# Cutting metal on wood bandsaw



## DennisCA (9 Sep 2015)

Assuming you can get the speed down, I could do it using a VFD since it's a 3ph motor, or pulleys. What are the downsides, then? 

I got a pretty good dust collection setup that is right under the table, so if I am careful about using it I don't think I should get metal dust and stuff all over the bandsaw and which could embed itself into the tyres and whatnot, which was perhaps my main worry.


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## Racers (9 Sep 2015)

I have cut brass and stainless steel on my startrite 352 I don't use extraction I just vac out the inside afterwards. 
The tyres seem to be ok the main problem is the blades don't last long. 

Pete


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## DennisCA (9 Sep 2015)

Do you use wood cutting blades or are there special metal cutting ones? With my saw I got a friction cutting blade, not sure if it's that good for cutting metal, was used to cut carbon fibre.


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## chipmunk (9 Sep 2015)

DennisCA":w5qk0o4x said:


> Do you use wood cutting blades or are there special metal cutting ones? With my saw I got a friction cutting blade, not sure if it's that good for cutting metal, was used to cut carbon fibre.



There are definitely differences between the two types of blade...
Take a look here... http://www.tuffsaws.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=2

HTH
Jon


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## dickm (9 Sep 2015)

You can certainly cut metal with a wood saw, but I'd strongly advise against it. Even if you can get the right speed for steel, to do a tidy job it really needs lubrication/cooling. The resulting mess isn't easy to clear up....................


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## DennisCA (10 Sep 2015)

I've seen other solutions for cleanly cutting metal though, one that looked simple was a reciprocating saw with a metal blade and a miter box. But what if you had a piece of bar you wanted to "rip" like a board? How would one go about this?


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## chipmunk (10 Sep 2015)

Well it's still a dedicated metal cutting bandsaw but this approach of a 2-in-1 seems quite a nice idea...

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cbs45md-41-2in-x-6in-metal-cutting-ban

...although it'll all depend on how well it's executed.

I know what you mean but I'm not entirely sure that the need to rip long sections of round bar is quite such a natural requirement as it is with wood. You can after all always buy square or rectangular section stock for roughly the same weight-for-weight price whereas trees of this cross-section are quite hard to find :wink: 

HTH
Jon

[Edit: Sorry got the link wrong]


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## dickm (10 Sep 2015)

Axy used to (may still) do a cheap(ish) metalcutting bandsaw that could be used horizontally or vertically. Probably large enough capacity for most amateur use. I've never used the vertical cutting position on mine, but no reason why it shouldn't be useable if you really wanted to. It doesn't have any suds pump or provision for one, so needs regular dripping with oil while cutting.
Still preferable to trying to clean up the 352 after metal cutting!


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## MusicMan (10 Sep 2015)

the Evolution Fury CSMS does what it says on the box and cuts metal as well as wood. Be reasonable with it though, and the hardest part is securing the metal down firmly. It's fine for brass and mild steel, say 6 mm.

Keith


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