Bandsaw for cutting 1/4 inch plates

[oldcpecdr]

Hello all

Can I cut mild steel plate 1/4 x 4 x 4 inch into 1 inch strips with this.

Low mileage that I paid 75.00 dollars for Sears 12 inch Bandsaw 1 HP. I bought it last spring to help the wife with some wood crafting projects but now would like to rip some 4 x 4 x 1/4 inch steel plates into one inch strips to make some brackets and gussets for the race car. It has new blade wheels.

Do I need anything more than a metal cutting blade ? It has a small fence that is more than large enough for this small size. If the cut takes a few minutes its no big deal but would like it fairly straight and at least file ready
and big bur free.

Thank you for any advice,

Mike B

 

[PugetDude]

Your woodcutting bandsaw cannot be used on metal. The blade speed is way too fast.

Buy 1/4" x 1" A36 steel Flat bar. A 20' stick will cost less than the 1 bandsaw blade you will ruin discovering why this is a bad idea.

Cut it with a hacksaw or angle grinder w/ thin cutoff wheel.

I use a Dewalt Portaband with a 10/14 tooth blade for cutting flat bar and angle all the time. It is designed for that task, your woodcutting bandsaw is not.

 

[Gotcha640]

Second the buy the steel you need. 1/8 x 1 x 20 feet was $7 a few weeks ago in Houston. The yard I go to has a $20 minimum so I also got some angle and some square while I was there. Cut in 5 foot sticks to fit in the truck and I was still under $30.

 

[tarmy]

You may wanna rethink your plan OP...cause that saw is not designed for metal...speed is one issue, clamping is an issue, metal shavings on the wheel is not going to help either...

 

[The Cobbler]

good idea, but not going to work for you too well. as said, not the proper saw ( for reasons as noted above)

 

[dogdog]

maybe it's a great project to work on...
saw this and it's it's always been in my back burner for my Delta 14" saw.
But now a days, you don't needed DC motor and getting a 3phase AC with a controller is common as well... of cause that is assuming you find a motor for a good price, and don't mind about getting the controller from Ebay. I think you might needed to upgrade the guide bearings as well... read that some where don't remember.

https://www.garagejournal.com/2015/02/vintage-craftsman-bandsaw-dc-conversion/

you should google band saw FPM Chart/calculator or something to that extend.

https://www.sawblade.com/band-saw-blade-speed-and-feed-chart.cfm

 

[MushCreek]

I use a cheap 10" miter saw and abrasive blades for stuff like that. It's pretty fast, but noisy. I also use a SawZall with a metal-cutting blade, or a jigsaw to cut steel. A wood cutting bandsaw is all wrong as already pointed out. I suppose with a lot of gear reduction and a metal cutting blade, you might get away with it. Wood cutting is in the 3000 surface feet per minute range; steel is more like 150. That's a 20:1 reduction.

 

[oldcpecdr]

I should have thought about blade speed.

Off to the metal yard Monday.... thank you for the feedback.

Good news is that it only took 75 years to start asking BEFORE

Screwing up! ....sometimes....... Mike B

 

[karoc]

Will this be a one time project, needing to cut metal? I smell an excuse to go buy horizonal bandsaw

 

[Monza Harry]

Will this be a one time project, needing to cut metal? I smell an excuse to go buy horizonal bandsaw

You said race car, yep I see a new bandsaw in your future! Also wood saws have tires and metal cutting have steel wheels without tires. The steel chips will ruin the tires, I also believe metal cutting saws need a stronger frame because of the needed extra tension. Above mentioned advice all pretty much on point, buy, abrasive cut, etc. Harry Someone else's signiture Race Car a device to converts Money $$$$$ into noise!

 

[metlmunchr]

Normal job shop type vertical metal cutting bandsaws do have tires. My 20" Rockwell and 36" Do All both have tires. Horizontal saws don't have them. Tilting head vertical saws like an HE&M don't have tires. Basically, any saw designed to run flood coolant won't have tires as a lot of coolants don't play well with rubber for very long.

 

[2oolhound]

A lot of guys report good results using an old Skil worm drive circular saw with a metal cutting blade on it. I've cut 1/4" plate on my 7 1/2" table saw but ruined the carbide blade after a few cuts. Folks recommended I use a special steel cutting carbide blade.

 

[Lucid Moments]

You can actually use this saw to cut metal but it is certainly not the best choice. I have a similar one that I use for cutting everything including metal. I slowed the blade down by replacing the drive pulley with a smaller pulley. Got it down to about 60% of the original blade speed. That and a new belt and blade though added up to more than it was really worth spending.

 

[driftpin]

This is the calculator I've used:
https://www.blocklayer.com/band-saw-eng.aspx

 

[GrayFlattop]

A piece of the correct size steel will cost less than any tool or blade for a one time cut. If I had to cut, I’d use a metal cutting chop saw or for limited use a metal cutting blade in a circular saw. Bosch and Makita make nice, small purpose built cordless circular saws that can come in handy if you want to buy a new tool. A fresh hacksaw blade will work if you have the time, as will an ironworker or other large shear, but those are the most expensive solutions.

Or a metal cutting bandsaw, of course.

 

[oldcpecdr]

Hello

SO I guess I will need to be making multiple cuts as I improve or break things...so looked for an appropriate horizontal band saw. This looks like a real buy if it isnt completely worn out. I would need to get or build a phase converter as it is three phase now.
This one is 14 inch and asking 250.00

Mike B

 

[toolin' around]

Yep... I’d be saving those 1/4” 4x4’s for another project... one day you’ll be doing a job and needing to weld 4 1” pieces together!!!

Go buy a length of 1” stock.

...and I’m still asking AFTER!!!

 

[MushCreek]

Hello

SO I guess I will need to be making multiple cuts as I improve or break things...so looked for an appropriate horizontal band saw. This looks like a real buy if it isnt completely worn out. I would need to get or build a phase converter as it is three phase now.
This one is 14 inch and asking 250.00

Mike B

Looks like an old Kalamazoo. They're a workhorse. I have it's extended-size cousin that will cut 24" wide. As long as the major parts are OK, you can fix up the small stuff. The blade guide bearings are standard size. I just picked up the six bearings needed for mine on ebay for a few bucks a piece.

 

[Monza Harry]

I would definitely investigate that saw! I doubt I would use a phase converter for the cost of a new 1/2 horse. New motor less than $150 CAD ($200 for TEFC) whereas a VFD is $300 if you're lucky. Harry

 

[metlmunchr]

That saw is a Wellsaw model 8 or model 850. Same saw, model # depends on age. Early ones with 3/4" blade had 1 hp motor. Later ones with 1" blade had 1.5hp motor. In either case, a 1/2 hp motor ain't gonna make it.

When that saw was discontinued a few years ago in favor of the slightly larger 1016, the dry version sold for more than $5000. Old used ones regularly sell for 3x what this seller is asking. One thing to check is slack in the worm drive gearbox driving the blade wheel. With the saw turned off, you can attempt to manually turn the drive wheel fore and aft and it should be tight with little to no appreciable slack. As long as that's good (very expensive repair) anything else like blade guide bearings, etc is nickel and dime stuff. Well worth the money and an imported vfd in that size range can be added for something around $100-$125.

 

[theoldwizard1]

OP, if you look on YouTube, people have made speed reducers for similar saws. They actually work very well. The bonus is you effectively have more power.

The other trick is find an abandoned tread mill. They use a DC motor and have built in speed controller. All you have to do is figure out how to mount it.

If you are lucky and can scrounge used parts cheap, the ultimate solution is a 3 phase motor and an electronic phase converter speed controller.