sawing metal with band saw

[tat]

Hello,

I have an old delta bandsaw and I was wondering if I could saw 1/4" to 1/2" and smaller steel if I put a metal cutting blade on it? :hmm:

I would appreciate if someone would reccomend a TPI for this application.


I have a lock project that I have templates for and I will have to saw the pieces out of raw metal.


Tommy

 

More than doable. I would google "bandsaw blades", that should give you all the info you need. TPI varies with the thickness, material, and speed of application. Also blade thickness, and depth will affect turning radius you can cut. Too many variables , you really need a chart, and I think google will get you the straight poop for your needs. You're gonna need the blade length to buy or have made. I've got an old sears circa 1920, that I need to have my blades made, and I found a saw blade sharpening shop that would make them for me very reasonablly. Bill

 

[robinghewitt]

I don't know the machine but there is a big difference between a metal cutting bandsaw and a wood cutting bandsaw. One moves the blade in inches per second, the other in tens of feet per second :m2c:

 

[sherpadoug]

You can cut metal on a wood bandsaw with metal cutting blade if you can get it to go slow enough. You might have to buy a new pulley and belt. Use lots of cutting oil till you get a feel for it.
:m2c:

 

[robinghewitt]

Use lots of cutting oil till you get a feel for it. :m2c:

What can I say... ::

Good luck :thumbsup:

 

[Randy]

A lot of bandsaw blades are made to cut dry ( without oil) the whole trick is to get it moving at the correct speed. Definitely do-able. I have one. Needed a smaller pully on the motor is all. also had to change the motor mount to accomodate different pully, but it all was pretty simple and works fine. A regular horizontal bandsaw is easier to use but then you need two machines.

 

[tat]

Thanks for the input.

I am open for more ::

 

[AeroE]

Cut steel at about 250 inches per minute - that's slower than the lowest speed on most common low cost 3 speed band saws.

If you try to cut at woodworking speeds, use a fine tooth blade running backwards and let friction do the work. Use lots of oil and gloves. This works, and frankly, it sucks.

The usual problem with converting a wood saw to metal is insufficient room inside the cabinet for the pulley sizes needed, hence you end up redoing the motor mount and ususually adding an intermediate reduction stage, at which point there are parts outside the cabinet anyway.

Cutting small parts can be accomplished on the tilt head saws for cutting pipe. Most come with a small table for resting the workpiece.

 

[WRussell]

I have an old Sears bandsaw from the 60's that was meant to be a wood cutting machine, but with an idler shaft and some big and little pulleys it works just fine on steel, including tool steel.

Blade speed charts and such are important to anyone who is producing parts for money and wants to maximize the throughput. For most of us, just make the blade go slow (picture how fast the blade goes when you cut by hand with a hacksaw).

I like the wax stick cutting lubricants.

:m2c:

 

[crossstick1948]

If you are rough cutting plate you can use an old wood blade in you wood saw running at wood speeds. Instead of sawing you burn and brush the molten steel to cut. Push the plate of steel against the blade and it will glow red, push just hard enough to brush the glowing metal away but not to hard. I cut strips of 1/8 inch stainless 12 inches long without any trouble. It's not very accurate but it is faster than a hand saw. Wear hearing protection becuase it really screams.

 

[Birddog6]

All depending on what you are cutting. IMHO, if you are going to cut allot you just as well buy a metal cutting saw with an oiler on it.
I need a metal cutting band saw just once in a while. I make allot of knives & sometimes I can buy a larger blank & slice it lengthways & save allot of money & grinding time & etc. Well I don't really have room in the shop for another saw, so I bought a portable hand held band saw & it does a superb job for what I want. I can slice a 12" piece or 3/16" steel in just a few minutes & saves me allot of grinding & belts & utilizes my steel now. I just bought a cheap saw at harbor Freight as I didn't want to put allot of $ in a saw & not know if it will work. When this one bites the dust I will buy a good one. Oh, and it is 2 speed & the blades last Much longer on slow speed.

:results:

 

[Henry]

Around here a lot of small butcher shops are closing
and one can buy a big, old style meat saw with a 220v motor
for a small price . I thought of transforming one
into a wood saw .
It is possible , but I would have to change the
board , the guides etc . Finally it would have made
a nice article in Popular Mechanic ( How to make a .... )
but it would have taken me months and cost me more than
a second hand wood saw . I just bought a new Delta 14".

If you have a lot of time on your hands , some budget
and if you absolutely hate your wood saw : go for it .

If you want to have some metal cut quick . just
take a good hand saw , start now and get it done .