Bandsaw cutting speed question

[Brian Rupnow]

I have an older "Jet" 14" vertical bandsaw, which is billed as being able to cut "wood or metal". It has a jackshaft and second set of pulleys, as made in the factory. As near as I can figure out, the blade speed on its slowest setting is 677 foot per minute. This works great on brass and aluminum, but according to everything I read on the subject, it should have a blade speed of 250 foot per minute to cut mild steel. I am about to add a second jackshaft and set of pulleys which will slow it down to the 250 FPM, but I am curious as to whether it will still cut my brass and aluminum bits okay at that reduced speed. I don't want to have to frig around changing belts to different pulley steps when I switch from cutting steel to cutting aluminum.

 

[John S]

Yes it will still cut but slower.

A while ago I bought a large horizontal bandsaw with the gearbox missing, I got it reasonable because the guy didn't know the box was missing until I rolled up to collect it. The gearboxes on these are a cone type variable speed and prone to breaking and also rare because of that.

I realised that the big Startright we had at work never had the speed changed as no one in the Engineering shop could be bothered and it was lft on one speed so I looked at what speed it was, worked out what revs I needed to get this speed and hunted out a secondhand geared motor.

15 years later this single speed motor is still on the saw and going well.

.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Thanks John