believe I said that, but it’s the truth.) **Kerf:** Saving material is sometimes a concern and believe it or not the kerf cut can be figured into the cost of a job. A cold saw has a rigid blade with a wider kerf that on most standard cold saw blades is 2.5 – 3mm kerf. A bandsaw blade on the other hand can be 42 thousandths of an inch. Doesn’t sound like much, but over the lengths of the material it adds up. A standard cold saw blade uses a triple grind which gives chip clearance, but is the blades thickness. A standard bandsaw blade uses a wavy grind or off set tooth design keeping the blade kerf to a minimum.   ![cold saw](https://1705447.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/1705447/hubfs/cold%20saw.png?width=1391&name=cold%20saw.png)   **Finish:** If you are looking for the optimum finish, the [cold saw](https://www.dakecorp.com/products/cold-saws) is what you want. A cold saw will give you a super square accurate cut with a milled-like finish. This means tight miter joints and cutting the part to length eliminating secondary operation of re-facing or cleaning the cut surface. **Economical:** Which is more economical, cold saw or bandsaw? It is hard to say and depends on what you are looking for in the application. Initial price of a cold saw blade may be higher than a bandsaw blade but over time a cold saw blade can be re-sharpened and not discarded like a bandsaw blade, so that is a cost saving. Down time for a cold saw blade change will be less than the time for a bandsaw blade change. This all adds up. Do you have to have a secondary operation? If so, that costs money. Either type of saw you choose, we most likely have a Dake model that will give you the results you expect, and if you still are up in the air about the right saw for your application, [we’ll be glad to help.](https://www.dakecorp.com/contact) #### Recommended Articles [![Keeping Your Cold Saw Shiny and New](https://1705447.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/1705447/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-30%20at%203.56.23%20PM.png)](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/keeping-your-cold-saw-shiny-and-new) ###### [Keeping Your Cold Saw Shiny and New](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/keeping-your-cold-saw-shiny-and-new) [![Semi-Automatic & Fully Automatic Cold Saw Model Selection Guide](https://1705447.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/1705447/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-28%20at%2012.26.41%20PM.png)](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/semi-automatic-fully-automatic-cold-saw-model-selection-guide) ###### [Semi-Automatic & Fully Automatic Cold Saw Model Selection Guide](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/semi-automatic-fully-automatic-cold-saw-model-selection-guide) [![Old School Tips For How To Change The Blade On A J-Saw](https://1705447.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/1705447/j%20saw.png)](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/old-school-tips-for-how-to-change-the-blade-on-a-j-saw) ###### [Old School Tips For How To Change The Blade On A J-Saw](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/old-school-tips-for-how-to-change-the-blade-on-a-j-saw) #### Recommended Articles #### Recommended Articles ### Popular Posts ### Stay up to date ### Recent Post ### Recent Posts [DAKE The First 135 Years](https://blog.dakecorp.com/en-us/dake-the-first-135-years) - 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