Has anyone successfully converted a woodworking vertical bandsaw to a metalworking bandsaw?

Some years ago I converted a Sears Woodworking band saw, just sold it in fact.
I used a Treadmill motor that was Universal motor that had a crude tach feedback, it came surplus with the variable speed controller, it worked out OK for Aluminum and soft metals and materials, or thin guage steel.
You need to clean off regularly as the filings become embedded in the rubber drive belts.
Al.

Al, thanks for the feedback. My main concern is how well one of the smaller, table top bandsaws would hold up. But there is such a cost difference between Wood and Metal Bandsaws, that it might be worth the effort.
Jack

I added a 10:1 gearbox onto the motor and ran the original belt drive pulley from that. It takes some fabbing to mount it all up, but worked well for the few years we used it.
This was on an inexpensive 14" unit.

I saw one this weekend that the owner claimed worked great. He installed a 100:1 reduction and also changed pulleys as he had to put a new motor in it. He said it worked so well he didn't use his horizontal bandsaw anymore. It sure looked nice...

Have a look at the yahoo 4x6Bandsaw group message 5887 and photos under SherpaDoug,I think you have to join ,he has converted one with 2 motors so he can us it as a wood saw or a metal saw, the 2nd motor runs a belt to the standard motor (which he disconnects the power) for the speed reduction that is needed for cutting metal I have the same saw and am going to convert mine