Metal cutting - oxyfuel cutting, plasma cutting, machining, grinding, and other preparatory work.
Converting bandsaw to metal ? Or Portaband
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gamble
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    Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:10 pm

Found a lot of craftsmans, and delta bandsaws on CL lately for a few hundred. Wondering if any of you guys have converted them to metal bandsaws with speeds of under 100FPM. I'd like it to be able to do steel/aluminum and mild if possible.

Or my other thought was waiting for a deep throat porta band saw to show it's face on CL with a swag off road table, but they never seem to show up.

Thoughts?
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exnailpounder
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    Thu Dec 25, 2014 9:25 am
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    near Chicago

I don't have any experience using wood bandsaws for metal but I do know that if you are patient, a horizontal bandsaw will show up on CL. I bought a really nice Kalamazoo saw off CL for $300 with 4 new blades. I restored it so I have about $400 in it and it is badass....way more saw than I need but I got it cheap. Just wait and be patient and a good saw will show up. There are 4 on CL right now where I live. I have scored some amazing deals on CL but you have to wait and strike while the iron is hot....my 2cts
Ifyoucantellmewhatthissaysiwillbuyyouabeer.
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gamble
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    Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:10 pm

Ya but I don't want a horizontal bandsaw. I have one already. I want an upright one so I can cut shapes and stuff if needed. :mrgreen:
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motox
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    Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:49 pm
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gambler
hope this is useful:
Attachments
IMG_1730band 5.jpg
IMG_1730band 5.jpg (167.94 KiB) Viewed 2754 times
IMG_1731band 4.jpg
IMG_1731band 4.jpg (138.69 KiB) Viewed 2754 times
IMG_1729band 3.jpg
IMG_1729band 3.jpg (148.37 KiB) Viewed 2754 times
IMG_1728band 2.jpg
IMG_1728band 2.jpg (177.32 KiB) Viewed 2754 times
IMG_1727bandsaw 1.jpg
IMG_1727bandsaw 1.jpg (200.16 KiB) Viewed 2754 times
htp invertig 221
syncrowave 250
miller 140 mig
hypertherm plasma
morse 14 metal devil
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exnailpounder
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    Thu Dec 25, 2014 9:25 am
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    near Chicago

gamble wrote:Ya but I don't want a horizontal bandsaw. I have one already. I want an upright one so I can cut shapes and stuff if needed. :mrgreen:
OOOHHH..sorry. Jody has a video about making his own portaband table but I don't see alot of potrabands come up for sale on CL. I need to stop answering posts when I am hangin real bad :?
Ifyoucantellmewhatthissaysiwillbuyyouabeer.
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User avatar
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    Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
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    Australia; Victoria

Portabands are almost non existent in Australia. So consider yourselves lucky. Lol
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gamble
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    Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:10 pm

exnailpounder wrote:
gamble wrote:Ya but I don't want a horizontal bandsaw. I have one already. I want an upright one so I can cut shapes and stuff if needed. :mrgreen:
OOOHHH..sorry. Jody has a video about making his own portaband table but I don't see alot of potrabands come up for sale on CL. I need to stop answering posts when I am hangin real bad :?
I made one for my HF porta band but I don't like using that saw. It's LOUD. like screaming loud. Works well. Also would like something that i can use a foot pedal with if I go that route.
Literally one cut and my ears are ringing.
weldin mike 27 wrote:Portabands are almost non existent in Australia. So consider yourselves lucky. Lol
Really why?
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User avatar
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    Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
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    Australia; Victoria

Dunno man. You can get a cordless one, but not very common, definitely not enough to be cheap. Reciprocating saws are more popular. (not same tool, I know)
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Antorcha
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    Fri Dec 06, 2013 8:57 am
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Take one of those red Harbanging Fright horizontal-vertical combos and give it a YouTube supertune and build a proper table for it. A few hundred and you're in business.
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Sal Monella
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    Sun Mar 01, 2015 9:08 am

gamble wrote:Found a lot of craftsmans, and delta bandsaws on CL lately for a few hundred. Wondering if any of you guys have converted them to metal bandsaws with speeds of under 100FPM. I'd like it to be able to do steel/aluminum and mild if possible.

Or my other thought was waiting for a deep throat porta band saw to show it's face on CL with a swag off road table, but they never seem to show up.

Thoughts?
Here are some thoughts;
I have seen a couple 14" Deltas geared down enough to cut steel. They work fine.
I have seen a 12" sears slowed down enough to cut bronze. It works fine and will still cut aluminum.
Aluminum can be cut at wood cutting speed. Oil the cut or wax the blade.
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dunkster
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    Sun Jun 28, 2015 7:41 pm
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    Florida

Can't beat the versatility of a portaband...that is if most of your work is small. I first made a swingarm for mine for use as a horizontal. This is my latest creation for it:
DSCN0724.JPG
DSCN0724.JPG (48.77 KiB) Viewed 1278 times
The plywood platen for it was a "get me going" thing, but so far it's done everything I've needed. Only thing I'd like to add would be a series of grooves to give somewhere for the swarf to go, rather than bunching up and potentially scratching my work. Anything important gets masked up with tape.

Best advice though to buy based on your needs.
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Looks like a pretty neat reconfiguration actually. Nice.
Trev
EWM Phonenix 355 Pulse MIG set mainly for Aluminum, CIGWeld 300Amp AC/DC TIG, TRANSMIG S3C 300 Amp MIG, etc, etc
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