I have a friend that will give me a bandsaw for free if I want it. It is a meat saw from a butcher shop. Has anyone here ever converted one of these to cut metal with? I'm sure I will have to put better blade guides on it, but what else? Maybe make it variable speed with a step pulley?
Do a search there was someone who posted specific instructions on how to do it properly. Good luck it's not the difficult.
Found the tech article for you http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=223009&highlight=bandsaw+conversion
Gotta slow it down for sure, Iv'e been lookin at these, it's a variable frequency drive, looks like it should work and would be a hell of a lot cheaper than a new gear box. Don't know what HP ya got, or if single or 3 phase, but here's one link from ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Hitachi-VFD-Inv...ryZ78192QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
There is a old guy up here that took a really beefy wood band saw years ago and geared it down with a transmission from a lawn tractor,...... he is still using it after like 20 years ! (strange but true). He said that with the wide variations in gearing, he can change blades, shift it into a gear from first to fifth and use it for just about anything.
You can cut thin sheet ( up to about 0.060 ) with a worn out fine tooth blade at wood/meat speed. The sheet glows red at the cut, and the tooth profile draws air in to produce a thermal cut. Cuts really fast! The blades don't last very long - but if they are too blunt to cut conventionally its no loss.
If anyone is interested I have a horizontal pivoting band saw for sale, never thought to list it on here. The one I have is made for metal, but it's not the upright type you guys are talking about. If anyone could use it send me a PM. I'm in norhtern NJ and I'll let it go cheap. Just thought I would mention it.
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