I was wandering if anybody on here has converted a wood band saw to cut metal by speed reduction ?i am currently converting a grizzly wood saw to metal with a 20:1 speed reducer i am almost finished i am curious to see how anybody else has done there's . thanks chris ..
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converting wood bandsaw to metal
- Thread starter ctfromkc
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2010
- Messages
- 898
Chris
I know it has been done before, I have seen pics of the conversions. One used a seperate gear motor that hung beside the regular motor and the belt switched back and forth between the two motors.
A set up of pulleys would work almost. the import bandsaws used four step motor and countershaft pulleys. this gets the speed down for non ferrous metals but is still too high for steel. A 3 ph motor with a VFD drive would help in conjunction with the pulleys or gear box.
Delta used a gearbox built into the lower housing and a series of belts to step between either the gear box, or direct to the lower pulley.
The wood bandsaw is usually running about 3000 SFPM, and for steel you are aiming at about 100 SFPM My Delta is from 35 to 335 in six steps plus the 3000 for wood.
Posts some pics of how you have done this on yours.
Walter
I know it has been done before, I have seen pics of the conversions. One used a seperate gear motor that hung beside the regular motor and the belt switched back and forth between the two motors.
A set up of pulleys would work almost. the import bandsaws used four step motor and countershaft pulleys. this gets the speed down for non ferrous metals but is still too high for steel. A 3 ph motor with a VFD drive would help in conjunction with the pulleys or gear box.
Delta used a gearbox built into the lower housing and a series of belts to step between either the gear box, or direct to the lower pulley.
The wood bandsaw is usually running about 3000 SFPM, and for steel you are aiming at about 100 SFPM My Delta is from 35 to 335 in six steps plus the 3000 for wood.
Posts some pics of how you have done this on yours.
Walter
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2011
- Messages
- 26
Another thing to think about is the wheels. A wood bandsaw uses rubber on the wheels. Hot metal shavings like to stick to them. The metal bandsaw I have have all steel wheels.
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2010
- Messages
- 898
Rustybearings
My delta wood metal bandsaw uses rubber tires, actually polyurethane tires. Many other wood/metal do the same thing. This is important if you are changing blade size so the teeth do not run on metal.
Every so often I run a putty knife over the tires to pick out any bits of metal.
The metal cutting horizontal bandsaws use a metal wheel. But they only take one size of blade, for the 4x6 usually 1/2 x 64-1/4.
Walter
My delta wood metal bandsaw uses rubber tires, actually polyurethane tires. Many other wood/metal do the same thing. This is important if you are changing blade size so the teeth do not run on metal.
Every so often I run a putty knife over the tires to pick out any bits of metal.
The metal cutting horizontal bandsaws use a metal wheel. But they only take one size of blade, for the 4x6 usually 1/2 x 64-1/4.
Walter
hey guys, i do have some good pics. but i haven't learned how to download the pics to a website yet ,i am not to far from being done i want to get completely done paint and all and i will get some pics posted . before i started i looked at a lot of other conversions and got allot of good ideas, if you are considering doing one it's not that hard .chris
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2010
- Messages
- 898
To add pictures
Right under where you type your reply there is a cross in a box and it says Attachments and other options, click on that. A drop down box will appear and under the tick boxes it says Attach: Click on Browse, find the picture you want to add and then hit the post button.
Walter
Right under where you type your reply there is a cross in a box and it says Attachments and other options, click on that. A drop down box will appear and under the tick boxes it says Attach: Click on Browse, find the picture you want to add and then hit the post button.
Walter
