Band saw for st/st tube and aluminum

[Gnarly customs]

First Post folks and first off I'd like to say hello,
Everything I Google band saws I end up on this forum so I thought I'd join, I'm looking a bit of advice on buying a band saw I'll be mainly using it for cutting aluminium and thin wall st/st tube a vertical band saw is a handy tool to have I've looked at a fee from cheap being lumberjack to the likes of a record sabre, I rang a record representative and was advised strongly against one for cutting aluminium, one of the problems is blade speed, has anyone fitted a vfd to one to slow it down, there is an unused laguna lt14bx local yo me which looks good but can't find info on blade speeds etc

exhaust is my latest project if things work out I'll be making more

 

[Bale]

Edited to withdraw my "advice". I have no idea what I'm talking about!

Pete

 

[clogs]

thin wall tube needs extra care even with a Prop metal band saw......
what ever u buy talk to Ian at Tuff Saw for a recomend blade wise.....
u should know Ally gums up blades and St/steel can go very hard if u mess about.....
I think u'll need two blades, one for each material....

 

[Gordon Tarling]

A woodworking bandsaw is probably not the best choice of tool for the work you have in mind. You might just about get away with cutting smaller aluminium sections on one, with the correct blade and reduced speed, though that sort of machine is not designed for the use of coolant, which you'll probably need at some stage. As far as cutting thinwall S/S tube, a proper metal cutting bandsaw is by far the best bet.

G.

 

[Gnarly customs]

Thankyou for the reply folks I have a femi 120 band saw that I do most cuts on a vertical would be handy for some that can't be done on a horizontal

 

[LJM]

The Startrite xx-s-5 machines are variable speed, allowing you to cut all sorts of material, including ferrous and nonferous metals; they are often on eBay and can be had for a lot less than the 352, for instance. They’re very solid machines.