I just posted a Boice Crane 14" wood/metal bandsaw on eBay. Just
search under Boice Crane. This item has a hi-lo gearbox and works
very well for all sawable materials, given the correct blade and
speed. The only reason I am selling, besides getting money, it that I
have a 16" DoAll also. I have had the Boice Crane for several years,
sometimes it was the only saw I had. Another very fine wood/metal saw
is the powermatic model 143. It also has the hi-lo gearbox. I have
sold maybe 15 of these in the last four years. They are very popular
with knife makers because they can cut steel, bone, phenolic, plastic,
horn, wood, etc, used in making custom knives. And they don't take up
much room. In the case of the powermatic model 143, it is just a
model 141 (wood) with the addition of the gearbox. The model 141
Powermatic is arguably the best wood cutting bandsaw of its size ever
made. And, the 143 also cuts metal like a dream. I only use the
Lennox diemaster II blades for metal. Anyway, the Powermatic 143
sells for about double what the Boice Crane will go for, but in use,
they are about the same. If you have the room, and access to material
handling equipment to get it in, The big heavy DoAll 16-18" bandsaws
will spoil you.
Paul