"Zack" wrote in message
...
Hey guys:

What's the difference in wood cutting and metal cutting bandsaws? Is it
just the blades, or is there something about the machines themselves?
Sorry
to ask what may seem like a dumb question, but I am just a garage tinkerer
trying to make some small aluminum parts for a toy truck. I need a
bandsaw
to ruff cut some 1/8" to 3/8" aluminum plate and then mill to final
dimension. However, I do not have $1,000.00 to spend on a saw. I have
found several saws below $500.00 but they say not for cutting metal. Why
not? If I put a metal cutting blade in it, shouldn't that work, or will
it
tear up the saw? I am not running a production line (yet) so I don't need
to spend big bucks on a high end saw. I just want something I can "play"
with in the garage. I'm not scared of HF or Grizzley if I can find a
happy
medium between quality and price.

ANY help / advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot

Zack



Blade speed on a wood saw is WAY too fast. And the metal chips will
probably louse up the works. HF has their little 4x6 on sale about half the
time for about $160. It has a little table that can be put on it for
vertical sawing. It isn't the greatest, but it does the job at relatively
low cost. But it is going to be VERY slow going in 3/8 stuff and the wide
blade doesn't allow for much of a radius..

Jerry