I'd be interested in cutting mild steel plate up to maybe 1/4" and
perhaps
angle or thicker bar once in a while, also Aluminum up to 3/4" thick.

I rather avoid anything by Central Machinery or other PRC manufactures.

Would be happy with new, rebuilt or used.

Any recommendations?

--

FF

wrote:

I'd be interested in cutting mild steel plate up to maybe 1/4" and
perhaps
angle or thicker bar once in a while, also Aluminum up to 3/4" thick.

I rather avoid anything by Central Machinery or other PRC manufactures.

Would be happy with new, rebuilt or used.

Any recommendations?


New? Try: (14" Wilton wood/metal vertical bandsaw, about $1000)

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3

Too expensive? Check out: (ubiquitous 4x6 h/v bandsaw, about $170)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37151

GWE

You could adapt an old cast iron jigsaw to cut metal sheet and other shapes.
I'm referring to a real jigsaw with the solid overarm as part of the
one-piece casting, and has a return spring for the blade (not a light duty
scroll saw and not a sabre saw, as some folks refer to as a jigsaw).
I've adapted an old Craftsman to use 5" sections of hacksaw blades.

The 4x6" bandsaw won't allow very wide parts to be cut for any considerable
length of cut. A bandsaw is faster of course, but the 4x6 doesn't accomodate
a piece like an 16" square cut from a 24x48" section of sheet.

I made some blade holders for the jigsaw to hold blades sideways, instead of
teeth normally facing forward, so that long pieces of sheet can be cut. This
way, a long section can be cut without running into the back of the frame
casting. I needed to fabricate another stock holding foot (the part that
holds the metal down on the table), because the position of the blade was
different.

The turning cuts are sacrificed when using wide blades, but hacksaw or
bandsaw blades will provide a lot of 5" sections.

WB
.................

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'd be interested in cutting mild steel plate up to maybe 1/4" and
perhaps
angle or thicker bar once in a while, also Aluminum up to 3/4" thick.

I rather avoid anything by Central Machinery or other PRC manufactures.

Would be happy with new, rebuilt or used.

Any recommendations?

--

FF





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I just bought an OLD Delta Vertical metal/wood 14 inch bandsaw
for 500. This model has 4 metal speeds and 1 wood speed.
Needs paint but seems like it will keep on going for a long time.

chuck

In article .com,
wrote:
I'd be interested in cutting mild steel plate up to maybe 1/4" and
perhaps
angle or thicker bar once in a while, also Aluminum up to 3/4" thick.

I rather avoid anything by Central Machinery or other PRC manufactures.

Would be happy with new, rebuilt or used.

Any recommendations?

--

FF

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'd be interested in cutting mild steel plate up to maybe 1/4" and
perhaps
angle or thicker bar once in a while, also Aluminum up to 3/4" thick.

I rather avoid anything by Central Machinery or other PRC manufactures.

Would be happy with new, rebuilt or used.

Any recommendations?

--

FF

I have a 1950's Walker Turner 14" wood/metal bandsaw that I've been pretty
happy with. Any big stuff gets cut on an old Wellsaw 8M horizontal bandsaw.
Not sure the vertical bandsaw with a 1/2" blade would be so good on really
thick stuff. I've seen big Do-All vertical saws go at auction between $600
and $1000, although that was a few years ago and auction prices seem to have
rebounded, unfortunately.

Chuck Sherwood wrote:
I just bought an OLD Delta Vertical metal/wood 14 inch bandsaw
for 500. This model has 4 metal speeds and 1 wood speed.
Needs paint but seems like it will keep on going for a long time.


Was wondering if there were any smallish metal cutting bandsaws
on the market other than the ubiquitous HF horizontal/vertical,
and evidently there are not. There are smallish wood cutting
bandsaws.

I had been planning on getting a 12" or 14" bandsaw for wood, it
looks like the best route would be to get one that does both
wood and metal. Although I only have plans to do relatively
small metal parts, it is much easier to cut small stock with
big tools than to cut big stock with small. Contour cutting
is important to me.

So it looks like I'll be looking for a 12" or 14" used Delta or
similar. Deltas seem to be the most common but Powermatics are
good for wood, do they make a metal/wood bandsaw also?

