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I was wondering if I could put a blade on my band saw that would cut steel tubing and angle iron?

I have a 3/4 hp New refurbished 1956 Mark V with a band saw attachment t

Thanks for the input and advice. I was figuring a band saw would be safer and more accurate than an angle grinder

russsaw wrote:I was wondering if I could put a blade on my band saw that would cut steel tubing and angle iron?

I have a 3/4 hp New refurbished 1956 Mark V with a band saw attachment t

Thanks for the input and advice. I was figuring a band saw would be safer and more accurate than an angle grinder

Four issues you need to think about,

1. Speed, even with the speed reducer the blade is moving fast for metal, I think the PowerPro can get close to a reasonable speed. I know some people have used the PowerPro with the speed reducer and that can get down to 35 RPM which is actually to slow. I think when I did the math you want something around 100 RPM.
2. Lubrication, you really want continious lube and they is messy
3. The correct blade, finding one in the right size may be an issue unless you get it custom sized.
4. What to do with the stuff that gets cut off, unless you can clean the blade before it hits the wheel you will cut up the wheel covering.

All that said I know people have done it successfully and there is an article in a machinist magizine (I can't remember the name) that addresses solutions to all the issues.

russsaw wrote: Thanks for the input and advice. I was figuring a band saw would be safer and more accurate than an angle grinder

I use an angle grinder or a sawzall, and then square up the cut using the disk sander & miter gauge - just remember to put a scrap board on the way tubes under the disk to collect the metal filings.

Even if you could use the bandsaw, you would still need to clean up the blade marks with the disk, so it really doesn't save much time.

For metal cutting I keep one of these:
[ATTACH]14368[/ATTACH]
And one of these:
[ATTACH]14369[/ATTACH]
And one of these:
[ATTACH]14370[/ATTACH]
Then of course this:
[ATTACH]14371[/ATTACH]
And I have one of these (brand not chosen yet) is on my November shopping list:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200313572_200313572
A really impressive tool. I have a couple of friends that have them. They will cleanly cut remarkably heavy stuff.

For thin sheet metal I have an electric nibbler (could work better) and a Black & Decker rolling electric shear (works very well).


.

There is a pulley system to reduce the speed for any shopsmith. Someone here posted a pic and I can send it to you if you pm me your email. It involves 2-2inch and 2 7inch pulleys which will effectively reduce the speed to metal cutting range. You do need to buy a 14 to 16tpi blade but they are easy to find custom made and not too expensive. All the other points above are true regarding the chips etc.

unless you can clean the blade before it hits the wheel you will cut up the wheel covering.

How is that done with metal cutting bandsaws?

My 4x6 metal cutting bandsaw ( like #2 in robinsons post above) does not have tires on the metal wheels.........the blade rides directly on the wheel with the blade's teeth outboard of the wheel rim.

@robinson46176's Avatar
robinson46176

Of the five tools you listed please tell me which you would recommend if you were going to only buy one?

I don't know what the names of the first two tool images you posted are. I know the sawzaw, torch, angle grinder, and Industrial 7 1/4in. Metal Cutting Saw.

I was going to use it to cut 2"steel tubing and angle iron. I probably not use the tool all that often, but who knows. currently wanting to build a steel cart.

robinson46176 wrote:For metal cutting I keep one of these:
[ATTACH]14368[/ATTACH]
And one of these:
[ATTACH]14369[/ATTACH]
And one of these:
[ATTACH]14370[/ATTACH]
Then of course this:
[ATTACH]14371[/ATTACH]
And I have one of these (brand not chosen yet) is on my November shopping list:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200313572_200313572
A really impressive tool. I have a couple of friends that have them. They will cleanly cut remarkably heavy stuff.

For thin sheet metal I have an electric nibbler (could work better) and a Black & Decker rolling electric shear (works very well).


.

russsaw wrote:@robinson46176's Avatar
robinson46176

Of the five tools you listed please tell me which you would recommend if you were going to only buy one?

I don't know know even what the first two images are called. I know the sawzaw, torch, angle grinder, and Industrial 7 1/4in. Metal Cutting Saw.

I was going to use it to cut 2"steel tubing and angle iron. I probably not use the tool all that often, but who knows. currently wanting to build a steel cart.

The first is an abrasive cutoff wheel. Think chop saw for metal.

The second is a horizontal band saw.


I would prefer the first, but the second has a smaller 'kerf'.

The sawzall is not very 'accurate', and the torch has a bunch of 'issues'.

russsaw wrote:I was going to use it to cut 2"steel tubing and angle iron.

And the THICKNESS of this steel?