93.5 inch band saw blades for bladesteel

hathegkla

hathegkla

Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
201
I just picked up a band saw, threw on a "metal cutting" bi-metal band saw blade with pretty small teeth (I don't remember the tpi but it looks like what we use at work). It won't even touch my normalized 1050 or 1080, my bi-metal hack saw blades cut through it like butter so it's definitely not the steel. can anyone recommend a good band saw blade?
 
The best I know of Lenox Diemaster 2 Bandsaw Blades I bought mine through this company,

http://www.toolcenter.com/

You can also have them made to any length. There are a little pricey but well worth the money. Take it easy and let the blade do the cutting. I ordered two and the second one is still in the box! The first one has been on the saw nearly a year!
 
Dixieblade57 said:
The best I know of Lenox Diemaster 2 Bandsaw Blades I bought mine through this company,

http://www.toolcenter.com/

You can also have them made to any length. There are a little pricey but well worth the money. Take it easy and let the blade do the cutting. I ordered two and the second one is still in the box! The first one has been on the saw nearly a year!
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks. I selected the blade I want to order but it has 2 options, "VR" and "V W" do you know what the difference is? google isn't helping :confused:
 
Your
"metal cutting" bi-metal band saw blade
Click to expand...
is made for cutting metal, is your bandsaw made for cutting metal?

That 93.5" blade length sounds like a wood cutting bandsaw size I've used before

Can you tell us more about the saw itself?
Make and model number, a photo, or link ?
 
The count is right a lot of the 93 1/2" saws are wood cutting, unless you have drastically slowed
it down its never gonna cut steel. My dewalt is wood cuting 93 1/2", my Delta steel cutting 64 1/2"
Ken.
 
Last edited:
My Rockwell 93 1/2" bandsaw has a gear box so I can switch from wood cutting speeds to metal cutting speeds. The wood cutting (only) model has no gear box. The wood cutting blades have large teeth and run fast. The metal cutting blades have small teeth and run slow. If you need more information, PM me, and I will dig out the manual. It has all the SF/M (surface feet per minute) data for various materials.
 
12345678910 said:
Your is made for cutting metal, is your bandsaw made for cutting metal?

That 93.5" blade length sounds like a wood cutting bandsaw size I've used before

Can you tell us more about the saw itself?
Make and model number, a photo, or link ?
Click to expand...

It is designed to cut wood, its a Grizzly G0555. my father got it for me for Christmas, he didn't know it was too fast for metal. I have it running at the slower speed but I figured it would still work, just not as well. so there's no chance of this cutting metal? the minimum speed is 1500 fpm. maybe I could get some smaller pulleys?
 
the rikon model metal cutting band saw on that toolcenter website shows 2780 ft/min... http://www.toolcenter.com/10-305.html... just sayin... according to the grizzly website yours has either 1800 or 3100... though i guess looking at it again it's not necessarily a metal cutting bandsaw either...
 
Last edited:
hathegkla said:
It is designed to cut wood, its a Grizzly G0555. my father got it for me for Christmas, he didn't know it was too fast for metal. I have it running at the slower speed but I figured it would still work, just not as well. so there's no chance of this cutting metal? the minimum speed is 1500 fpm. maybe I could get some smaller pulleys?
Click to expand...

http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-variable-speed-bandsaw-47840.html

http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-x-6-Metal-Cutting-Bandsaw/G0622


See if you can return it for one of those.
It's not just speed, the guides are different too.

On the 4x6 I use the middle speed 108 SFPM



That wood bandsaw is 15x's that speed and running metal cutting blades in it you will only burn blades.
 
Last edited:
gotmike said:
the rikon model metal cutting band saw on that toolcenter website shows 2780 ft/min... http://www.toolcenter.com/10-305.html... just sayin... according to the grizzly website yours has either 1800 or 3100...
Click to expand...

What part of the page at that link makes you think that is a metal cutting bandsaw?


