bandsaw speed reducer anyone done it

[umahunter]

I would like to set up my harborfreight 14 inch bandsaw to cut steel it has a lowest speed of 568 I'm trying to figure out what size pulley arrangement to add to slow it down and have no idea what I'm doing anyone done it have any input ???

 

[Cadillac STS]

I have plans to do that but not with pulleys. I plan to get a 2 hp treadmill motor for infinite control of speed from slow for metal and faster with a blade change for wood.

 

[JimDawson]

Cadillac STS, has a good idea there. I just happened to have had a 30:1 right angle gear box and a 2 speed, 3/4 hp motor kicking around that I did mine with. And a put a 4 step pulley on the gear box. For tool steel you need to get down to about 60FPM so you need another 9:1 reduction or so to get down there. So you will have to make a jack shaft with another reduction.

You can see the gear box in the bottom.

 

[Bill Gruby]

I have a 60:1 Reduction Unit on my wood cutting bandsaw. I love it. I will snap some pics this morning.

"Billy G"

 

[Knobley]

I did this with a low rpm motor and a cheap VFD - works great.

 

[sk1nner]

This might sound crazy but is there any reason you couldn't use one of the crappy import rotary tables (less than $50) as a speed reducer? could you use one in place of a gearbox as JimDawson did?

 

[JimDawson]

This might sound crazy but is there any reason you couldn't use one of the crappy import rotary tables (less than $50) as a speed reducer? could you use one in place of a gearbox as JimDawson did?

That is an interesting idea. I wonder how long the gears and bearings (or lack thereof) would live. Would be an interesting experiment.

 

[pineyfolks]

A small lawn tractor transmission out of an older model should work fine. And cheap too.

 

[JR49]

Here is the problem I have with this wood to metal conversion. I thought about doing this with my wood cutting bandsaw, but, by the time I buy the pillow blocks--step pullies--belts-- round bar for shafts--and metal blades, I can buy a new HF 4X6 metal cutting bandsaw, and not have to switch back and forth. Any thoughts? JR49

 

[John Hasler]

Here is the problem I have with this wood to metal conversion. I thought about doing this with my wood cutting bandsaw, but, by the time I buy the pillow blocks--step pullies--belts-- round bar for shafts--and metal blades, I can buy a new HF 4X6 metal cutting bandsaw, and not have to switch back and forth. Any thoughts? JR49

If you have to buy all that stuff new you don't have a big enough junk collection.