Can some one help me

[Stevepearson369@gmail]

I am a complete beginner looking to start using a mini lathe I have bought some books by Harold Hall on lathe work the diameters I expect to work with are between 6mm to 40mm in free cutting bright steel
My question is what do most model engineers use to dimension their steel I don't want to spend much more than £300 Max I have looked at evolution rage 4 chop saw to Warco horizontal vertical band saw any advise would be greatly appreciated I will only have a small workshop 10 x 7

 

[DJP]

I have the classic Horizontal/Vertical 4 inch X 6 inch Metal Bandsaw with 64 1/2 inch bi metal blade. It has cut a lot of stock over the past 30 years and it is still working fine. It's easy to store when not in use.

 

[Stevepearson369@gmail]

Many thanks for info I'm new to metal work and forums this is the 1st time I have used one so not quite sure what I'm doing I'm almost 60 BTW with arthritis in my hands spent many years making furniture

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Steve--I use a vertical bandsaw almost exclusively for cutting metal in my shop. I have a big old power hacksaw that seldom gets used. A typical horizontal bandsaw has the advantage that it will self feed into a cut and the fact that you can walk away and do something else until the cut is finished is an attraction to some. However, the big disadvantage is that if you lay out your cuts on a piece using layout die and a scriber, it is pretty damned awkward to "cut to the line" on any of the horizontal bandsaws. A vertical bandsaw will not "self feed" but you have a nice horizontal table to lay your part on and infinitely better control of "cutting to the line". When cutting steel or aluminum, you are not going to be able to cut curves like you could on a piece of wood. Metal cutting blades are 3/4" to 1" wide, so you are pretty well limited to cutting straight lines.---Brian

 

[Stevepearson369@gmail]

Many thanks for your reply what kind of vertical band saw do you use most budget bandsaws are for wood and I have read that the speed is to fast for metal i have spent most of my life making wooden furniture one of the problems I am struggling with as regards choosing the right tool is clamping small parts for cutting safely I probably not explaining myself very well

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Used wood cutting bandsaws are generally for sale in the $200 range. I bought one, and with the addition of a second shaft and pulleys was able to bring it down into the proper blade speed for cutting metal. No other modifications were necessary.

 

[goldstar31]

As you mention 'limited resources' and a 'mini lathe', coulld I ask what sort of mini lathe that you have and secondly, what accessories you possess?

Some mini lathes would struggle at the mention of 40mm moild steel wither in the round or thick.

From my recolection of things, Harold Hall was writing about his Myford Super 7 which might have had a half or two thirds horse power motor. I have a Super7 and a ML10 but my little Unimat 'clone' will struggle with larger sizes and tasks.

As for an Evolution saw, I gave mine away. It certainly cut but the noise was unbearable whilst my second 6 x 4 saw will cut horizontally and vertically. Nothing is perfect but neither is me with a hand hacksaw.

I might give you a clearer picture once we know a little more

Meantime, best regards

Norm

 

[John Antliff]

I used to think that cutting everything with a hackaw frame was virtuous and good muscle training until I had to cut some serious metal one day and it was at that point, I took a punt on buying a Taiwanese Frejoth 64 1/2 inch horizontal band saw. I have never regretted that decision, it will cut up to 180 mm in diameter but be prepared to go off and do something else for an hour or two! I only buy bi-metal blades from a reputable source and I get long service out of them before they succumb to fatigue by which time they have all but lost the set on the teeth anyhow. I have had to improve the basic machine by replacing the guide bearings with some wider ones and the job clamp has been improved. It is in constant daily use and has prevented me from becoming muscle bound and saw shy! It occasionally gets used in the vertical mode when I need to cut some long narrow sheet metal or some kindling for my steam loco.

 

[ShopShoe]

Steve,

I answered in your introduction and I see the same response from others here. I might add that choosing a high-quality blade designed for the material(s) you cut is just as important. I found out early that a poor, dull blade wrongly adjusted could actually work-harden steel I was trying to cut.

--ShopShoe

 

[ShopShoe]

(Slightly OT)

FYI Norman (and other interested readers),

You're right. The venerable Myford.

Harold Hall's website is still up: http://www.homews.co.uk/page463.html

I look at it sometimes just to remind myself what is possible...........

--ShopShoe

 

[goldstar31]

(Slightly OT)

FYI Norman (and other interested readers),

You're right. The venerable Myford.

Harold Hall's website is still up: http://www.homews.co.uk/page463.html

I look at it sometimes just to remind myself what is possible...........

--ShopShoe

I've just returned from the Doncaster Show 2019 and saw TWO New Myford Super 7's .

I hadn't the courage to ask the price but guess the cheapest was £3000+.

I might get the impetus to PAINT mine

Cheers

Norm

 

[bluejets]

I've just returned from the Doncaster Show 2019 and saw TWO New Myford Super 7's .

I hadn't the courage to ask the price but guess the cheapest was £3000+.

I might get the impetus to PAINT mine

Cheers

Norm

Friend of mine bought a new one with quite a lot of accessories.
Base price was just a tad higher than you anticipated at AUD$16,000.00 and with accessories, close to AUD$20,000.00.

 

[bazmak]

I've just returned from the Doncaster Show 2019 and saw TWO New Myford Super 7's .

I hadn't the courage to ask the price but guess the cheapest was £3000+.

I might get the impetus to PAINT mine

Cheers

Norm

Hi Norm,just finished my latest Ml7 in myford blue

 

[Stevepearson369@gmail]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond I value your advice think I will opt for horizontal/vertical band saw

 

[goldstar31]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond I value your advice think I will opt for horizontal/vertical band saw

A wise choice but two points might help
First is to buy a decent blade as the one that I got was miserable and I found that ToolStation had much better ones.

Secondly, you might find the blades etc not cutting square. I made a simple pair of clamps to show and then correct the tilt. Since then, things have never had to altered.
Oh and wear protective gloves when changing the blades.

Above all, enjoy the thing. It saves a lot of exhausting hand sawing

Norm

 

[Stevepearson369@gmail]

A wise choice but two points might help
First is to buy a decent blade as the one that I got was miserable and I found that ToolStation had much better ones.

Secondly, you might find the blades etc not cutting square. I made a simple pair of clamps to show and then correct the tilt. Since then, things have never had to altered.
Oh and wear protective gloves when changing the blades.

Above all, enjoy the thing. It saves a lot of exhausting hand sawing

Norm

Thanks for the advice

 

[DJP]

Watch for a reduced price sale on Bi-Metal (HSS) blades and buy a few. They have an infinite shelf life and when you need a fresh one it's nice to have them handy so that the project doesn't stop. I lubricate my blade with a squirt of WD40 while it is running. This might be VooDoo magic but I feel better doing it.

I think that you will find a horizontal band saw provides many decades of service and probably the reason that metal suppliers use bigger versions of the same type of saw.

 

[OrangeAlpine]

Brian, look at the Lenox "Diemaster" blades. Good quality and available in 1/4" width and tooth count from about 32 to 4. I tried them about 5 years ago and now that is now all I use. The drawback being that straight cuts are only as good as the operator.

Bill

 

[tornitore45]

40 mm can be cut with a hack saw. I use a 4.5" or a 7" angle grinder with a cut off blade for all my blank cutting due to lack of space for a mechanical saw. The only problem is that cutting needs to be done outside because of the sparks and grit.

 

[dethrow55]

i agree with tom an angle grinder with cut off wheel works just fine need a bench vise for round stock, also i use a jig saw with bi-metal blades for flat stock. but of course my lathe and mill are taig so im somewhat limited to size. just my two cents of sense?