band saw

[blockmanjohn]

Hi, I am looking to buy a Walker Turner 14 inch band saw for my home shop. Most of the listed machines are for wood working. Would using a motor speed control allow me to cut metal on this type of saw? Is speed the only difference between the metal and wood varieties? Thanks, John.

 

[chrsbrbnk]

a motor speed control typically is for brushed motors so if this a regular ac motor no it wouldn't work the saw will need for steel about 60-120 feet permin. so you would be needing a gear box reduction unless someone else is supplying:thumbup: the blades . stiffness is a real must for nice metal cutting so you would be needing a gear box reduction keeping in mind each vee belt pulley reduction wastes on the order of 50% power in friction ect. so maybe think chain or gears

 

[canadianhorsepower]

Hi, I am looking to buy a Walker Turner 14 inch band saw for my home shop. Most of the listed machines are for wood working. Would using a motor speed control allow me to cut metal on this type of saw? Is speed the only difference between the metal and wood varieties? Thanks, John.

OK if you need to control the speed (RPM) it would work ONLY if you start it a full RPM and then bring down to what you need.
IT MUST BE STARTED AT FULL RPM

 

[Jasonb]

Depends what you are cutting, if just aluminium and non ferrous then you can get away with a wood bandsaw without slowing it down, this is a bit of 3" sq ali cut on my old woodworking one, not a bad cut.

 

[velocette]

Hi, I am looking to buy a Walker Turner 14 inch band saw for my home shop. Most of the listed machines are for wood working. Would using a motor speed control allow me to cut metal on this type of saw? Is speed the only difference between the metal and wood varieties? Thanks, John.

Hi
To cut steel you will need a Bi-Metal blade and gear down the speed using an extra shaft
and pulleys.
Being a dedicated "Poly Vee Belt" fanatic I would recommend them as the way to go

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/showthread.php?t=24940

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309296

Eric

0

 

[toolznthings]

Because of what I do on a regular basis and my need for variable speed I converted my older 14" Rockwell band saw from gearbox set up to a 3 phase inverter motor and VFD control. Direct drive from motor with 5" sheave on motor and 11" on band saw. Variable pitch bi-metal blade on saw. Speeds variable from less than a couple of 100 fpm to over a 1000 fpm. Works good for all materials. I cut steel for years with the old set up, but I needed the higher fpm for aluminum, etc. Walker Turner should make you a good saw for steel when you get it slowed down as others have posted.

Brian

 

[blockmanjohn]

I like the idea of using a 3 phase motor and a VFD. Does the power drop off as you slow he motor down, or does it stay the same at all speeds? John.

 

[toolznthings]

Hi,
From the information I got from tech support at Automation Direct, this motor maintains " power " throughout it's rated rpm range. The motor I have has a 10:1
ratio and is inverter duty. Motor rpm is 1200 so will operate at 120 rpm also. I have had no problems.
I'm not an expert at these things so I relied on tech support for the motor I purchased explaining my end use of course.
Not a cheap setup, but was way cheaper than a new band saw and I have been pleased with this older Delta. Could have saved a little as I got a more advanced VFD than I needed. Looked at VFD setups on Grizzly band saws to get some ideas.