Vertical Metal Cutting Bandsaw Recommendation

bretthl, you can't go wrong with a General 14". They work for years without any maintenance. They are in your budget, and even the more recent ones (General is now out of business, sorry) are built like tanks. There are a lot of them around, if you look. A great buy even at retail.

Disclaimer: I bought an 18" VFD controlled Taiwanese one, because I have need of the extra throat, but I paid a LOT more...
 
JimDawson said:
https://denver.craigslist.org/tls/d/jet-band-saw-jwbs-140s/6710558579.html

That one would work fine, there are others on Craigslist in your area. I picked up my Chinese clone at an auction for $25. It actually ran when I got it home. Built a new upper blade guide for it, and installed a 30:1 right angle gearbox and 2 speed motor I had on the shelf. The blades cost more than I have into the saw.

A jack shaft and a couple pulleys would slow it down in place of a gearbox for metal cutting. Mine runs from 30-350 FPM depending on where the belts and motor speed are set. I cut everything from tool steel to wood.
Click to expand...

I did the same after seeing stuff on YouTube. I bought my old HF 14" for $50 and made a double belt reduction to get it down to 110ft min. It's now my most frequent used machine. The beauty of it is these are all direct knockoffs and parts are cheap and prevalent. And being cast iron they are pretty much indestructible.
 
I bought this one. I love it!
JET® 414500 J-8201K 14" Vertical Bandsaw 1 HP, 115/230V, 1Ph
I paid $1,320
 
I bought an older Dunlap 12" in very good condition off craigslist for $75. Buying new blades for both wood and metal cutting and installing a jackshaft reduction for metal cutting will bring my total cost up to around $200. Maybe less.

dunlap bandsaw.jpg
 
Wow, thanks for all of your replies. I hadn't visited this post for awhile since it did not receive replies for about a week.

I have a 20 year old 14" Jet wood cutting bandsaw. I bought it from Woodcrafters in Houston TX in 1998. JWBS-14 I believe. Did a lot of resawing with that machine.

Janderso said:
I bought this one. I love it!
JET® 414500 J-8201K 14" Vertical Bandsaw 1 HP, 115/230V, 1Ph
I paid $1,320
Click to expand...

Janderso, I am really glad you brought this machine to my attention. I can rob the fence and mobile base off of the my JWBS before I sell it. Did you consider the VS option?
 
? variable speed ?
 
Yes, Jet makes this model with a variable speed pulley 8201VS. I work in oil industry and we abbreviate everything.
 
Ah, well mine is for wood or metal. It has a step pulley affair, no centrifical (sp) system.
 
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