My New Bandsaw

[precisionworks]

After 10 years it seemed like a good time to clean the sump & adjust the blade guides. Image shows break in cutting HRS 1.75" diameter:

Lubricant is synthetic mixed with water. I can't remember the last time it had that color ...

 

[BVH]

I've got the Jet 4 x 6 sort of like Will's old saw. What is a good general blade I can use for all metals, dry cutting. It uses a 1/2" x 64" blade. I cut probably 65% Alum and other non-ferrous metals, the balance steel and a little stainless steel. Brand and teeth per inch recommendations appreciated.

 

[darkzero]

I've got the Jet 4 x 6 sort of like Will's old saw. What is a good general blade I can use for all metals, dry cutting. It uses a 1/2" x 64" blade. I cut probably 65% Alum and other non-ferrous metals, the balance steel and a little stainless steel. Brand and teeth per inch recommendations appreciated.

TPI really depends on the sizes you are cutting, dia/thickness, solids, tubing, etc.

These are the blades that I used on my 4x6 & it covered most of what I cut on it.

Lenox Diemaster 2 bi-metal 6-10 TPI, 5' 4" x 1/2" x .025"
Irwin bi-metal 10-14 TPI, 5' 4" x 1/2 x .025"

I used the Irwins cause they were cheap, always on sale at Enco. I cut a lot of Ti with the Lenox blade. I used the 10-14 on thin wall tubing, solid dia 3/8" & smaller, & plastics. I've cut up to 5.5" dia CR with the 6-10 but it took forever. At the time I was searching I did not find a lower TPI blade unless I got one custom welded. If you cut mostly alum a carbon steel blade will do just fine & they are much cheaper. The bi-metal blades last a very long time though.

 

[BVH]

Thanks Will!

 

[precisionworks]

... Brand and teeth per inch recommendations appreciated.

My Kysor-Johnson Model R is a 7x12 and runs a 5/8" blade. Got it in 2004 & have used the same brand & tpi blade since day one. M K Morse brand, Matrix II bimetal, pitch depends on what you cut most of the time. Their 1/2 x .025 gives you the greatest selection:

I cut mostly round solids & go with either the lowest pitch or the next one up - for tubing or pipe the finer pitch is better.

Being cheap I always check prices & have always gotten the lowest price from Stacey at DCT Industrial (800.235.0637 & ask for the Mt. Vernon, Illinois location). Tell her exactly what you want & they'll custom make the blade to any length you need, takes less than 2 weeks to get them.

Tons of information in the Morse online catalog: http://www.mkmorse.com/PDFs/Morse Industrial Band Saw Blades Catalog.pdf

 

[PEU]

Barry, I have a metabo bas-260 clone I use mostly for woods/kydex as its speed is set to woods and not metals.
What do you think about replacing the wimpy motor with a 1hp+VFD so I can slow it down to cut steel? any drawbacks I don't see?

The bandsaw weights 35kg (77lbs) its heavy for its size.


Pablo

 

[precisionworks]

... replacing the wimpy motor with a 1hp+VFD so I can slow it down to cut steel? any drawbacks I don't see?

My only concern on a VFD controlled motor is horsepower since HP is proportional to motor rpm. Your saw now runs 690 m/min and to cut metal you'll want to run around 60 m/min. At that speed any motor will produce only 13% of full power. You may or may not need to step up to a 2hp or even a 3hp motor but I don't have a calculator that shows horsepower needed - there's certainly one out there if you look hard enough.

 

[wquiles]

My only concern on a VFD controlled motor is horsepower since HP is proportional to motor rpm. Your saw now runs 690 m/min and to cut metal you'll want to run around 60 m/min. At that speed any motor will produce only 13% of full power. You may or may not need to step up to a 2hp or even a 3hp motor but I don't have a calculator that shows horsepower needed - there's certainly one out there if you look hard enough.

That is exactly why I went up in power for my bandsaw "revamp" project. It came with a 1/3 HP (rated, but I doubt it!), so for the VFD I used a 3/4HP Baldor to have enough power at the lower speeds.

 

[gadget_lover]

Barry, I have a metabo bas-260 clone I use mostly for woods/kydex as its speed is set to woods and not metals.
What do you think about replacing the wimpy motor with a 1hp+VFD so I can slow it down to cut steel? any drawbacks I don't see?

The bandsaw weights 35kg (77lbs) its heavy for its size.


Pablo

I suspect that you don't want to do that unless you will use it just for metal. Wood working saws are kept clean and dry. You don't want to contaminate the wood when you work on it. A metal cutting bandsaw usually has oils and metal particles in abundance.

The other drawback that I've heard is that woodworking bandsaws frequently have rubber tires that get torn up by the oil+swarf mixture.

A cheap H/V bandsaw is a better choice.

OTOH, I have a similar sized wood bandsaw. It is stock. I use it for cutting aluminum as well as wood.


Daniel

 

[precisionworks]

I use it for cutting aluminum as well as wood.

Same here, using a Delta 14" 28-206. It's interesting that Delta sells that identical saw with a mechanical speed reducer & labels it "wood or metal".

For cutting Al the blade is lubricated with a bar of bees wax (other lubes may work just as well but bees wax is what I've used for 30+ years). At the current rate of use my 1# bar should last 300 years

There's no easy way to run any type of wet lube on a machine designed to be run dry.

woodworking bandsaws frequently have rubber tires that get torn up by the oil+swarf mixture.

Polyurethane tires are a better choice than rubber, even if cutting only wood. I've run Carter poly tires since they first came out & they're tough as nails.

The biggest issue in using a wood saw for metal is that wood saws aren't designed to properly tension the blade for metal cutting. The work around is to run a narrow blade, something around 6mm, & then replace the stock tension spring with a much heavier die spring. Carter sells their Cobra Coil spring for the Delta & Delta copy saws but it shouldn't be too difficult to find a die spring for other saws.

When the blade is tensioned well above the normal range the wheel bearings have shortened life. Plan on replacing them as soon as they start to sound funny.

 

[wquiles]

For cutting Al the blade is lubricated with a bar of bees wax (other lubes may work just as well but bees wax is what I've used for 30+ years). At the current rate of use my 1# bar should last 300 years

There's no easy way to run any type of wet lube on a machine designed to be run dry.

Whenever you get a chance, I would love to "see" a photo (or 2, or 3) of how to use/install/hold a bar of bees wax on a saw. I have heard/read about it before, but never "seen" it

 

[StrikerDown]

Just touch the blade lightly while it's running... with the lube not your fingers!

 

[precisionworks]

 

[wquiles]

Ahh, OK. I though that there was a way to hold the beeswax/stick in place somehow, but that is the same thing I have been doing in the past, prior to converting my bandsaw to coolant-based.

That blade lubricant works fantastic, but you have to re-apply often, specially on long cuts. So you have to be there, and babysit the bandsaw, and add blade lubricant. Again, works great, and it extended my blades 2x or 3x, but I wanted the totally hands-off convenience of the constant coolant