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.