BandSaw Question

[Hellbringer]

Hi,
I have a 10 inch band saw that has quite a high FPM and i would like to slow it down a little to be able to cut aluminium. i though about re-gearing it which would be possiable take alot of work. is it possiable to just put a rotary switch on the power like the x2 mill? (different switch but that idea) would that be possiable or would it stress the motor to much i know when you cut the power it reduces the the amount of power the motor produces......

thanks guys
Mike

[marvfrankel]

Mike,
I don't think you can do it the easy way. If you had a 3-phase motor on the saw, you could probably do it with a VFD, but you'd be spending lots of money doing it. I have a 12" wood cutting bandsaw that was converted to cut metal, with a jackshaft and a few pulleys. I usually only cut aluminum with it, and it will go through 1/2" or 1" plate like swiss cheese. A few weeks ago I needed to take a slice off a 12" X 12" X 3" thick piece of plate. It took a while, but it worried it's way through. If I had a much coarser tooth blade, I'm sure it would have gone faster.

Marv Frankel
Los Angeles

[VWSatOz]

Try cutting ally with it just as it is! Mine cuts beautifully wood or ally! Thin blade with 6tpi

[marvfrankel]

VWSatOz,
I guess that my problem is, too many TPI. I think that the blade I'm using is about 14 TPI, and the reason is because I generally cut aluminum plate of 1/2" or less, but I also cut stainless steel of about .050", (very carefully) and I don't want to strip the teeth off the blade. I'm also in too much of a hurry to change blades.

Marv Frankel
Los Angeles

[wwendorf]

I bought one of Harbor Freight's metal bandsaws, the cheap gravity fed ones. I had a 14 tpi blade in it, and it took forever. That broke the other day and I had only a 10tpi blade to replace it with. Now, I can cut thru 3" x 1" aluminum in about 2 minutes. I'm VERY impressed.

Wade

[Hellbringer]

vwsatoz you use a 6tpi blade to cut aluminum? that seems kinda big it seems like it would be a wild ride

about slowing it down it was my understanding that for aluminum you really dont have to do it because it is not a ferrous metal (has no iron) and some where i read that it has a lower densitiy then some hard woods (i dont know about that) but i figured that it couldnt hurt if it was easy to do to slow i down but you guys are able to do it i guess it is not that big of a deal

thanks mike

[SPEEDRE]

Hellbringer, if you measure the dia. of the pullies you have now, then divide that in half you can slow it down by 50%. Then, search for a two step pulley with those dias."s or one within 10% of dia. and I think you'd be good to go. Also don't forget to install a bi-metal blade for whichever metal you are cutting, ferrous or non-ferrous.

[cam1]

Hi:
To roughly determine correct blade tooth pitch, at least 3 teeth should be engaged in the material. This prevents the teeth from catching and breaking off.
Let the saw fly with aluminium.

regards