All About Metal Cutting Bandsaws - Tips, Tricks, Repairs
I am love with my new to me horizontal bandsaw and want to share some tips, tricks, and repairs I have done to it! Check out the video for more on bearings/rollers, adjustments, coolant type, blade types, usage tips, and more!
Tools and parts mentioned in the video. Most of these are affiliate links so if you end up buying I will earn a small commission. Thanks for your support!
Jet HVBS-712D bansaw (the newer version of mine in the video): amzn.to/3MZpIlK
Trim Cutting & Grinding Fluid. Very versatile and long lasting coolant/fluid for bandsaws. I have had good luck with it so far: amzn.to/43PxNQO
93" 8/12tpi metal band saw blades: amzn.to/3CkNV15
Evolution chop saw (these are cool, still might try to get one of these someday): amzn.to/3CnNXVV
Diamond Edge 14 Inch chop saw blade. If all you have is a 14" chop saw with an abrasive blade, these are an upgrade to the chop saw for sure. These are rated for 1,000+ cuts and I believe it. I also run smaller versions of these on my 4.5" grinders. amzn.to/42H61VS
608ZZ bearings for the blade guides mentioned in the video: amzn.to/45YDRsg
ISO Tunes earplug headphones that I am ALWAYS wearing while in the shop or mowing. They are comfortable and sound great. These have the 'Aware' function that can act as a passthrough so you can hear people talk without having to take them out. Definitely worth it: amzn.to/3NnIuok
BORA roller saw stands. Not lifechanging gear here, but these have worked really well for me so far: amzn.to/3qIR87O
28 pack of magnetic hooks. I am on my 3rd package of these, I use them all over the shop. If you catch my shop lights in any of my videos, they are all mounted to the metal ceiling using nothing but these hooks. amzn.to/3CoW706
This is the way I did it, I would love to hear your feedback on what has worked for you in your shop. Hope you get some ideas!
Check out our site at www.DIYMetalFabrication.com and store at www.CreativeEnterprisesLLC.com !
Thanks for the demonstration. I just ordered a band saw and this is the best video I’ve found so far on general information.
Thank you for the kind words! What will you be cutting with yours?
I will be mostly using it to cut steel stock for lathe or mill work. What I ordered isn’t that big, but I hope it will do for a retired hobbyist.
Congrats on your retirement! I hope you like the band saw. I think my favorite part is how quiet it is vs an abrasive chop saw. Let us know how it goes!
I have 2 Metal cutting bandsaws...one is a Mitering Bandsaw..it cuts 45 degree by sliding the base.... the other one is a standard horizontal bandsaw .. i haven't bought a Metal Miter saw yet... still use the Abrasive ones have a Ridgid 14" and a small 7 " version too... yeah they are noisy and dusty and less accurate sometimes .. I use a Metal cutting grease ..comes in a grease tube and solid at room temp...works great on Ferrous and Non Ferrous metals... they are sold at Supply stores for Metal or Fastener hardware... messy but less than a liquid also great for tapping or drilling use... had my saws for about 40 years now.... I like horizontal bandsaws..they are slow but cut great if you set up your cuts properly...been using them for 50 plus years... Bi-metal blades are a great upgrade... 🇨🇦🤓🤟
Hey, that is cool! I have never heard of metal cutting grease. Is it something like this? amzn.to/4dlyNBL Do you just turn the saw on then rub it on the blade before cutting?
great video thanks.
Glad you liked it! Got any questions or other things you are curious about?
I have been using the same size bandsaw from a different brand (Güde) and it makes my life much easyer. The variation of teeth pitch of the blade reduces vibration an noise.
Never heard of that brand. I have been using an 8/12 TPI blade which has been pretty good. What TPI blade have you been using?
Dude where did you buy your work shop from?
The building was built by Farm and Home Structures fhstructures.com/ I have a bunch of posts about the build process on my blog. I finished the inside out myself. www.diymetalfabrication.com/category/shop-tours/30x48-pole-barn-shop-build/
Old video but I have a few tips for you if you’re still monitoring these comments? Edit to add: I have this same saw that I’ve used for the last 15+ years
I am definitely interested! Feel free to drop them here or hit the contact form on my site www.diymetalfabrication.com My main issue right now is the blade drive wheel keeps walking off the shaft. I tried tightening the Allen screw and even dimpling the shaft a bit but it keeps walking off and if I don't catch it early enough, the blade falls out of the guides. Not sure if you have had that happen before.
I cut mostly 1” to 2” tube round and square. Also 1/8” - 3/16” plate in the vertical position on a 12x12 table I made for it. I don’t use the water cooler at all. I used to, back when I was doing some production stuff where I was cutting 1.5” x .060 round tubing all day. For single cuts or just doing random cuts here and there, I run it dry. Make sure the wire wheel is good and contacting the blade to clear the chips. I use a 10/14 bi-metal variable pitch blade. Morse m42, Starret or Lenox are all good choices. The 8/12 is a little aggressive for anything under 3/16- 1/4” wall thickness. I run my saw on the second pulley setup or around 130- 2nd slowest speed. You can definitely run the down feed faster than you are. At the point in your video where you point at the blade as it’s dropping, that’s the speed you want to cut at. Unless you’re doing a single .060 tube or something really thin. Lastly, it looks like your blade isn’t sitting right in the guides? Both bearings should be covering the whole blade. Also, I can’t tell, but do you have the other bearings in the guides that sit parallel to the blade riding on the back of the blade? The guides (bearings) shouldn’t come to rest on the table surface. The leading guide on yours needs to move back so it doesn’t touch the table. If your blade was sitting in the guides right it wouldn’t be able to make a complete cut with the guide hitting the table like that. Use the little rubber bumper stop to stop the blade before it hits the table down in the groove. Hope this makes sense. It’s been a while since you made this video so I’m sure you’ve changed a few things already?
I haven’t had the issue with the wheel falling out. Try moving that guide back so it’s not hitting the table like I mentioned. That may have bent or put stress on the guide but I don’t think that would have caused the wheel to come off the shaft. The top wheel does have some adjustment. Maybe it’s off and putting stress on the drive wheel?