DoAll Bandsaw for Brian

[Brian Rupnow]

I have really big hands and fingers. The VFD for my bandsaw has a whole bunch of programing buttons on it that I never want to touch, as well as the on and off buttons, a dial to select saw speed, and a read out. Today I made a shield that covers up all of the buttons that are not on/off switches, and has a window in it for me to see the read out display, and left me access to the dial. Saw is working good, and I don't ever want to accidently press a button that changes anything in the programming.

 

[Gordon]

Do you set the speed with the VFD or are just using the mechanical VS sheaves?

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Gordon--I don't know yet. I only want to access two speeds. One for cutting steel at 175 fpm blade speed, and one for cutting aluminum at 875 fpm blade speed. The red read out on the VFD is directly related to RPM, so I would like to set it from the VFD. I put new batteries in my hand held laser/tachometer to get a reading on what rpm the band wheels are turning at, but I can't get it to take a reading. Perhaps the band wheels are turning too slowly for it.

 

[Gordon]

You should be able to put a mark on the blade and time it. The blade is 10 ft long so you can calculate the speed. I have put a remote rheostat and seperate switch on one I have on my lathe and mill.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

That's a good idea, and I never thought of that. The blade is exactly 120" long. I have a hand held laser/tachometer but it's not working right. It's like everything else that runs on batteries and only gets used once or twice a year. Even with new batteries there is something screwy about it. I just checked on the price of the old style tachometers with a rubber contact wheel, and the prices they are listed at are way beyond what I would pay for something so seldom used. I think my wife has a stop watch, so maybe a mark on the blade and a stop watch will get me to where want.

 

[Gordon]

Just time something like 10 cycles and you will be close enough. Everything is proportional so once you know the speed at say 500 rpm you also know that it is twice that at 1000 rpm.

 

[L98fiero]

That's a good idea, and I never thought of that. The blade is exactly 120" long. I have a hand held laser/tachometer but it's not working right. It's like everything else that runs on batteries and only gets used once or twice a year. Even with new batteries there is something screwy about it. I just checked on the price of the old style tachometers with a rubber contact wheel, and the prices they are listed at are way beyond what I would pay for something so seldom used. I think my wife has a stop watch, so maybe a mark on the blade and a stop watch will get me to where want.

If the tach uses reflective strips or light/dark variations just paint a ring of light/dark sections with 5, 10 or more divisions then divide the results by that number.

 

[JLaning427]

If you are up for an electrical adventure, most VFD's have the ability to switch between a couple (sometimes as many as 5 or 6) preset speeds. You could set presets for 50 to 100 fpm (for tool steel), 175 fpm, and 875 fpm in low range.

Does that saw have a hi / low transmission? If so, you might want to figure out a good wood setting (~3000 fpm) too.

Congrats on getting it running. A bit of an adventure it was.

James

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Today was spent rearranging things in the garage and cleaning and rerouting air lines. I am going to sell my small metal cutting bandsaw and an enormous old power hacksaw that I made about 50 years ago when I was doing a lot of wrought iron railing, and my dewatering manifold for my air compressor. My machinists equipment has spilled over into my main garage to the point that I am taking flak from "She who parks her car in the garage". I'm tired tonight, but the garage is a lot cleaner and more organized.---Brian

 

[Courierdog]

Yes! She who must be obeyed must also approve.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Yayyyyyy!!!--I sold my old wood-cutting bandsaw which I added a shaft and pulleys to so it would cut metal for $200, and last night I sold my 50 year old power hacksaw for $100. This frees up considerable room in my main garage (On the side where I used to park my hot-rod), and leaves lots of room on my wife's side of the garage to park her Honda. I have just had two weeks of not making anything, and I'm enjoying the break. I'm still doing a bit of machine design for an old customer, and right now that seems to be enough to fill up my time.---Brian

 

[trlvn]

I wish I'd had an opportunity at the power hacksaw...if it was functional at all, $100 was a steal! The bandsaw at $200 was also a heck of a bargain.

Craig

 

[MRA]

Hey Brian - how much slower did you run your old bandsaw, for metal?
cheers
Mark

 

[Dopy]

Yayyyyyy!!!--I sold my old wood-cutting bandsaw which I added a shaft and pulleys to so it would cut metal for $200, and last night I sold my 50 year old power hacksaw for $100. This frees up considerable room in my main garage (On the side where I used to park my hot-rod), and leaves lots of room on my wife's side of the garage to park her Honda. I have just had two weeks of not making anything, and I'm enjoying the break. I'm still doing a bit of machine design for an old customer, and right now that seems to be enough to fill up my time.---Brian

Hi.....i'm a newbee to this forum. This is my first time writing..
I have a Craftex 601......and my spindle gets really hot after a few minuteß at high speed.....can only hold it for 2 seconds.
Any ideas??
Tony (that much older and dumber Tony)

 

[ShopShoe]

Brian,

I know you don't like electrical and electronic adventures, but does your VFD have the capability for adding remote buttons? If I was in your situation and had that ability I would probably add a remote control box with great big industrial buttons.

(File the above in the "check this out" file or the other round file as you see fit)

Posted with encouragement and best intentions,

--ShopShoe

 

[payner]

Brian . Good job on freeing up some of that valuable floor space .
Bill

 

[ajoeiam]

Hi.....i'm a newbee to this forum. This is my first time writing..
I have a Craftex 601......and my spindle gets really hot after a few minuteß at high speed.....can only hold it for 2 seconds.
Any ideas??
Tony (that much older and dumber Tony)

I'd be checking my bearings for starters.
Could be the electric motor overheating too but that I'd love for some input from some that are more into electric motors than I.
IIRC 85 C is a max for electric motor internal temperatures before degredation starts.
I think I'd want it lower than 70 C myself.
My hands may be desensitized from grabbing far too many hot pieces but I can handle 70 C for more than 2 seconds.

 

[ajoeiam]

Brian . Good job on freeing up some of that valuable floor space .
Bill

I'd be checking my bearings for starters.
Could be the electric motor overheating too but that I'd love for some input from some that are more into electric motors than I.
IIRC 85 C is a max for electric motor internal temperatures before degredation starts.
I think I'd want it lower than 70 C myself.
My hands may be desensitized from grabbing far too many hot pieces but I can handle 70 C for more than 2 seconds.

A friend of mine has used some ingenious solutions to mazimize his floor space.
A lot of machines swivel so when not in use they are parallel to the wall - - - and swung out for use.
So his smallish bandsaw (might be a 7 x 9) only takes some couple feet of floor space from the wall when not in use.
His swivel is bolted to the wall and is very easy to use.
Some tools are a lot more difficult to shrink the footprint on (lathes, mills and the like!) especially when they need to be accurately leveled.

HTH

 

[Brian Rupnow]

MRA---150 foot per minute blade speed.