Cutting aluminum on a band saw
Cutting aluminum on a band saw
I have been cutting aluminum on my wood working band saw and it was going great, but after 2 months, the urethane tires on the wheels broke apart. It seems the aluminum chips get embedded in the tire material and get pressed in by the pressure of the blade against the tire. My question is: how can I cut aluminum on a band saw without destroying the tires? Metal cutting band saws are big and expensive.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
-
- Posts: 366
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:36 am
- Location: Bohemia, NY
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
See if a softer material is available for the tires, rather than urethane, which tends to be "hard" and more prone to cracking or breaking once cut by the chips. My big Doall has rubber tires of some sort and I have had no problems with them.
Nyle
Nyle
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
In addition to the suggestion about a softer material for the blade wheels, perhaps you can rig up a means of diverting chips away from the lower wheel.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult. All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!
Music isn’t at all difficult. All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
Air nozzle under the table to blow the crap off the blade.
"Never trust a man who puts a witty quote in his sig line." -Mark Twain
- Frank Ford
- Posts: 594
- Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:41 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Contact:
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
I've been cutting aluminum for decades on my 14" Delta vertical wood cutting saw without incident. Switched to urethane tires some ten years ago and while they do get chips stuck on 'em, I've yet to see any downside.
Cheers,
Frank Ford
Frank Ford
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
My band saw is a 14" with a riser block. The urethane tires are 2 years old.What type of blade are you using? I cut mostly 1/4" and less using a 4TPI skip tooth blade (Starrett). Do you think the number of teeth could be the problem? I admit I don't keep the tires clean of sawdust or metal chips. I do have a 4x6 metal cutting band saw, but I use it to cut much thicker materials and it is not so good at cutting curves.Frank Ford wrote:I've been cutting aluminum for decades on my 14" Delta vertical wood cutting saw without incident. Switched to urethane tires some ten years ago and while they do get chips stuck on 'em, I've yet to see any downside.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
- Frank Ford
- Posts: 594
- Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:41 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Contact:
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
Mine is also setup with riser block for wood resawing. Mostly I'm using skip or hook tooth, 4 to 6 teeth, 1/2" wide. I got close to 40 years out of the original tires, and switched to urethane ones after my other 14" metal cutting Delta (made in 1943) had its original tires start to slip and roll up a bit. I replaced both sets of tires at the same time with those stretch-on orange urethane ones. I always have a thick coating of embedded chips in the tires of both saws.
Cheers,
Frank Ford
Frank Ford
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
Did you mean 14 TPI?Mr Ron wrote: I cut mostly 1/4" and less using a 4TPI skip tooth blade (Starrett).
Cutting 1/4" and thinner aluminum with single tooth or less engagement could be interesting!
Perhaps you are over tensioning the blade to wear the tires.
Blade width would also make a difference, as Frank's use of 1/2" wide blades is much easier on tires then a 1/4" wide blade.
Glenn
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
Thanks for your response to my situation. BTW, I lived in San Rafael for close to 30 years before coming to Ms, pursuing my career in shipbuilding. There was a business somewhere around where you live that sold all kinds of used machine tools and machine shop equipment. It was somewhere around the SP RR tracks. I sure miss having a place like that.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
I was using a 1/2" wide skip tooth blade with 4TPI. I'm sure it is not over tensioned. The spring is not strong enough on most 14" band saws to even come close to the recommended tension. After replacing the tires, I will try a blade with more teeth; maybe 8-12TPI and see if that helps. I will also try to keep the tires clean.GlennW wrote: Cutting 1/4" and thinner aluminum with single tooth or less engagement could be interesting!
Perhaps you are over tensioning the blade to wear the tires.
Blade width would also make a difference, as Frank's use of 1/2" wide blades is much easier on tires then a 1/4" wide blade.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
-
- Posts: 1955
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
I had a 14" Delta knockoff and cut mainly steel and aluminum for close to 20 years before I upgraded saws; never had a problem with the tires - the originals were still on it when I sold it. I ran mainly 1/2" wide blades and 10-14 or 6-10 tooth count.
I rigged up a wiper system to clear chips but it required frequent adjustment as the wiper wore - so not very effective.
I rigged up a wiper system to clear chips but it required frequent adjustment as the wiper wore - so not very effective.
Re: Cutting aluminum on a band saw
Hi There,
that has at least 2 teeth in contact with the stock at all times.
Cutting 1/4" stock with a 4TPI blade has only one tooth in contact.
An 8TPI blade would be a better choice for 1/4" stock.
Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb
The "rule of thumb" with bandsaw blades is to choose a bladeMr Ron wrote:I was using a 1/2" wide skip tooth blade with 4TPI. I'm sure it is not over tensioned. The spring is not strong enough on most 14" band saws to even come close to the recommended tension. After replacing the tires, I will try a blade with more teeth; maybe 8-12TPI and see if that helps. I will also try to keep the tires clean.
that has at least 2 teeth in contact with the stock at all times.
Cutting 1/4" stock with a 4TPI blade has only one tooth in contact.
An 8TPI blade would be a better choice for 1/4" stock.
Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb