Required Band Saw Speed

[jordan_paul]

Hey guys, I've got a line on a fairly large vertical band saw (148" blade) for $600. Its in good shape, Imperial Machinery Company brand and the speed tops out at 2500 sfpm.

My dad has a Do-All and he keeps the speed on that cranked up to 4500 sfpm to cut everything from aluminum to stainless because according to him the blade doesn't clog up like it does at slower speeds.

He told me I would hate how slow this saw is and would want to resell it.

Im trying to get your guys opinion, is 2500 sfpm too slow? What do you guys have your vertical band saw set at?

 

[dr_clyde]

Hey guys, I've got a line on a fairly large vertical band saw (148" blade) for $600. Its in good shape, Imperial Machinery Company brand and the speed tops out at 2500 sfpm.

My dad has a Do-All and he keeps the speed on that cranked up to 4500 sfpm to cut everything from aluminum to stainless because according to him the blade doesn't clog up like it does at slower speeds.

He told me I would hate how slow this saw is and would want to resell it.

Im trying to get your guys opinion, is 2500 sfpm too slow? What do you guys have your vertical band saw set at?

Well, your dad is wrong. At those speeds he is friction sawing (melting) through the metal, not really cutting it. I bet it is LOUD and he goes through blades left and right.

There is a correct SFM for each material and blade design that is optimal, and it is NOT 4500 SFM for everything. There is a chart for each material and thickness vs tooth count.

My Do-All rarely goes into high gear. When it does, its for wood or foam or something not metal. I generally run a 10/14 variable blade for most of what we do, and usually am at 250 SFM for general cutting. Slower for stainless, faster for aluminum.

Thinner stuff gets more teeth, thick stuff gets less but bigger teeth. SFM usually doesn't change much.

If a vertical bandsaw is cutting too slow, you need to change your blade geometry. Mine will hum right through 2" thick steel with the right blade.

 

[manwithtools]

Yeah, 4500 SFM seems awfully high for cutting metal of any kind.

 

[zkling]

Hey guys, I've got a line on a fairly large vertical band saw (148" blade) for $600. Its in good shape, Imperial Machinery Company brand and the speed tops out at 2500 sfpm.

My dad has a Do-All and he keeps the speed on that cranked up to 4500 sfpm to cut everything from aluminum to stainless because according to him the blade doesn't clog up like it does at slower speeds.

He told me I would hate how slow this saw is and would want to resell it.

Im trying to get your guys opinion, is 2500 sfpm too slow? What do you guys have your vertical band saw set at?

Are you sure on that?

 

[PelicanPines]

Our advice will be to use the documented speed for the blade and material. Don't follow those 4500 speeds for metal. Metal is SLOW and steady... not a SPEED thing. You are not impressing ANYBODY cutting fast.

 

[BD1]

I have a horizontal ELLIS 1600 Bandsaw.

Speeds are 70, 135, and 250 FPM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bubinga]

We had portable battery operated band saws for the sign install shop.
I found Our blades last 2 or 3 times longer in the low range.
It had 2 speeds.

 

[larry_g]

https://www.doallsaws.com/media/custom/upload/File-1527103312.pdf

Check out page 21 of the above PDF. It seems your numbers are off near a factor of 10x. Are you sure that its not inches per minute or some metric base?

As for the saw it sounds like a deal. Most all the time it's perty easy to sell a metal working tool for what you paid used for it. You have to determine if the tools is ready to run or a worn out hulk that is in need of most working parts.

Another good guide with meter/minute speeds;

https://www.lenoxtools.com/Guides/LENOX_20Guide_20to_20Band_20Sawing.pdf

lg
no neat sig line

 

[bubinga]

Thank you Larry saving it to my computer.

https://www.doallsaws.com/media/custom/upload/File-1527103312.pdf

Check out page 21 of the above PDF. It seems your numbers are off near a factor of 10x. Are you sure that its not inches per minute or some metric base?

As for the saw it sounds like a deal. Most all the time it's perty easy to sell a metal working tool for what you paid used for it. You have to determine if the tools is ready to run or a worn out hulk that is in need of most working parts.

Another good guide with meter/minute speeds;

https://www.lenoxtools.com/Guides/LENOX_20Guide_20to_20Band_20Sawing.pdf

lg
no neat sig line

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