On Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:16:46 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"RBnDFW" wrote in message
...
Mike Spencer wrote:
Jim Wilkins wrote:
On Jan 23, 3:22 pm, Wes wrote:

"Bob La Londe" wrote:

Any of you guys use one for cutting metal ... and admit to it?

They tend to go too fast. Aluminum you can get away with. I'm
wondering how mine would
do with a 7/8" pitch 1 1/4 wide band. I think I'll stick to wood
though.
Wes


Here's one I've never seen, only heard described as something that
U-Haul did in making trailers, maybe 30 years ago.

+ Set your band saw for very high speed

+ Cover the table with masonite or similar electrically insulating
material.

+ Attach one arc welder cable to the table and the other to the
metal workpiece.

+ Push the workiece into the blade. The blade strikes an arc
across the workpiece and table. The fast-moving blade blows the
molton metal/oxides out of the kerf but moves so fast that it
doesn't overheat. (And/or maybe there's a water- or air-jet
cooler in there somewhere?)

Allegedly, it was a means making cuts much cleaner than a torch in
stock too hard for an ordinary band saw and which took too long to cut
with an abrasive cutoff.

Anybody ever see this in operation? Or know that it's just a yarn?

OK, I just KNOW someone here is thinking about trying this.
Post a video please.

Maaaaybe, but not with my saw. LOL.


You don't even have to fool about with all that electrical stuff. Just
put the blade in up side down and set the speed to High. It is called
"friction sawing" and works on all metals. The blade doesn't cut and
so heats the material and even up side down teeth will rake molten
metal away from the work..

Sounds rather horrendous but all/most DoAll saws were manufactured to
allow this.

Cheers,

John B.
(johnbslocomatgmaildotcom)