Here's an addendum to post #7 clarifying the speeds available on the Startrite H175 horizontal/vertical bandsaw. I also attached the same information to the original post.
ON EDIT: This is a bit embarrassing, but I thought I'd make a correction about the speeds available on the Startrite H175 bandsaw. I originally mentioned I rarely change speeds, and the machine has 3 speeds of 60 fpm, 100 fpm, and 140, fpm. This is the information published in the sales brochure and on the material cutting chart on the saw itself.
Last week I went to use the saw to cut some thin sheet metal and decided the current speed of 60 fpm was way slower than necessary. I went to change the belt position and removed the guard. Much to my surprise the machine has 4 speeds available. The 3 previous mentioned speeds plus a higher speed of 225 fpm. At first I thought the pulleys may have been changed by the previous owner, but then discovered a blade speed chart listing all 4 speeds.
It's a bit puzzling that the highest speed isn't mentioned anywhere except the speed diagram inside the guard. There's quite an extensive list of materials mentioned on the speed chart on the lower right face of the front guard, but the fastest speed mentioned is 160 fpm, and that's for plastics.
