Bandsawing blanks

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killharder

Joined
Feb 8, 2011
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Hey guys, I just got a Sears Craftsman bandsaw second hand and I was hoping to use it for my knife blanks. Has anyone here used a standard wood bandsaw with a metal cutting blade for cutting blanks? Would I need to modify it in anyway? Slow it down?
Thanks for the advice.
Happy Memorial Day!
 
It will cost you more to retrofit it into a metal cutting saw than it would to drop by HF and pick up their version of the porta-band. BTW, Memorial day is hardly happy, its a day of remembrance; recalling the memory of the fellow soldiers that we saw fall is hardly one of jubilation.
 
you would need to slow it way down, so much infact that a gear reduction motor would be your best bet
 
carbonsteel928 said:
It will cost you more to retrofit it into a metal cutting saw than it would to drop by HF and pick up their version of the porta-band. BTW, Memorial day is hardly happy, its a day of remembrance; recalling the memory of the fellow soldiers that we saw fall is hardly one of jubilation.
Click to expand...

Your probably right about the retrofit cost I was just wondering if any one had experience doing it and knew what to do or how much it may cost.
As far as Memorial day goes... I know what Memorial day is about. I have great respect for the men and woman who have and do serve our
country and those who have died for our/my Freedom. Thank you
 
A buddy and I did an old delta that had an external drive pulley years ago, and knowing my buddy the way I do, the gear reduction motor he had was a freebee, I posted something about it a year or so ago, stacy pointed out that converting a newer machine might be a hassle because you would need to switch from a flat belt to a v belt, if you shopped around for a cheap gear reduction motor I bet it could be done for less than $100

I have a craftsman 12" and because of the way the pulley system is set up it would be very simple to change out the flat pulley for a v-type, also because of the way the stand is set up, it would be easy to build a platform for the new motor

The best part is you wouldn't need to hack up the saw to convert it, only 4 small bolt holes in the stand for a motor mount
 
John Katt said:
A buddy and I did an old delta that had an external drive pulley years ago, and knowing my buddy the way I do, the gear reduction motor he had was a freebee, I posted something about it a year or so ago, stacy pointed out that converting a newer machine might be a hassle because you would need to switch from a flat belt to a v belt, if you shopped around for a cheap gear reduction motor I bet it could be done for less than $100

I have a craftsman 12" and because of the way the pulley system is set up it would be very simple to change out the flat pulley for a v-type, also because of the way the stand is set up, it would be easy to build a platform for the new motor

The best part is you wouldn't need to hack up the saw to convert it, only 4 small bolt holes in the stand for a motor mount
Click to expand...

Thanks John. I'll see if I can locate that old post and check it out.
 
Here ya go http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/964034-Bandsaw-help-PHOTOS-ADDED

Not much info there, mostly guys pushing the portaband idea or the harbor freight bandsaw converted to a vertical mount, both good ideas ;0)

I have thought about converting my saw, but my thinking is the money you save buying sheet steel to save a few bucks will get burnt up buying bandsaw blades, better to buy steel the correct size, a corse wheel on the bench grinder and a 40 grit belt on the 2x72 and we are only talking about 10 minutes to profile a blade anyhow
 
If you buy good bimetal bandsaw blades, they will last a very long time.
 
Lots of wood cutting bandsaws use rubber or plastic parts in them. They are not intended for, or will put up with hot metal being flung onto them. Make sure yours doesn't have this issue.

The best, easier and probably cheaper bet is to go get a HF portaband for about $65 and some good blades. Build a simple vertical mount and you are ready to roll. No issues to deal with. If I wasn't at work I would post my setup. It works very well...

-Eric
 
+1 for what Eric said.

Wood bandsaws don't have the same level of guides and parts that metal saws have. They may work speed wise when slowed down to 100-200FPM from the 2000-3000FPM a good wood saw runs at, but the guides may wear out and/or cut wandering lines. If the blade has wobble/drift, it can kill the teeth on an expensive bi-metal blade quickly.....adding to the "Good money after Bad" issue.

A HF 7X12 Horizontal/Vertical or PortaBand can work nicely for many years. My 7X12 is going strong 15 years on. I took the arm off the chassis and bolted it to the workbench top. That makes it easy to use and it only takes up a small amount of space. I run it at the slowest speed on its gear ratio (100, IIRC). I use 1/4" wide 14/18TPI Lenox Die-master II Bi-metal blades. I cut hundreds of knife blanks per blade. Don't ry and cut tight curves or you will greatly shorten the life of the blade. Small radius curves and indents can and should be ground in on the belt grinder or filed in by hand.
 
Frankly, it probably makes sense to have separate bandsaws for wood and metal. Trying to use one for both functions that you have to manually switch between functions would be a large time waster in the shop. If changing between functions is as simple as turning a dial (as it is with a portable bandsaw), that's nothing. If it means taking the saw apart, switching gears or belts... then it becomes a time sink.
 
I have to saw my portaband saw and swag table is some of the best money I spent . I use it for so many things . Takes up so little space. Blades are cheap and switching from wood blades to metal blades are quick. Blade does not wander like my old wood band saw. It has some limitations but what tool doesn't. Check Craigslist Milwaukee variable speed saws come up everyday . You can easily fab your own table as well.
 
I've tried cutting knife blanks on my old 9" bandsaw. Set it up properly,reduced speed with a haltbar band saw blade. But it didn't work out really well. The blade cut really good on my 7x12 bandsaw. I suspected that the problem was on the band saw.

If I were you, I would just get a portaband saw , it won't cost you so much.
 
Post pics of the saw. You said it's second hand so I'm wondering exactly how old it is...?

Reasons being, I have an old S&Roebuck saw that has been greatly modified by the original owner and it has a 20:1 worm gear on it, which was original to it's construction... All he needed to do was modify the pulleys.

The earlier bandsaws were built correctly and robustly... Mine is solid steel construction throughout, and I'm canibalizing it for a diy 2x72 grinder...
 
Thanks guys...I thought of purchasing in bulk, but don't know if my welding skills are up to it (also apologies to killharder for veering a bit off-topic).
 
[video=youtube;mzKSk_Zs0Ew]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzKSk_Zs0Ew[/video]

[video=youtube;mq4UmoTKPwY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq4UmoTKPwY[/video]
 
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