Difference between bandsaws

[ronan]

Whats the difference between woodworking bandsaws and metalworking bandsaws ? Is it blade speed or are the metalworking ones built heavier or are they the same basically ?

 

[brightspark]

Whats the difference between woodworking bandsaws and metalworking bandsaws ? Is it blade speed or are the metalworking ones built heavier or are they the same basically ?

blade speed and blade type as for machines theres heavy duty or light duty depending on the make. woodworking saws are vertical cut . metal can be vertical and horizontal

 

[ben8vgte]

Blade speed needs to be slower for metal, a nice old startrite will have pulleys for both..

 

[Andy Wilson]

I have found the blade runs hotter on a metal specific bandsaw. I found this out when I melted the tyres on mine! The blade guards and lift outs are made of steel or alloy instead of plastic normally found on a wood saw. If you don't push things a wood saw can deal with light section and profiles.a good spray of cutting lube helps too.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Cutting ferrous on a bandsaw needs a lot slower blade speed then when cutting timber.

 

[Stueeee]

As well as the slower blade speed, for cutting steel plate the machine needs the kind of rigidity not found in some of the really cheap DIY type bandsaws. Even with a metal cutting blade, there aren't that many teeth on the metal being cut, a heavy machine will just grunt through the work where a machine with a lightweight frame will struggle.