tips needed to help me buy a bandsaw

[GophersGarage]

I like to find something used for cutting metal. just for my personal use.

my understanding is that for metal you want one that you can adjust the speed?

as in slow down

example of online ad i found
this is 1hp $750

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzUwWDEwMDA=/$T2eC16h,!)!E9s2fDwijBRSlpBlTng~~48_20.JPG

 

[gus1962]

There are actually feed and speed rates recommended for your cutting application . For example in this chart. I use this as my reference.
I'm wondering about the brand of that band saw. What do you exactly need? Horizontal or vertical?

 

[zkling]

Please do a google search, there are SO many resources on this topic.

Horizontal for chopping off stock, thick, thin, steel brass aluminum it will do it. Think of it as the miter saw of metal work.

Vertical for intricate and plate cutting work. Lots of folks have converted a wood saw to cut metal. The heavier the better. Minimum of a 14" saw. Get a 30:1 gearbox and you should be ready to go. Shoot for ~80FPM for steel, 200 FPM for misc and ~3000 fpm for aluminum. Aluminum <1" can be cut at wood working speeds, but it is noisy and messy.

The pic you linked looks like an older powermatic or General saw. Good saws. Some of the older saws even had a gear box built in. Delta, Powermatic, General, Walker Turner all made metal cutting versions of their wood saws with a built in gearbox.

 

[Steve from Socal]

There are a lot of wood band saws that can cut metal but, a true metal cutting vertical band saw has a much stiffer frame and that translates to a straighter cut and less wander. To cut metal you need more tension on the blade than when cutting wood or plastics, aluminum is a bit more forgiving than steel and many wood saws work well on aluminum and soft metals. To cut anything thicker than say 1/4 inch steel you are better off looking for a purpose built metal cutting band saw.

Steve

 

[A_Pmech]

There are a lot of wood band saws that can cut metal but, a true metal cutting vertical band saw has a much stiffer frame and that translates to a straighter cut and less wander. To cut metal you need more tension on the blade than when cutting wood or plastics, aluminum is a bit more forgiving than steel and many wood saws work well on aluminum and soft metals. To cut anything thicker than say 1/4 inch steel you are better off looking for a purpose built metal cutting band saw.

Steve

Agreed.

How's things in KS Steve?

 

[tomshep]

I also would like to get a vertical metal saw, but everything around me is wood.

How does the 30:1 reduction box mentioned above work?

Tom

 

[zkling]

I also would like to get a vertical metal saw, but everything around me is wood.

How does the 30:1 reduction box mentioned above work?

Tom

What do you mean, how does it work? It's a gear box, RPM goes in and comes out at 1/30 of the input RPM. Most 14" saws have a ~2:1 belt reduction from a 1725motor. Add in the 30:1 on top of the 2:1 and you have ~100sfpm at the blade. Simple drive train calcs.

 

[kevin47]

Looks pretty cool if you can slow it down enough...How much they asking for it...?

Oh, I see it now $750...You can jew him down....

 

[darkk]

Too bad you're so far away. I'd sell you mine for $750 ,my 1939 Delta 14" model 880. It's factory made for wood/metal. It has a transmission to gear reduce down to several metal cutting speeds. I have a couple other saws I use more.

 

[GophersGarage]

one listed is 700 but i think maybe I should wait for something that has regulated speed.