--

FF

In article .com,
says...

So it looks like I'll be looking for a 12" or 14" used Delta or
similar. Deltas seem to be the most common but Powermatics are
good for wood, do they make a metal/wood bandsaw also?



If you've got a little more room than the Delta needs, don't count out a
16" DoAll. The old MLs and Metalmasters are tough as nails and 10x the
machine the Delta is. The downside is that they top out at 1500 FPM in
high range, which is a little slow for serious woodworking. The newer
DoAlls generally go up to ~5000 FPM.

For example...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ry=58256&item=
7510440832

Ned Simmons

You might consider a portable band saw:
http://www.milwaukeeconnect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=27&catalogId=40027&langId=-1&productId=281171&mainHeader=Saws%2FCorded&catego ryId=189345&mainCategoryId=362
I made a holder that I can clamp in the vise to hang it on. I've
rigged a way to work the switch and added a very small "table"
held on with a small vise grip. Mighty handy for the small things
of life. I even own a horizontal, but use the daylights out of
this simple piece.

I don't think you will succeed in the contour end of this world.
Metal cutting blades of which I am aware start at 1/2" and get
larger (deeper). Curves and contours do not lend themselves to
deep blades. Steel and it's blades are just not the same as wood
stuff.


(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




wrote in message
oups.com...

Chuck Sherwood wrote:
I just bought an OLD Delta Vertical metal/wood 14 inch bandsaw
for 500. This model has 4 metal speeds and 1 wood speed.
Needs paint but seems like it will keep on going for a long
time.


Was wondering if there were any smallish metal cutting bandsaws
on the market other than the ubiquitous HF horizontal/vertical,
and evidently there are not. There are smallish wood cutting
bandsaws.

I had been planning on getting a 12" or 14" bandsaw for wood, it
looks like the best route would be to get one that does both
wood and metal. Although I only have plans to do relatively
small metal parts, it is much easier to cut small stock with
big tools than to cut big stock with small. Contour cutting
is important to me.

So it looks like I'll be looking for a 12" or 14" used Delta or
similar. Deltas seem to be the most common but Powermatics are
good for wood, do they make a metal/wood bandsaw also?

--

FF

DanG wrote:
You might consider a portable band saw:

http://www.milwaukeeconnect.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=27&catalogId=40027&langId=-1&productId=281171&mainHeader=Saws%2FCorded&catego ryId=189345&mainCategoryId=362
I made a holder that I can clamp in the vise to hang it on. I've
rigged a way to work the switch and added a very small "table"
held on with a small vise grip. Mighty handy for the small things
of life. I even own a horizontal, but use the daylights out of
this simple piece.

That sounds pretty cool.


I don't think you will succeed in the contour end of this world.
Metal cutting blades of which I am aware start at 1/2" and get
larger (deeper). Curves and contours do not lend themselves to
deep blades. Steel and it's blades are just not the same as wood
stuff.

Well then, how does one cut curves in aluminum and steel plate?
One wold suppose the minimum radius would be a function of the
width of the blade, how tight a curve could be cut with a 1/2" blade?

--

FF

On 9 May 2005 20:25:52 -0700, wrote:


Well then, how does one cut curves in aluminum and steel plate?
One wold suppose the minimum radius would be a function of the
width of the blade, how tight a curve could be cut with a 1/2" blade?

--

FF

http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Band%20Saws/band_saws.htm

Personally, I would multiply the radius they give, by 2x, when cutting
thicker steels. Shrug Too tight and you tend to burn out the set of
the teeth.

Gunner

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling
which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight,
nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being
free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
- John Stewart Mill

Gunner wrote:
On 9 May 2005 20:25:52 -0700, wrote:


Well then, how does one cut curves in aluminum and steel plate?
One wold suppose the minimum radius would be a function of the
width of the blade, how tight a curve could be cut with a 1/2"
blade?


http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Band%20Saws/band_saws.htm

Personally, I would multiply the radius they give, by 2x, when
cutting
thicker steels. Shrug Too tight and you tend to burn out the set of
the teeth.


OK and a tighter radius convex curve can be cut by taking a series
of cuts tangential to the curve followed by a bit of grinding.

--

FF

On 10 May 2005 05:55:05 -0700, wrote:


Gunner wrote:
On 9 May 2005 20:25:52 -0700, wrote:


Well then, how does one cut curves in aluminum and steel plate?
One wold suppose the minimum radius would be a function of the
width of the blade, how tight a curve could be cut with a 1/2"
blade?


http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Band%20Saws/band_saws.htm

Personally, I would multiply the radius they give, by 2x, when
cutting
thicker steels. Shrug Too tight and you tend to burn out the set of
the teeth.


OK and a tighter radius convex curve can be cut by taking a series
of cuts tangential to the curve followed by a bit of grinding.

Indeed. Which increases your production time dramatically.

Gunner

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling
which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight,
nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being
free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
- John Stewart Mill

Pictures? Plans? Hints? C'mon Dan, quit holding out on us!

Gunner wrote:
On 10 May 2005 05:55:05 -0700, wrote:


Gunner wrote:
On 9 May 2005 20:25:52 -0700, wrote:


Well then, how does one cut curves in aluminum and steel plate?
One wold suppose the minimum radius would be a function of the
width of the blade, how tight a curve could be cut with a 1/2"
blade?


http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Band%20Saws/band_saws.htm

Personally, I would multiply the radius they give, by 2x, when
cutting
thicker steels. Shrug Too tight and you tend to burn out the set
of
the teeth.


OK and a tighter radius convex curve can be cut by taking a series
of cuts tangential to the curve followed by a bit of grinding.

Indeed. Which increases your production time dramatically.


Increases it with respect to what alternative?

--

FF

On 11 May 2005 05:44:03 -0700, wrote:


Gunner wrote:
On 10 May 2005 05:55:05 -0700, wrote:


Gunner wrote:
On 9 May 2005 20:25:52 -0700, wrote:


Well then, how does one cut curves in aluminum and steel plate?
One wold suppose the minimum radius would be a function of the
width of the blade, how tight a curve could be cut with a 1/2"
blade?


http://www.sawdustmaking.com/Band%20Saws/band_saws.htm

Personally, I would multiply the radius they give, by 2x, when
cutting
thicker steels. Shrug Too tight and you tend to burn out the set
of
the teeth.


OK and a tighter radius convex curve can be cut by taking a series
of cuts tangential to the curve followed by a bit of grinding.

Indeed. Which increases your production time dramatically.


Increases it with respect to what alternative?

Using a thinner blade that will turn tighter. Up to a certain point.
After that..its waterjet, lazer or edm time. No free lunches Im
afraid.

Anything that requires additional steps in production increases your
time...ie the tangental cuts themselves take a great deal of time, as
does the finish grinding. Which is why bandsaws are seldom used in
contour cutting anymore (relatively speaking)..there are faster
alternatives with far less second operations attached to them.
Shrug.

Gunner

Liberals - Cosmopolitan critics, men who are the friends
of every country save their own. Benjamin Disraeli

Gunner wrote:
On 11 May 2005 05:44:03 -0700, wrote:
...

Using a thinner blade that will turn tighter. Up to a certain point.
After that..its waterjet, lazer or edm time. No free lunches Im
afraid.

Anything that requires additional steps in production increases your
time...ie the tangental cuts themselves take a great deal of time, as
does the finish grinding. Which is why bandsaws are seldom used in
contour cutting anymore (relatively speaking)..there are faster
alternatives with far less second operations attached to them.
Shrug.

Thanks.

That is sort of what I figured. Those alternatives are somewhat
out of the reach of the home hobbiest who simply wants to upgrade
from a hacksaw.

--

FF

Hacksaw upgrade?
I found an old Craftsman/King-Seeley (wood) bandsaw at a garage sale,
$10, same model as this one:
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=123
Must be pretty common 'cause I found a similar one 6 months later
(103.24550), same price.
Being a 3-wheeler (6" drive wheel), it was easy to slow it down to
100-250fpm. I used a zero-max transmission off ebay though would go dc
motor if doing again. It cuts metal quite nicely. 62" blade length is
not real common but McMaster stocks bimetal 10-14 (4179A12, mine was a
Sandflex Cobra -- terrific blade).
David