Hi all,
Comming up before too long on the "next project to do" list is a
bandsaw I have. It is a few year old (guessing 50's or 60's) Craftsman
with 12" wheels and about a 10" throat. I assume that it was
originally intended as a wood saw. It is in pretty good shape, just
needs a good clean and lube, new blade, maybe a bit of paint touch up
and a stand fabricated.

Now the project part. Being utterly incapable of leaving anything as
it was, I am thinking of making some better blade guides and adding a
variable low speed setup so that I can use this to cut metal, as I cut
lots more metal than wood. I happened upon a Dayton variable speed
drive. It is older, but very similar to this one that Grainger
currently carries:

http://tinyurl.com/b5qhm

The specs are very similar, Single phase 110/220, 1/2 HP motor, output
is variable from about 700-3800 RPM. I am thinking that the wide
output range of this thing would make for a nice drive for the saw,
able to dial up just the speed you need and plenty of range to go from
metal cutting speeds up through wood cutting speeds without having to
do lots of belt shifting, etc.

Considering that this is for "hobby" type duty and that I would be
mostly cutting shapes in thinner stock in AL, brass and steel, say
less than 1/2" thick, (I have a nice power hacksaw for fat round
stuff, etc.), Any opinions as to weather 1/2 HP is enough for a saw
like this? Is this a good application for a unit like this, espically
considering that I already own it(!) or should I opt for something
more conventional?

I appreciate any and all ideas.
Thanks,
AL A.

Al A. wrote:

Hi all,
Comming up before too long on the "next project to do" list is a
bandsaw I have. It is a few year old (guessing 50's or 60's) Craftsman
with 12" wheels and about a 10" throat. I assume that it was
originally intended as a wood saw. It is in pretty good shape, just
needs a good clean and lube, new blade, maybe a bit of paint touch up
and a stand fabricated.


W/o getting out charts, I think the ratio between wood cutting fpm's
and steel is at least 10:1. The vari speed doesn't have that much
range.

Wes
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If the v-speed function is related to a gear reduction process, then the
drive should have more power at low speed where you need it for the heavier
(steel, etc.) metals. For wood, it might be a bit anemic if your trying to
resaw cherry or one of the other denser or gummier woods. Otherwise, don't
push, it should work. Since you already own it, why not try it.
Respectfully,
Ron Moore

"Al A." wrote in message
...
Hi all,
Comming up before too long on the "next project to do" list is a
bandsaw I have. It is a few year old (guessing 50's or 60's) Craftsman
with 12" wheels and about a 10" throat. I assume that it was
originally intended as a wood saw. It is in pretty good shape, just
needs a good clean and lube, new blade, maybe a bit of paint touch up
and a stand fabricated.

Now the project part. Being utterly incapable of leaving anything as
it was, I am thinking of making some better blade guides and adding a
variable low speed setup so that I can use this to cut metal, as I cut
lots more metal than wood. I happened upon a Dayton variable speed
drive. It is older, but very similar to this one that Grainger
currently carries:

http://tinyurl.com/b5qhm

The specs are very similar, Single phase 110/220, 1/2 HP motor, output
is variable from about 700-3800 RPM. I am thinking that the wide
output range of this thing would make for a nice drive for the saw,
able to dial up just the speed you need and plenty of range to go from
metal cutting speeds up through wood cutting speeds without having to
do lots of belt shifting, etc.

Considering that this is for "hobby" type duty and that I would be
mostly cutting shapes in thinner stock in AL, brass and steel, say
less than 1/2" thick, (I have a nice power hacksaw for fat round
stuff, etc.), Any opinions as to weather 1/2 HP is enough for a saw
like this? Is this a good application for a unit like this, espically
considering that I already own it(!) or should I opt for something
more conventional?

I appreciate any and all ideas.
Thanks,
AL A.

The ratio between wood and tool steel is at least 100:1 and your
vari-drive definitely does not have a speed range like that. You are
going to need a gearbox or chains and sprockets to get down to 60 SFM
from 7500 SFM as used on wood. I am not trying to rain on your parade
but just being realistic. Leigh at MarMachine

Thanks for the replies.

I guess you are right, Leigh & Wes. I guess i did not really think
that one all the way through. But I suppose If I set the thing up with
maybe a high and low range, one for metal and one for wood, it would
still give me lots of adjustability in each range. I have not sat down
to figure it out yet, but I sort of assumed that I would need to have
some intermedeate pulleys to get the thing in the proper blade speed
range.

Or for that matter I may even skip the wood capability, as it is not
all that important to me. Handy to have perhaps, but not a big desire
of mine.

This drive is the type with dual variable pulleys and a wide belt
between them, a small version of those found in snowmobiles and on
some infinately variable milling machines. It is a pretty neat
gadget. I suppose Ron has the right idea, just try it. That is likely
what I will end up doing. I own the thing and am just itching to use
it for something!

I took a quick look at a few catalogs and flyers last night, and it
is interesting that the similar sized vertical bandsaws seem to be
listed as having 3/4 or 1 HP motors (though those may be "chinese
horsepower") while lots of the ubiquitous 4" asian horizontal metal
cutting bandsaws have 1/3 HP motors.

Where did you get 7500 fpm on the band saw? Normal 14" bandsaw runs
about 3000 fpm MAX. (Mine is set for about 2500 on wood) And 200 fpm is
fine for bandsaw work in steel. So 12:1 would work fine. NOt 100:1

wrote:

The ratio between wood and tool steel is at least 100:1 and your
vari-drive definitely does not have a speed range like that. You are
going to need a gearbox or chains and sprockets to get down to 60 SFM
from 7500 SFM as used on wood. I am not trying to rain on your parade
but just being realistic. Leigh at MarMachine

wrote:
The ratio between wood and tool steel is at least 100:1 and your
vari-drive definitely does not have a speed range like that. You are
going to need a gearbox or chains and sprockets to get down to 60 SFM
from 7500 SFM as used on wood. I am not trying to rain on your parade
but just being realistic. Leigh at MarMachine


Leigh is right, although I'd disagree somewhat on the woodcutting
speed. Many of the smaller bandsaws I've seen cut wood at anywhere
from 2500 to 4500 FPM.

He said gearbox or chains for a reason. You can reduce speed with
multiple pulleys just as much as with a gearbox, but if you're limited
to belts in the final step it's hard to transmit the kind of torque you
need for metal cutting. Make that steel cutting - you cut aluminum at
wood speeds.

The output specs on that drive look pretty weak.

John Martin

Al A. wrote:

Thanks for the replies.

I guess you are right, Leigh & Wes. I guess i did not really think
that one all the way through. But I suppose If I set the thing up with
maybe a high and low range, one for metal and one for wood, it would
still give me lots of adjustability in each range. I have not sat down
to figure it out yet, but I sort of assumed that I would need to have
some intermedeate pulleys to get the thing in the proper blade speed
range.

[snip]

I saw a 14" rockwell bandsaw with a what looked like a ring gear from
a torque converter attached to the lower band wheel. The gent had
modified a starter pinion gear to mesh with the ring gear and drive
the band saw. I though that was pretty creative.

Since it was an estate sale, I wasn't able to ask how it worked out
for him.


Wes
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