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+-- Thread: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? (/showthread.php?tid=7127002)
Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - DogwoodTales - 10-25-2015
The subject line pretty much sums it up.
I've never used my cheap 10" band saw for metal cutting and don't know that I ever would use a band saw for metal cutting - at least not very often. The only metal things I've ever had to cut did not require precision and I cut with my reciprocating saw.
So for what reasons do you use two speeds on a band saw for woodworking?
Thanks!
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - JGrout - 10-25-2015
there is not one
other than a marketing bullet point
that the manufacturer cannot give a reason for having two speeds for
except the ability to slow it down for metal cutting
Joe
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - Doug_H - 10-25-2015
Band saws are used in a lot of industries to cut a lot of things. The BS mfr in China does not care what the saw is used for as long as it sells. Even if the primary market is WW, perhaps the economics work out for sticking another pulley on it and opening up a secondary market.
If you mean, what good is it for you? I would not cut metal with my BS
Doug
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - Robert Adams - 10-25-2015
Will also add that many saws are underpowered and when re sawing the slower speed increases the torque so your can actually make the cut.
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - JGrout - 10-25-2015
Robert Adams said:
Will also add that many saws are underpowered and when re sawing the slower speed increases the torque so your can actually make the cut.
that would only make the cut worse..
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - DogwoodTales - 10-25-2015
Hmm ... That actually makes sense regardless of the hp of the given motor.
Just like when I down shift in my car to drive more easily up a hill.
Those with experience in resawing please confirm, but when resawing doesn't one use a more aggressive blade? Does a slower speed have a benefit in resawing?
I suppose it might result in a more rough cut on the wood, but if it re-saws the wood then it can be smoothed out afterwords.
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - thewizzard - 10-25-2015
Non-ferrus metals, plastics, thick dense hard-woods, resawing. Ferrous metals require speeds much-much-much-much slower.
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - JGrout - 10-25-2015
a slower band speed only promotes slower waste removal causing heat causing barrel cutting or other undesirable effects a Sower feed speed is where you fix this issue
The point of an aggressive fewer teeth per inch is to take the fewest bites per tooth while in the cut. HP does not care if the stock feed is correct. So you can cut successfully with a 1/3 hp BS as a 5 HP one the difference will be in how well the band can remove the sawdust Or the faster the better
You seem to be under the impression that a band saw is like a TS in a cut
it is not
<<<< resawing lumber into veneer for 30 yrs
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - DogwoodTales - 10-25-2015
I know it's not the same as a table saw, but I do not have experience re-sawing.
Thanks for the input!
Re: Why have two speeds on a band saw for WW? - tablesawtom - 10-26-2015
The cutting speed for mild steel is 100 inches a minute. If drilling, because of heat build up, I would use 50 for a CS. The formula is
RPM=CS times 4 divided by the diameter of the cutter, or in this case driving wheel. It will have to be reduced a lot more than the 2 pully speeds to get it correct. One should also have to get a metal cutting blade. The blade should have at least 3 preferably 4 theeth ingaged in the metal at one time.
Also when cutting metal , if you wish the blade to last, the blade needs to be broke in. To do that about 50- 100 feet of metal needs to be cut at half feed.
I just don't think it is a good Idea to cut metal on a wood cutting band saw. I would use a tablesaw (never steel) or a variable speed scroll saw first.
Tom