Do I need to use a special blade in the bandsaw for cutting metal?

[erikmannie]

I just got a bandsaw for free from a woodworker (my Dad). The blade in there now is presumably for cutting wood.

I don’t know much about bandsaws. Should I replace the blade with one made for cutting metal? I never work on wood.

95+% of my work is on mild steel.

This new-to-me bandsaw will be tasked to cut a lot of 45-70 kpsi tensile strength (carbon steel) weld beads.

 

[SLK001]

A wood blade won't work (for long) cutting ferrous metals. You will need a new blade, preferably a bimetal blade made for cutting steel. They are more costly than a woodworking blade, but it is what you need. You'll also need to reduce the speed of the blade - not an easy task for most ww bandsaws.

 

[erikmannie]

Now I see this on the spare blade that came with the saw:



Also:

 

[erikmannie]

Here is the bandsaw. The silver tool in the upper left hand corner is a Birzman crown race setting tool (not an adult toy!):

 

[erikmannie]

A wood blade won't work (for long) cutting ferrous metals. You will need a new blade, preferably a bimetal blade made for cutting steel. They are more costly than a woodworking blade, but it is what you need. You'll also need to reduce the speed of the blade - not an easy task for most ww bandsaws.

Ugh, so how should I proceed to reduce the speed of the blade? This sounds like bad news.

Maybe I should use it as a sander. I was not looking for a bandsaw, as I am happy to torch cut everything.

I can definitely use a belt sander! I don’t know much about this power tool, but now I see this:

Craftsman 12 inch Bandsaw-Sander - MakerFX Wiki!

wiki.makerfx.org

It is sure coming across as a woodworking tool. I will be lucky if I am able to get it to sand carbon steel.

 

[erikmannie]

I think that I am going to proceed to use it as a sander.

I will try some sanding belts & see how that goes.

I will try to buy sanding belts which can be used for metal.

So far I have only found these. Each belt costs a little over $4.

https://www.amazon.com/Econaway-Abrasives-2x80-Assortment-Craftsman/dp/B0722C71NV/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=80%22+sanding+belts&qid=1673181483&sr=8-3

 

[erikmannie]

While I am still moving ahead to use this as a sander, I did run across this blade:

https://www.amazon.com/Imachinist-S801224-24TPI-Bi-metal-Blades/dp/B07PXCL7BH/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=KUK03AV3SS20&keywords=80+inch+bandsaw+blades+for+metal&qid=1673181607&sprefix=80+inch+bandsaw+blades+for+metal%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUjk0TTdQUzNQUDA5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjIyNDQzOUdHUVFSTEE4TU5TJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxMjk0OTIzN1RITzJORzVITUlNJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[682bear]

That saw is not likely to work for steel... without slowing it down a LOT, it will just burn blades up...

Even if you manage to modify it to run slow enough, the frame is not rigid enough... under any pressure, the frame will flex enough to throw the blade off the wheels.

I can't speak to using it as a sander... never seen one used that way.

-Bear

 

[erikmannie]

It looks like it would not be up to sanding metal, either:





So at this point I will not try to ever use it to cut metal. This is fine because I really love the cutting torch.

I will, however, try some of the few sanding belts available.

 

[erikmannie]

It has no backstop for the sanding belt: