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- May 27, 2016
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When I go internet searching for bandsaws, I do, of course, mean something that will cut metal. The style on a stand, and with a little table, would seem to be the most useful, especially if one already has a saw capable of cutting longer lengths of steel, like square box section (my Evolution brand brand circular saw does that). The table kind seems always listed for "woodwork", and if we are searching after metal cutting, we always get shown either the small portables, a reciprocating thing on a low stand, or the style well known as the HF 4 x 6.
My mind tells me that the "little table type" is surely OK for metal as well as wood, provided one uses the appropriate blade, but here we are floundering in ignorance, so I suppose the first question is, does it matter? Maybe if there is something special about making them cut metal, a little "modification project" might be OK. I am thinking that for metal..
1. You need a different blade.
2. You need some speed control to go slower.
Here are a couple of pictures of the type I mean.
The Charnwood B250 is a 10" costing £453 ($597), has a cast iron table, and is described as "Woodworking Bandsaw.
The red Lumberjack B5340 is a 14" at £699 (that's $922.68), also has a cast iron table, also described as "Woodworking".
Is there something about this style that makes it a no-no for metal?
_ _ _ 
Definitely for metal!
We all know of the HF 4 x 6, which a lot of folk buy, and then often modify (upgrade?). About $350 to folk in USA. We don't have HF in the UK, but clearly the identical thing seems to costs £350 ($462) here. I don't know why. The white Draper to the right is £500 ($660), showing off a little table .
Maybe that is something the HF 4 x 6 can also do, I don't know.
_ _ _ 
The portables?
You know the type, like the Makita in the picture, though they do come bigger in that style. That one is £237 ($312.84).
Quinn Dunki (Blondihacks) also expresses the desire for a table feature on a metal cutting saw. One of her projects was to get up a modification to a portable to give it just that, in an arrangement that can be clamped onto a bench vise via a piece of angle iron..
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The only one I found that claims to do metal, although it is still apparently, a woodworking type. It claims that, given a M42 blade, it can do mild steel 2mm to 10mm. Not thinner, not harder, and no stainless. Without even a stand, it's £1700 ($2244) ! The price range for a lot of stuff spans way too much for me to take a guess at real value. I am thinking that even with the added cost of a speed slow-down mod, VFD, or something, I don't expect to go well over $2K !
I put this here for folk to pitch in. If you have a table type, or have contrived one, or would prefer one, do tell.
My mind tells me that the "little table type" is surely OK for metal as well as wood, provided one uses the appropriate blade, but here we are floundering in ignorance, so I suppose the first question is, does it matter? Maybe if there is something special about making them cut metal, a little "modification project" might be OK. I am thinking that for metal..
1. You need a different blade.
2. You need some speed control to go slower.
Here are a couple of pictures of the type I mean.
The Charnwood B250 is a 10" costing £453 ($597), has a cast iron table, and is described as "Woodworking Bandsaw.
The red Lumberjack B5340 is a 14" at £699 (that's $922.68), also has a cast iron table, also described as "Woodworking".
Is there something about this style that makes it a no-no for metal?
_ _ _ Definitely for metal!
We all know of the HF 4 x 6, which a lot of folk buy, and then often modify (upgrade?). About $350 to folk in USA. We don't have HF in the UK, but clearly the identical thing seems to costs £350 ($462) here. I don't know why. The white Draper to the right is £500 ($660), showing off a little table .
Maybe that is something the HF 4 x 6 can also do, I don't know.
_ _ _ The portables?
You know the type, like the Makita in the picture, though they do come bigger in that style. That one is £237 ($312.84).
Quinn Dunki (Blondihacks) also expresses the desire for a table feature on a metal cutting saw. One of her projects was to get up a modification to a portable to give it just that, in an arrangement that can be clamped onto a bench vise via a piece of angle iron..
-->
The only one I found that claims to do metal, although it is still apparently, a woodworking type. It claims that, given a M42 blade, it can do mild steel 2mm to 10mm. Not thinner, not harder, and no stainless. Without even a stand, it's £1700 ($2244) ! The price range for a lot of stuff spans way too much for me to take a guess at real value. I am thinking that even with the added cost of a speed slow-down mod, VFD, or something, I don't expect to go well over $2K !
I put this here for folk to pitch in. If you have a table type, or have contrived one, or would prefer one, do tell.
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