Wood to metal bandsaw conversion speed?

**ISKI** · 08-06-2010, 10:17 AM

Anyone convert a 14inch band saw for wood to metal. I have been using my small 12 in no horse power craftsman band saw to cut thin metal as the saw is disposable. I want to put some pulleys on my 14 Delta, but wonder what speed I want to end up with for metal cutting. I am thinking about 60 rpm. Anyone have experience with the conversion?
Thanks

**KHK** · 08-06-2010, 02:17 PM

This should not be a problem, but you need more information. How fast does the 14 in saw move the saw blade? This is normaly in ft/min or in/min. How fast do you want the metal blade to rum?
Is there a gear box on the saw?
What size pulleys are on the saw, and motor?

Please provide and we will try to help.

**ISKI** · 08-06-2010, 07:31 PM

I have the older Delta Rockwell Model No. 28-207 so no gear box for reduction. The pulleys are hidden, and I have not opened up the back as it works fine for wood as it, but I would guess from the pulley housing that we have a 3:1 reduction. So with a 14.2 in wheel, we have 44.6 inch circumference. With a 3:1 reduction we have 1750/3 = 583 rpm for a total of 26,002 inches per min. This works great on wood, but I don't know where I want to sit for cutting metal. I use the craftsman for 1/2inch and thinner aluminum and it pushes the machines limits.

Thanks

**KHK** · 08-06-2010, 09:53 PM

WoW 26,002 in/min?? This sounds real high. If that is the case you will need to reduce by a factor of 10. For steal the norm is from 80 to 300 FPM or 960 in/min to 3600 in/min.
I think you do have a gear box built into the casting of the saw.
To check it out place a piece of tape on the saw blade and manualy turn the saw input shaft 1 turn and measure the blade movement.

**ISKI** · 08-08-2010, 02:25 PM

Will do, and thanks. I'll look again, but the original owner remade the base with a curved wooden panels over the belts, and I have never opened it to see whats in the base.

**whitescout** · 08-09-2010, 08:09 PM

Some of those models were wood/metal bandsaws, that had a lever to pull out to engage a gear box to slow them down. If yours does not, i can think of two different ways to slow the saw down.

The first one, would be to change out pulleys, or add extra pulleys that you can switch to when you want to cut metal.( like drill presses have)

The second idea would be to hook up a VFD to change the speed of the motor thus slowing the speed of the blade.

**ISKI** · 08-10-2010, 07:40 AM

I am going to add more pulleys. I'll look at adding a jackshaft to the band saw and one of my wood lathes. I also am looking at using the wax bars for lubrication. Any suggestions on best brands etc?

thanks

**rustycase** · 04-21-2011, 10:47 AM

As said above, it's the IPS or FPS speed that is used, rather than RPM when selecting cutting speed.
I had a Rockwell that ran WAY fast and swapped out a sheave on the primary reduction with a hardware store offering for a swamp cooler.
Slowed it WAY down!
I've heard where some people with enough motivating horsepower had cut the transmission from a small motorcycle engine and adapted it to make a 5 speed gearbox.
I'd like to try that one day...
The bandsaw I'm using now only has a half-horse on it, so there's not much power to spare for driving a transmission.
...LoL... This one uses an 80" blade... of which there is NOT a good selection locally.

Good luck
rc