If you read the cover on the manual from the link on that page it says "10" Woodworking Bandsaw" in nice big letters.
http://www.toolcenter.com/10305.pdf

It's NFG for steel ... just sayin
 
Last edited:
12345678910 said:
http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-variable-speed-bandsaw-47840.html

http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-x-6-Metal-Cutting-Bandsaw/G0622


See if you can return it for one of those.
It's not just speed, the guides are different too.

On the 4x6 I use the middle speed 108 SFPM



That wood bandsaw is 15x's that speed and running metal cutting blades in it you will only burn blades.
Click to expand...

yeah, 15x too fast doesn't sound very useful. I guess I just have to decide weather or not I need a band saw for wood. I can definitely use it for handles and other woodworking projects, I actually do 99% of my metal cutting with a cutoff wheel on my $20 angle grinder so I guess I could live without a metal cutting band saw :( I just feel bad returning it because it was such an awesome gift lol.
 
Or you could buy a 1 hp 3phase motor and a VFD that uses 110v ac to make the 3 phase 220 and use the VFD to slow down your saw to a speed that works for metal.
 
ib2v4u said:
Or you could buy a 1 hp 3phase motor and a VFD that uses 110v ac to make the 3 phase 220 and use the VFD to slow down your saw to a speed that works for metal.
Click to expand...

I know you know what you are talking about here as I have I have heard you and others talk about doing this but,you may want to give him a little more detail as it almost sounds like you are speaking a foreign language. I might could cipher out what you just said but most that aren't familiar with electronics are going to just shake there heads!
 
OK. Get a unit similar to this
http://www.wolfautomation.com/produ...to-3hp-single-or-3-phase-brteco-evjnev-series

It is pretty simple to connect and takes 110 volts input and makes 3 phase 220v output. It has the ability to control the phases of the output and by doing so controls a 3phase motors speed. This one is not totally enclosed and would need to be mounted above the saw or placed in a inclosure with some dust protection. I have been using one on my disk sander for years. Then you need a 3 phase motor as opposed to your single phase motor similar to this.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-HP-Electr...608?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1ca06df8 You want a TEFC motor to keep the metal dust out.

Many of us run similar 2hp setups on our grinders to control the belt speed. I also run one on my milling machine so I do not have to change the belt on the pulleys. I am going to convert my drill press next. On a band saw so equipped you could easily slow the blade down to metal cutting speeds and with a turn of the knob (you can mount a speed control remotely too) spped it back up to wood cutting speeds. I seldom change my blade and cut wood with the metal cutting blades. Doesn't cut wood as well with the metal blade, cuts slower and will burn the edges of the wood a bit if cutting thicker pieces. I am just to lazy to change back to the wood blades for the small amounts of wood I cut. Mostly just scale and block outlines.
 
hathegkla said:
yeah, 15x too fast doesn't sound very useful. I guess I just have to decide weather or not I need a band saw for wood. I can definitely use it for handles and other woodworking projects, I actually do 99% of my metal cutting with a cutoff wheel on my $20 angle grinder so I guess I could live without a metal cutting band saw :( I just feel bad returning it because it was such an awesome gift lol.
Click to expand...

Modifying your band saw with a new motor and VFD would set you back $400 - $600 maybe more. And that does not include the time for you to set everything up. There have been a number of threads on modifying a portable, variable speed, metal cutting band saws for stationary shop use. There is even a company that makes a table for them. That would set you back @ $200 - $300 plus time for modifications and set up. How much time would a metal cutting band saw save you on a year to year basis?
 
I do agree that porta band style saws fixed in small stands are handy and have a Milwaukee setup in that manner and I use it alot. But, it is limited as far as cut length and width. I was just pointing out another option. I am a big fan of VFDs on things that benefit from variable speeds. Plus, having a machine that can handle several jobs helps free up shop space. I keep getting more shop space, but, never have enough. LOL Still need room for a surface grinder and a big press.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top