This has been my cutoff saw ever since I started metal working. It is just a handheld bandsaw lashed to a homemade plywood frame.

It has been quite satisfactory on flat bar stock and rod stock less than 1.5 inch diameter.

It fell short, however, when I started making bronze frame reels. The material that I wanted to use (c544) comes only as rod stock, and I needed 3 inch diameter. It was difficult to get a straight cut because the plywood frame was not sufficiently rigid.

When I needed to make a lot of cuts on 2-5/8 inch diameter aluminum rod stock, I decided that it was time to upgrade the saw. This is my new Model 4829 saw from Little Machine Shop.

It appears that the same saw is offered by Grizzly. Grizzly stocks repair parts but LMS does not. I know, because the first time I changed blades I ruined a rubber tire.

LMS sells a 10 tooth/inch blade that is much better for large stock than the 14 tooth/inch blade that comes with the saw.

So what is the deal with the 10 pound weight?

The saw hinge has a built-in spring that lifts the saw. The extra weight partly overcomes the spring torque and makes cutting easier. The manual for the saw says to not push down on the handle, but instead let the saw’s weight provide the cutting force. That is a ridiculous instruction, since the spring entirely overcomes the saw’s weight.

Update 20 July 2018: For dealing with larger diameter round stock, it helps to have a custom vise:

Update 26 Oct 2018: After 11 months of service, the new saw has failed me. It has turned into a blade eating machine. Can no longer make cuts, blades are quickly destroyed. I think that it has to do with the 45 degree twists that the blade has to make coming off the pulley and into the guide rollers. The blades are quickly formed into an arc (in the 0.5 x 0.020 cross section) then wander off to make an arcing cut to the left. They will wedge in the material being cut (2.63 diameter aluminum 6061). I cannot see that anything is misaligned inside.

Update 14 Nov 2018: So here is the problem

The blade is slipping to the side of the front backup bearing and running against the side of the bearing outer race, rather than on its O.D. This quickly deforms the blade.

Here you can see the groove being worn into the bearing block by the back of the blade.