I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and I
don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than the
wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up to
maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2 questions:
Are there cheaper option for what I want?
Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are not
well regarded)

Not familiar with that saw, looks like a generic import to me. Did you look at
the Wilton w/m bandsaws? It's cheaper than yours at $999 free shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...M6HCQ?v=glance

GWE

lens wrote:

I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and I
don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than the
wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up to
maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2 questions:
Are there cheaper option for what I want?
Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are not
well regarded)

I might be inclinded to give Palgren the extra $200. I bought a Wilton
Disc/belt sander for about $250 and though it works well, I was
dissappointed to later see a Delta model that looks exactly the same
for less than half the price. They both had plastic guards and I could
see almost no difference between Delta SA180 and Wilton Wilton 4002. My
bias now is that Wilton is overpriced, but Palmgren may be the same.

http://metalworking.com/DropBox/Rockwell_Bandsaw_00.txt
http://metalworking.com/DropBox/Rockwell_Bandsaw_01.jpg
http://metalworking.com/DropBox/Rockwell_Bandsaw_02.jpg
http://metalworking.com/DropBox/Rockwell_Bandsaw_03.jpg
http://metalworking.com/DropBox/Rockwell_Bandsaw_04.jpg
http://metalworking.com/DropBox/Rockwell_Bandsaw_05.jpg

That is one way, but not the way I'd do it. Keeping the original motor
and pulleys, I'd use a jack shaft with two suitable sized pulleys and
two belts to get the speed reduced by a factor of ten. Then I'd get a
metal cutting blade, some coolant and cut. The modifications should
cost you less than $100 so you could have a brand new Wood/Metal
bandsaw for $100 more than the price of a wood cutting bandsaw.

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
| Not familiar with that saw, looks like a generic import to me. Did
you look at
| the Wilton w/m bandsaws? It's cheaper than yours at $999 free
shipping:
| http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...M6HCQ?v=glance
|
| GWE
|
| lens wrote:
|
| I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies
won't
| work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already
have
| a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:
|
|
http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html
|
| It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
| cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and
I
| don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
| selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than
the
| wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up
to
| maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2
questions:
| Are there cheaper option for what I want?
| Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are
not
| well regarded)
|

"lens" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and I
don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than the
wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up to
maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2 questions:
Are there cheaper option for what I want?
Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are not
well regarded)


The above mentioned palmgren is a generic import saw. I have one. I don't
like it much, light duty. It is sold in Canada under the Canwood label.
It is a slowed down wood saw. Not rigid enough to cut metal.

In article 1121734007.783194.71940
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, says...
I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included).

For $1200 you should be able to find a good used 16" DoAll
or Grob that'll cut anything you can lift onto the table.

For instance...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=
7531869634&category=58256&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

Ned Simmons

lens wrote:
I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and I
don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than the
wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up to
maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2 questions:
Are there cheaper option for what I want?
Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are not
well regarded)

If aluminum is really all you want to cut, buy a wood cutting saw.
Aluminum is cut at wood cutting speeds, or close.

If you want to cut steel, though, you'll need a metal cutting saw. The
speeds for cutting steel are so much slower that it is not practical to
get there with step pulleys or a jackshaft or anything similar. You
need a gearbox. It is that gearbox that adds so much to the cost of a
metal cutting saw. And it is not simpy a case of slowing the blade
down - you need more torque at the wheel for steel cutting as well.
The higher torque is the reason the jackshaft belt drives often work
poorly.

By whom are the wood/metal saws not well regarded? Industrial users,
maybe? No, they don't compare to a DoAll or a Marvel or a Grob. If
you need the capabilities of one of those, then buy one. But you
haven't said whether you're going to be spending several hours a day
with it, or an hour or so a month. Do you need coolant? Power feed?

I have a Delta 14" wood/metal cutting saw. It's handled everything
I've ever thrown at it, up to maybe 2" steel, 2" aluminum, 12" wood. I
wouldn't recommend it to someone who wanted to cut steel all day long,
however.

John Martin

I have a Delta 14" wood/metal cutting saw. It's handled everything

I recently bought an old Delta. Cost less than 1/2 of a new wilton and
works much better than using my 4x6 cutoff saw in vertical mode.

I considered a used doall but the weight made it too much to handle.

"John Martin" wrote in message
oups.com...


lens wrote:
I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and I
don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than the
wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up to
maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2 questions:
Are there cheaper option for what I want?
Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are not
well regarded)

If aluminum is really all you want to cut, buy a wood cutting saw.
Aluminum is cut at wood cutting speeds, or close.

If you want to cut steel, though, you'll need a metal cutting saw. The
speeds for cutting steel are so much slower that it is not practical to
get there with step pulleys or a jackshaft or anything similar. You
need a gearbox. It is that gearbox that adds so much to the cost of a
metal cutting saw. And it is not simpy a case of slowing the blade
down - you need more torque at the wheel for steel cutting as well.
The higher torque is the reason the jackshaft belt drives often work
poorly.

By whom are the wood/metal saws not well regarded? Industrial users,
maybe? No, they don't compare to a DoAll or a Marvel or a Grob. If
you need the capabilities of one of those, then buy one. But you
haven't said whether you're going to be spending several hours a day
with it, or an hour or so a month. Do you need coolant? Power feed?

I have a Delta 14" wood/metal cutting saw. It's handled everything
I've ever thrown at it, up to maybe 2" steel, 2" aluminum, 12" wood. I
wouldn't recommend it to someone who wanted to cut steel all day long,
however.

John Martin


I second John's opinion. I also have a Delta Wood/Metal saw and it works
well on alum at top speed(3000fpm) It is not a Doall, but is about perfect
as a general purpose band saw for a home shop.

Randy

Is the reason you say they won't work that they don't have the clearance
to cut your parts or you don't think they'll cope with 1/4".
I have cut 2" aluminium and 1" bronze on a cheapy 4x6 in vertical mode
and had no problems, used a coarse sharp blade.

lens wrote:

I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included). It's a lot less than the
cheapest Grizzly vertical metal saw (G8144 $2025 w. shipping) and I
don't plan on using it for wood. It seems like somebody should be
selling a 14" saw for metal that would be maybe a $100 more than the
wood saws, but I can't find anything like that. I want to cut up to
maybe 3/4" aluminum plates and maybe some steel. I have 2 questions:
Are there cheaper option for what I want?
Is this saw up to the task? (since wood/metal combo saws often are not
well regarded)

In article , Ned
Simmons wrote:

In article 1121734007.783194.71940
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, says...
I'm looking for a small vertical metal bandsaw. The 4x6" cheapies won't
work for thick sheets (say 1/4" aluminum 12" x 12") and I already have
a saw to cut bar stock. The cheapest thing I can find is this:

http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-s...gbandsaws.html

It's $1200 on Amazon (shipping included).

For $1200 you should be able to find a good used 16" DoAll
or Grob that'll cut anything you can lift onto the table.

Yeah, but they're heavy. I bought a licensed copy of a Grob 18"
wood/metalcutting bandsaw with blade welder for $600 AUD. Fast enough
for wood, low speed range suitable for stainless and inconel etc.
Guesstimated its weight at 300kg. Hah. Closer to 500, I reckon.

Now it's in the shop and on a castor base, I don't care about the
weight but getting it into the shop by myself, off of soft sloping
ground, was - err - interesting.

Agree about the utility versus one of the import saws 100%. It's a
great machine and once I master the blade welder I can pretty much be
independent of the local shops.

PDW