band saw

Skeejere · #1 06-15-2020, 09:34 PM

I bought an old Delta 14-inch bandsaw, 1/2 hp. (model 28-243F) Was hoping to use it for my build. Realizing after getting it home that it was designed for wood only. Is aluminum relatively easy to cut? Thoughts on whether I could still use this saw with the right blade?

lndwarrior · #2 06-15-2020, 09:41 PM

it's more about the blade than the saw. I built my plane with a harbor freight 9" band saw with a fine tooth blade to cut the aluminum.

Was it ideal? No. Did it work? Yep. Occasionally I would have to pull out the hack saw.

Taltruda · #3 06-15-2020, 10:46 PM

Use a blade for metal, I prefer fine tooth. Do not try to cut steel with it, as it?s too fast. Also do not cut wood with the fine tooth blade or it?ll burn the blade.

hgerhardt · #4 06-15-2020, 10:57 PM

Wood bandsaw speed is fine for aluminum provided you have a compatible blade. Slower speed is only needed for harder metals like steel.

Some of those 14" Rockwell/Deltas have a gear reduction transmission for cutting steel, mine included. You can tell if it has this feature by looking at the pulley that's attached to the lower blade wheel. IF there are 2 belts on different diameter pulleys, then you have that transmission. You engage the transmission by pulling or pushing (forgot which) the silver knob in the center of the pulley.

9GT · #5 06-16-2020, 07:24 AM

If you have a single speed floor model band saw, you can slow down the speed by installing a set of step pulleys. Blades come in all flavors. HF carries this one that comes in at $10 with the 20% OFF coupon.
https://www.harborfreight.com/93-1-2...ade-97109.html
Providing you don't run steel through it, they last pretty good. The best blades for metal work are Bi-Metal, but will run you $30 plus.

bkervaski · #6 06-16-2020, 07:38 AM

Quote:

It's more about the blade than the saw.

This x 100

I used a cheap Robi from the Home Depot Aviation isle. They come with blades for wood, totally inadequate for aluminum work. I ended up having to order proper blades, couldn't be found locally.

JonJay · #7 06-16-2020, 07:44 AM

As others have said, not ideal but it works well enough for a typical RV build.
At risk of entering into too much information mode, the general rule is you want 3 teeth in contact with the work. This rule falls apart for thin sheet as they don?t make blades that fine. One reason why other tools like shears and nibblers work better for sheet. However, if you need to cut thicker stock, try to abide.
The more teeth you have in contact, the slower the chips clear, and more heat builds up. A cutting fluid will help.
Production shops try to balance speed, feed, and tooling (blade type, pitch, tpi....) for maximum productivity and tool wear. We just want to cut a bit of aluminum to get our project done.

Also, it?s not a bad idea to clean the rubber band around your wheels. Aluminum chips build up on the rubber. It will extend their life and they can foul your wood if you ever do wood working with your saw.

bkc3921 · #8 06-16-2020, 07:52 AM

+1 on the aluminum cutting fluid, by the way...I also have a small Delta..I didn't look at the details on your model, but many of the smaller ones have rollers (adjusted by set screws) to guide the blade. This prevents "blade drift" which is quite annoying. Make sure all rollers/guides are all in proper adjustment, as well as proper blade tension, and you will avoid a lot of bad cuts. Even the "cheap" band saws are OK with a little understanding and patience.

David Paule · #9 06-16-2020, 08:05 AM

The blade I use has 6.5 teeth per inch, and cuts aluminum quickly. The cut is a little rough but that has not been an issue - I merely allow for clean-up. Sure cuts well.

Dave

wirejock · #10 06-16-2020, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Paule

The blade I use has 6.5 teeth per inch, and cuts aluminum quickly. The cut is a little rough but that has not been an issue - I merely allow for clean-up. Sure cuts well.

Dave

Figures. He's my Mentor.

I also break with recommendation and use a low tooth count blade. Built my RV7A with a HF 9".
7TPI from .040 up
14TPI for .040 and thinner
Cuts like a hot knife through butter. Yes, you have to cutboutside the line and finish with a sander but it beats sitting there all day.
For stuff that won't fit, I use a cordless angle grinder with a cut off disk.

By the way, I manage a Google Group, Colorado RVs. Over 40 members. If you want to join, shoot me an e-mail (below) from a G-mail account with sime info.
Full Name
Phone #
City
RV Model