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Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:23 pm
by SteveHGraham
I have a 19" vertical band saw for woodworking. I also have a 2-HP 3-phase motor sitting around doing nothing. I am thinking it would be good to put the motor in the saw, add a VFD, and use it for metal as well as wood.

My question: is a vertical band saw handy for metalworking, or is it a waste of a good VFD? Will I actually use it?

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 7:33 pm
by John Hasler
My vertical bandsaw (used to be a horizontal) is one of the most used machines in my shop.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:12 pm
by whateg0
I use my 4x6 in vertical mode quite a bit. It's under powered for use as vertical, though, so it's slow. Some will say that a woodworking saw isn't rigid enough to cut metal. Even with a VFD, you might need to pulley it down depending on the motor's rpm. I'd go for it!

Dave

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:26 pm
by Russ Hanscom
For the type of work I do, a vertical metal cutting bandsaw is great. Used to have a 14" Delta, to which I added a 4:1 speed reducer, and it cut more metal than wood. I now have 16" Doall for metal. I find it much more versatile, especially for odd angle cuts, or ripping, or other things a horizontal saw is just not set up to do.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:12 am
by RSG
If I had one I'd use it often! Thankfully I have access to one at another shop.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 10:53 am
by SteveHGraham
I may do it. The VFD will set me back a few dollars, however.

I might go Chinese just for the heck of it. Some people claim to get good performance from them.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 5:21 pm
by GlennW
Use it all the time. Mainly for flat stock and sheet.

Slicing 7" 4140 Pre Hard.
DSC02020-1.jpg
Not sure I could do that as easily on a horizontal.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:14 pm
by SteveHGraham
Is that a $39 Harbor Freight tool cart? Those things are wonderful.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:46 pm
by GlennW
Pretty sure the red one is!

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:54 pm
by BadDog
I absolutely love my vertical, but I don't want to lose my 2 horizontals.

Vertical is a 20" RollIn Diemaster. Nice big tilting automatic feed table with up to 1" bands. Eats big chunks like nothing. But I use it mostly for stuff that fits on the table. Cutting structural material is easier done on the Horizontal. I've had it now about 4 years I think.

Middle saw is a Wellsaw 58b. A very good little horizontal, but far from top of the line. It gets most of my heavier wall structural stuff, and usually keeps a blade suitable for such things mounted so it's easy to press into service as needed. I've had it for maybe 10 years.

Small saw is the ubiquitous HF 4x6 with a few upgrades. It usually keeps a finer blade for thinner walled structural material. But is most often found in it's vertical orientation where it's used for small thin wall hand work. I've had that one since around 2000 or so.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 7:21 pm
by GlennW
Russ's vertical is the same as mine above. I've had mine since the late 1970's and it just runs and runs, although I did replace the motor earlier this year. One of the best things I've ever bought.

Re: Vertical Band Saw: Useful?

Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 9:00 pm
by SteveM
I got my dad's 1920's-1930's Wallace 16" bandsaw.

Has a DC motor (yes, they were available with DC motors in the 1920's) and dad made a speed control for it, so it can go slow enough to cut metal.

Just picked up some bandsaw blade stock on ebay and I will have blades from 1/8" 32tpi to 1" 2tpi.

The narrower blades are great for cutting out shapes in sheet metal. The wider ones for helping your cut go straight.

The 2tpi is for cutting thick pieces of wood. I need to get 4tpi and 8tpi to have a "complete set".

I can grind and silver solder a blade in about 10 minutes with an ordinary torch.

Steve