Converting wood band saw to metal cutting - blade guides

[Pacer]

I have seen many posts in and around wood band saws being converted over to use for metal cutting, the biggest issue being to slow the blade speed down. I had did that with a gear box and pulleys, but there was another wood saw feature I didnt like - those crappy little metal blocks for blade guides. Heres some pics of what I did to help in getting rid of those by using guides off a small metal saw. (I must note here that a member of this forum offered the guides to me for just paying for shipping - aint these forums great!)

Heres the saw, a 16" import with the gear box visible on the side


This is the original guides - I had already broken a piece off the top pot metal bracket, using it on metal


This is the top bracket, before & after - a simple piece of 3/8" plate with some quick, easy machining was all it took.


Here it is mounted, I've gotta tinker with it a little more to get more bearing contact on the blade, but I see how to do that and it shouldnt be a problem.

 

[GWRdriver]

I have to do this job also, on a 14" Rockwell #28-245. It's all done but the guides, and I keep thinking that because this saw was in production for a very long time someone somewhere has come up with THE definitve way to do it (the guides that is) but I haven't found that yet. I just need to get off my bum and come up with THE definitve way to do it myself.

 

[Old Iron]

I have to do this job also, on a 14" Rockwell #28-245. It's all done but the guides, and I keep thinking that because this saw was in production for a very long time someone somewhere has come up with THE definitve way to do it (the guides that is) but I haven't found that yet. I just need to get off my bum and come up with THE definitve way to do it myself.

Is your saw a Delta/Rockwell ? I have a Delta/Milwaukee wood and metal I could take pictures of the guides if that would help.

Paul

 

[GWRdriver]

Paul,
Yes it's a Delta. Ideally what I'd like to do is determine what makes a first-rate blade guide a first rate blade guide, and then make one that does that. This could be fabricated, a weldment, or it could be as involved as making a pattern and having a cast iron bracket made. Pictures of good industrial metal bandsaw guides would be helpful. A tool & diemaker friend of mine once very succesfully converted a surplus butcher's meat saw to metal cutting saw which he used for many years and in his opinion the weakest link in a converted saw (converted from any prior use) was the upper guide vertical support bar and clamp. So I'll be looking at the entire assembly to see if and how that might be made more rigid.

 

[Pacer]

the weakest link in a converted saw (converted from any prior use) was the upper guide vertical support bar and clamp

I believe I would agree with that, especially on the saws that are like mine. Its never gonna be real metal cutter. I've got 2 dedicated horizontal metal cutters, but that wood conversion sure comes in handy,

I dont think it would be too difficult to make up a guide out of plate, with maybe a weldment or two - if you think it would help, I'll take some close ups of one of the guides you might could get some ideas from.