Wood saw conversion

Related question... I assume the Starrett chart is for using coolant? I cut dry only. What effect on cutting with a Pro-Die bi-metal blade? I have a Grizzly wood metal that only goes down to 100 ft/min. I have cut 4140 but no stainless steel.
 
I've cut 316L SS and 304 SS cast CRS HRS and aluminum all without coolant, so far no issues.
I'm sure coolant wouldn't be a bad thing. I've seen more horizontal saws with coolant than vertical. To add coolant to my saw would too involved for ant possible gain in my opinion. Building a sump, drip tray, pump, etc. Would be a pain.
 
aliva said:
I've cut 316L SS and 304 SS cast CRS HRS and aluminum all without coolant, so far no issues.
I'm sure coolant wouldn't be a bad thing. I've seen more horizontal saws with coolant than vertical. To add coolant to my saw would too involved for ant possible gain in my opinion. Building a sump, drip tray, pump, etc. Would be a pain.
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Not to mention with the rubber tires the blade will start to slip. Ask me how I know :)

my converted vertical 14” is running @ 120fpm and so far has cut anything I’ve put on it. I went with that speed after looking through many forums. The only reason I changed my tires was because they were shredded from the dummies before me over tensioning the blade and didn’t know what they were doing as far as tracking.
 
is that a 16 inch delta band saw? my friends dad has one that looks like that but is still for cutting wood. he wants $50 for it. i was thinking of doing the same conversion too.
 
I still haven't figured out a way to get my 9" Duro bandsaw down to 100 SFM.
I found a nice 1425 rpm motor, but even with the smallest and largest possible pulley I'm still in the 300s.

Still waffling over VFD vs gearbox. Got the more powerful (1 HP instead of 3/4) motor in case I go the VFD route.

Just got too many other projects to attend to.
 
A gearbox has got to be the answer, even a gear reduction motor.

my grizzly uses a VFD and a 2hp inverter duty motor along with a double reduction belt drive. I would really like the speed to go down to 60, not 100. I use the fast, slow speed range to cut wood without switching the pulley (I seldom cut wood) and at 500 ft it cuts okay. Even some aluminum cuts with an open band works good at the higher speeds.

I have fixed brushes and I like the brushes to reduce the chip transfer onto the tires.
 
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It depends on what you have in your junk box. It was far cheaper for me to go double reduction with belts than a gearbox. I used swamp cooler pulleys and they were super cheap.
 
aliva said:
A friend of mine gave me his wood bandsaw, so why not convert it cut metal.
With appropriate sheaves I got the SFPM down to 237, which should be adequate. I also added a cleaning brush for the blade as I'm told when cutting metal the chips will destroy the wheel tire in seconds. Still have to build a guard around the sheaves and order a blade. I'm thinking variable TPI 10-14.
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while I am throwing out ideas based on my own thinking, I want to commend your excellent conversion and workmanship.
 
C-Bag said:
It depends on what you have in your junk box. It was far cheaper for me to go double reduction with belts than a gearbox. I used swamp cooler pulleys and they were super cheap.
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I was thinking about optimal, not cost :grin:
 
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