band saws

[Dicer]

A pair of these pulleys are the only way you are gong to slow your speed down...….

 

[Tooljunkie]

I built a jackshaft for my sewing machine, reduced speed dramatically.

 

[pishta]

4.5" RA grinder with a cut wheel. The trick is to score the line completely and lightly move up and down the line, you`ll be through it in no time.

May I give credit where it is due. I didnt really consider this until I saw ToolJunkies reference to Walters cut off discs. I watched a commercial for them and was convinced I should try your method. I didnt know these could cut through I-beams! Never used them except that one time on the die grinder and broke about 3 rules using them......25K die grinder with a 13K wheel? yeah, DUH! Glad it fragged away from me as I was perpendicular to the rotation.

 

[mopar head]

I never try to steer anybody wrong. Cut wheels are awesome, We used a metabo 5" and I could cut 10" schd. 40 pipe, That`s about 3/8 wall, and use just one blade. The good one are a little salty but it`s best to use them. Cheapos will tend to shatter if put in a bind. That`s the trick of using them is not to bear down too hard or twist and bind.
I take the guard off and site down the line, "with face shield of course", I would be considered dangerous to the safty Nazis.

To be fair to the portaband saw, that`s the tool of choice for cutting pipe up to 4", If their`s no hydraulic power pipe cutter on site. Blade gives many more cuts verses wheels and I`m all about saving$, plus no sparky

 

[pishta]

A pair of these pulleys are the only way you are gong to slow your speed down...….

View attachment 1715202201

not enough reduction there, maybe 4 of those at 2:1 a piece. I was thinking 2 of these at 4:1

Mount the pulley on the back (or mount small chain cog to front of motor pulley and run it to largest 4x tooth cog), take another chain from the smallest 11 tooth cog and run it up to another one of these mounted backwards so the chains line up, then another chain from that smallest to another 44 tooth BMX sprocket mounted to wheel drive. I got all this stuff on various bikes in the shed. Ill have that bandsaw crawling with about 60 ft/lbs torque.

 

[mopar head]

It takes a certain speed, slower with dry saws, maybe figure what fpm a portaband moves and fine tune from there. you`ll find it with all that you come up with above. Then you can maybe simplify things, if a dedicated metal saw.
I have better luck with Starret blades than lennox. but you pay.. good luck

 

[676869cudas]

Guys- its still all about speed and feed.
I use a 14TPI raker type (Neo not bi metal) on a 14" import POS vertical bandsaw.
I've had it for 20 Years changed a few bearings over the years and a wheel I wore out but I cut through 1/8" 304 stainless with it all day long
it's technically being used wrong but with the blades at 10-12 dollars each from harbor freight I really don't care.
I'm a welder/fabricator and built this saw to do this job.
Now- yes the motor is a 2hp and the blade speed has been increased
But I rip through material like butter-- steel or stainless it doesn't care.
So I can't agree with the machine shop BS of go slow or you burn the blade the idea is to cut metal so get it done.
If you want to buy expensive blades that's your deal but I dont.
If you want to PM me I can give you the "Tim The Toolman Taylor"
saw hot rodding specifics or I'll build you one

 

[pishta]

well, I just cleared a hurdle with my back burner build: I got my sprockets in the mail and made the reduction gear. Its now a 76:10 #35 chain drive to the original 1.5" motor pulley driving a 60% bigger final drive (shout out to Dantra for the slant P/S pulley!) so the blade speed is down to 243 FPM. Not the sub 200 they ask for in a metal band saw but Im not cutting 4" bar here. I have to get the chain and make the shaft support but that's all. The entire copper pipe is going to rotate in a greased MDF hole. Ill make a "keyway" in the big MDF pulley hub and run it over a setscrew in the pipe. Should last for as long as Im going to use it. I never knew 1/2 copper pipe was 5/8 OD, it worked great slipping the stock 5/8 motor pulley onto. I made a few light cuts in my 1/8 with a new 24 TPI blade using the original pulley setup and 2174 FPM and the thing bogs with a lot of feed (14" is a big wheel) to the point of binding, but cuts better with the slower speed. The reduction should cure both issues. I think the 24tpi is a bit much, I'd like to find a an 18TPI in an 80" or maybe just buy a cheaper longer one and have the saw guy down the street cut it and weld me up an 80".

 

[pishta]

Update. After getting the chain drive up and running, the thing sounded like a wood chipper when its running and I was still bogging the blade. And the large cog kept cocking in the yoke and throwing the chain so I sad F it. I put the original drive back together and chucked up a new cobalt 18TPI raker blade I found at a deep discount. Fired the thing up full wood blade speed and ripped through that 1/8 at about an inch a second! I think that high quality blade and the speed was the key as the 24TPI blade had no rake to it, literally looked like a hack saw blade and cut about as fast. I felt the 18tpi cobalt blade and it was still room temp but the guides were hot. Well, it was a nice try, but the post by 676869cudas convinced me to give it a try at full speed. IT WORKS! Honestly, I dont know what the rule is for sheet metal in a bandsaw but 16G will cut at a fast speed period. Would like to up the motor to 2HP one day. BTW, It cuts wood great too. My new favorite power tool