Band saws are not suitable for cutting very thin sheet metal; a rule of thumb suggests the metal to be cut should be thicker than the depth of 3 band saw blade teeth, however they are excellent for cutting thin walled profiles such as box and angle. Blades with a higher tpi provide a smoother cut edge whereas blades with a lower tpi make light work of cutting through thicker metal stock. For cuts using a cordless band saw; ensure the workpiece is secure, line up the blade to the intended cut line and lower the blade into the metal.
I’ve wondered about this, too-I think I remember the guys at Sears telling me the metal saws go 23 or 33 percent slower…I don’t exactly remember the numbers. Sears does sell a two-speed bandsaw for wood and metal. Knowing the FPS of the saw currently would also be a good number to know.
The constant turning of the band forms a formidable cutting action of the band as the material being cut is moved through the blade. It’s a fine addition to any woodworking shop and versatile enough to cut not only wood but also metal and other materials. Generally speaking, blades intended for cutting wood will have larger teeth and a low TPI. The teeth will angle down, cutting down through the wood rather than angled up that can lift the wood as it is being cut.
Too often, a homeowner or hobbiest tries to cut metal with the wood cutting bandsaw they have. The saw is mainly used for wood but on occasion I cut metal. As you can see above, the reason for his inablility to cut stainless had nothing to do with the blade, but everything to do with the saw.
Since Candoff is a machinist, it wasn’t much trouble for him to work out a speed reduction solution by adding a second set of pulleys and convert his wood cutting bandsaw to a metal bandsaw. Candoff’s Rockwell wood saw uses one pair of pulleys to connect the electric motor to a second set of the 1:1 pulleys used for the blade. Primary Pulley System Secondary Pulley System Drive pulley diameter: 2 inches Drive pulley diameter: 3.5 Driven pulley diameter: 12 inches Driven pulley diameter: 13.5 Primary underdrive ratio: 6:1 Secondary underdrive ratio: 3.85:1 Motor speed: 1,800 rpm Motor speed: 300 rpm Primary driven pulley shaft speed:1,800 / 6 = 300 rpm Secondary driven pulley shaft speed:300 / 3.85:1 = 78 rpm We also measured the diameter of the pulley that drives the blade.
All of these are great for straight cuts but not too good for curves, especially tight curves. “These days I use a plasma cutter for most metal. It will cut perfectly straight cuts with a straight edge guide. It will cut circles and arcs with a simple jig. Tight curves and freehand cuts are easy. It will cleanly cut thicknesses in steel from sheet to 1/2”. It will easily cut stainless steel which gives other blades grief. For precision work, a real metal-cutting bandsaw would be my choice – slow speeds for steel, a variety of blades, and built-in welder so a blade can be cut and rewelded for internal cuts.
can a bandsaw be used to cut metal Related Question:
What is the difference between a metal cutting band saw and a wood cutting band saw?
A metal cutting bandsaw is typically built more solidly than a saw designed for cutting wood, so there are no issues with the machine itself. As for the blade, the wood fibers could clog the metal blade’s teeth more quickly, and the blade will probably cut through the wood more slowly.
Can a bandsaw cut hardened steel?
Carbide band saw blades provide high wear resistance and toughness when cutting a variety of applications such as: case hardened steels, spring steels, high speed steels, nickel based alloys, case hardened steels, composite graphite, high nickel alloys, titanium, inconnel, and other exotic metals.
Can I put a metal cutting blade on my band saw?
Salem Straub. Typically if you run a metal blade on a wood bandsaw the excessive speed (2000 sfpm+) of the wood saw will knock the teeth off of your metal cutting blade in a hurry. You could make it work, but you would have to slow the blade drive wheel way down. Think 250 sfpm to 80 sfpm.
What is the difference between a wood bandsaw and a metal bandsaw?
The problem with wood saws is that they spin too fast, typically with blade speeds of 600 to 2,600 feet per minute (fpm). Cutting metal demands much slower speeds, so a metal bandsaw spins around 100 to 300 fpm.
Can you use a band saw to cut wood?
With the correct blade, a band saw can cut wood or metal, in either curves or straight lines. Blades come in a variety of widths and tooth counts. Narrower blades are good for tighter curves, while wider blades are better at straight cuts.
What materials can a bandsaw cut?
Most bandsaws have two wheels rotating in the same plane, one of which is powered. The blade itself can come in a variety of sizes and tooth pitch (teeth per inch, or TPI) which enables the machine to be highly versatile and able to cut a wide variety of materials including wood, metal and plastic.
Can a bandsaw cut aluminum?
Band saws generally make sense for aluminum stock of 6 in. diameter and larger and for shops that are interested in high-speed cutting of aluminum but also frequently cut other materials.
What will cut through hardened steel?
If a clean cut is desired when cutting through hardened steel, or if the steel’s hardness must be retained, a fine toothed hacksaw will work wonderfully, though the process is long and will require a great deal of intense effort.
Will a diamond blade cut hardened steel?
These blades are extremely hard, heat-resistant, and impact-resistant. They are typically 8 TPI. Diamond Grit blades also cut hardened steel, however they are expensive and take longer to cut through the material.
Can you cut wood with a metal cutting blade?
You can use a metal blade to cut wood. A circular saw blade cut metal in a sluggish rotational speed of 25m/s. They are driven by a motor having high power and an A/C vector drive. They are long lasting and non-reusable.
Can you cut brass with a bandsaw?
A good, sharp, real metal cutting blade will allow you to cut brass or aluminum like butter in a decent wood band saw. Don’t use a wood blade or a friction cut in a wood bandsaw. And whatever you do, DON’T try to cut steel. The blade speed is too fast on a wood band saw and it is really not rigid enough for steel.
What is the difference between metal and wood?
In context|music|lang=en terms the difference between wood and metal. is that wood is (music) a woodwind instrument while metal is (music) characterized by strong, fast drum-beats and distorted guitars.
How can you tell if a metal saw is real?
Both saws teeth will have a set on them to clear sawn material . However wood saws teeth tend to be vertical and v shaped whereas metal teeth will be slanted and can be placed in the saw with the teeth facing towards you or away from you depending on which way you prefer , they are generally finer and closer together .
What is the difference between a wood blade and a metal blade?
Metal Cutting Blades have more teeth per inch for cutting harder, denser materials. They are typically 10 to 18 TPI, but can go as high as 24 TPI. They are also used for finish cuts in wood because they leave a smooth edge.
What speed should you cut metal with on a band saw?
To cut steel, you’ll need to run the machine at a much slower speed — about a hundred feet per minute. A machine running at this speed might look like it’s running too slowly, but running it any faster almost guarantees that you’ll damage the blade.