wood bandsaw

[deloid]

I have a wood bandsaw 1 1/2 Hp 110. I was wondering if it makes sense to add a rheostat to slow it down to metal cutting speed. The biggest problem I see is a loss of power with the dropped speed but perhaps the motor is big enough to start with?
Thoughts?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You could change the motor and add a VFD, but that wouldn't be cost effective. Even if you did that, the saw isn't made to take the abuse that metal cutting will give it. Keep it for wood and get a cheap HF metal saw or a porta-band.

 

[deloid]

You could change the motor and add a VFD, but that wouldn't be cost effective. Even if you did that, the saw isn't made to take the abuse that metal cutting will give it. Keep it for wood and get a cheap HF metal saw or a porta-band.

You're right Stacy. I guess I'll have to flip a coin and choose one of those three options.

 

[Mahoney]

What type of bandsaw? Modern, flimsy and made mostly of sheet metal and pot metal, or old and made mostly of cast iron? If it's the latter, and it is v-belt drive, you could consider putting a "countershaft" on it to reduce the speed. Delta used to make bandsaws that could be used for wood or metal depending on which pulleys you put the drive belts on