TECHNICAL FORUMS => Product Reviews => Topic started by: ollllllo on August 30, 2014, 05:56:19 PM
Title: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: ollllllo on August 30, 2014, 05:56:19 PM
If you've never heard of Swag Offroad... You just might be living under a rock.
Swag Offroad is infamous for great quality products at an affordable price. Along with the Band Saw Table, they make DIY Press Brake Kits JEEP Wrangler Drop Down Tailgate Kits JEEP Wrangler Bumpers and my personal Favorite... The Coleman Cooler Cage. (Stay Tuned)
Ive been threatening to buy one of these tables for a while now. I guess it's always better late than never.
I was getting tired of placing my Dewalt Porta Band Saw in a bench vice for making cuts in small tabs and brackets. Not to mention in order to hold it securely enough it needed to be clamped pretty hard. Not good for the plastic handle and it's Internal switch I'm sure.
The V3.0 is an upgraded version of the original Portaband Table introduced in 2008. The V3.0 offers the user built in miter guage slots, bolt on legs, removable steel center section ( saw base plate) and an improved blade slot.
The table is cut on a CNC Laser out of 3/16" steel plate formed on a CNC Press.
This version fits multiple Dewalt, Makita and Milwaukee models.
They also make a V4.0 which is only for Milwaukee models.
I purchased the optional foot pedal and miter guage for a total package price of $194.95
There is a red plastic knob that threads into the baseplate of the saw from underneath to hold it in place. And as with all Swag Products... Founder, Troy Rutherford incorporated some more of his ingenuity into the design. There is a second threaded hole to hold the red plastic knob in the stand while the Portaband Saw is removed for hand held use.
After a dew test cuts, all that was left was to give the bare steel a coat of spray paint to help prohibit corrosion. I opted to leave the top surface bare steel. Just a coating of WD-40.
Final Score
I give this product an 8.
- 2 because the optional miter guage supplied ( Incra Brand is high quality) needed to be clearance cut to clear the blade when using on the right side slot only. I think a less expensive miter guage would have been adequate and one that didn't need to be cut to pass the blade.
The foot pedal switch is definetly worth the $20.00 upgrade. Swag recommends using a hand spring clamp. I decided to use a zip tie.
Title: Re: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: ollllllo on August 30, 2014, 05:58:44 PM
Title: Re: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: MrMindless on August 31, 2014, 08:31:07 AM
That looks super sweet! Saw is nice and secure in the table and easy to install and remove ?
Tapatalking in traffic
Title: Re: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: Wingman on August 31, 2014, 10:05:15 AM
Is the foot pedal equipped for variable speed?
Title: Re: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: etk300ex on September 01, 2014, 09:28:15 AM
That's sweet!
Title: Re: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: ollllllo on September 02, 2014, 07:03:04 AM
Saw is very stable when installed in the table. However when you remove the red lock knob, the saw wants to tilt back and fall over under its own weight. Not an issue with the table or its design, just surprised me the first time. It's a two handed process. Install and remove in 2 seconds.
Foot pedal is ON / OFF My saw has its own variable speed control.
My only complaint after using it over the weekend is the overall size of the new Saw Plate. It's much larger than the stock one, and isn't able to get into the same tight spaces when using the saw free hand, which I do alot of. But it's really not a huge deal to switch back to the stock plate.
Title: Re: Swag Offroad V3.0 Portaband Table
Post by: Wingman on September 10, 2015, 06:25:27 AM
Got one of these in the spring and have been using it. Awesome addition to the shop!
