Vertical bandsaw for steel?

[Talon Motor Fabrication]

Does any body have a recommendation for a medium size bandsaw that does not take up half a workshop that will cut 40-50mm OD 2>3mm walled tubing? My rational mind says just go a buy a small second hand Startrite and have done with it but my penny pinching mind says what else would be capable of doing the job?

 

[AdrianH]

Hi Phil, how is it going.

Any particular reason for vertical, is that so you can use by hand?

Adrian

 

[Talon Motor Fabrication]

Adrian, did you ever get that chassis on wheels?
I'm looking at making tubular manifolds from pre bent 180' bends and also cutting rollcage tubing mid bend. I've been using an angle grinder with a cutting disk and then trimming square with the mill but it's a time consuming way of doing things.

 

[AdrianH]

No still got the chassis in a relatives garage done very little on the original kit of recent time.

I would think providing you do not wish to turn the blade mid cut you could use one of the Machinemart or Chester, or any other type bandsaws that will go to the vertical position. The blades are typically 12.5mm wide by 25 thou thick.

I thought the smaller ones were only for wood unless you can get a fine TPI blade.

Adrian

 

[Talon Motor Fabrication]

I Brought one of the small 250-300w 200m throat verticals with a metal blade but it just stalled every 3-4mm while cutting so I sold it on after 3 hours of having it. I have one of these Sealey machines and for what I do and what it cost recon it's ideal.
It was suggested that I make a more substantial base due to it being very top heavy when vertical and add a table to it, but then I'm back to the same faffing about swapping it from horizontal to vertical again.

 

[AdrianH]

Machine mart sell the small ones as wood cutting and at that small a hp not surprised. If you have the band-saw in the pic then it's better then mine assuming it will go to 45 degrees as well, add weight to the base would be one answer, but adding a table and making it quick change is the task, see if you can buy another one second hand and leave vert all the time.

I have no real answer, see if any others have a better idea.

Adrian

 

[Wallace]

The 6x4 is awkward to use upright, needs a saddle so you can sit on it and the provided table is rubbish but they do cut well as an upright as the blade is held firmly between the guide rollers. Throat depth is limited for sheet but for tube or anything within the horizontal capacity they're not bad if you let the blade do the work and stay within the machine limits. I have spare 6x4 bought with the intention of altering the frame and adding a 3rd wheel to make an upright, project is shelved as a 14" Nutool wood cutting bandsaw came my way that I am in the process of converting to metal as wood saws run too fast for metal and need gearing down. The top half of a 6x4 might work nicely for your needs with a decent table added and a frame bolted to a bench.

 

[dannyp]

those clarke saws are chocolate teapot terrotry.

that sealy one shown looks almost identical to the machene i've just bought, tho it's branded axminster. the hydralic damper is well worth it tho as the machene came to me i t was nigh on useless wether someone refilled it with the wrong oil or it was like that from the factory, but i swaped the oil out the damper for somethign a bit thicker, ATF was the final choice.

 

[500e]

There was a series of articles in model engineer a few months ago about the budget model

 

[Wallace]

those clarke saws are chocolate teapot terrotry.

Nah, more like Marmite.....