Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get 2,000+ tool plans, full site access, and more.

User Tag List

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 24

Thread: Homemade vertical bandsaw.

  1. #1
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,549
    Thanks
    679
    Thanked 2,627 Times in 705 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.

    Home made bandsaws are not new but it seems that the majority are built mainly for cutting wood and many are actually made of wood. Although I occasionally need to bandsaw wood my prime requirement is cutting metal, aluminium and some steel. The main difference between the two types is the optimum blade speed. Around 1000 m/min or more for wood and less than a tenth of that for metal. A wood only saw can easily achieve the required speed with a single reduction from the motor, but for a metal cutting saw a compound reduction system is usually more practical. Motor power is another consideration. Wood is easier to cut than metal but the high speeds demand lots of power.

    Here I describe the ideas behind various features in my build with the hope that it might be some inspiration. No claim is made that this an optimum design because it was largely determined by what I had laying around.

    A little while back I made a post describing how I modified a pair of moped wheels for use on a bandsaw.
    http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...bandsaw+wheels

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.-complete-02.jpg Homemade vertical bandsaw.-complete-01.jpg Click thumbnail for full size

    The saw is now complete except for a couple of minor details. For example I have hard bolted the motor in place because I want to see if it is man enough before I make a pivotted mounting for quick speed changes. I also need to add an on/off switch, which I had completely forgotten until I wanted to start it for the first time.

    I have put build details into a PDF file and for completeness of that document I have also included the original wheels only post.
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/pveht1tyu8...ndsaw.pdf?dl=0

    I have just uploaded the first of what will be about 4 or 5 parts showing more details of the build. Here is the YouTube link


    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following 19 Users Say Thank You to tonyfoale For This Useful Post:

    Beserkleyboy (Jun 11, 2020), Canobi (Mar 2, 2018), celsoari (Jun 8, 2023), chy_farm (Apr 8, 2018), JDrouin (Apr 29, 2020), JohnMTO (Nov 24, 2019), Jon (Mar 3, 2018), LMMasterMariner (Mar 3, 2018), nova_robotics (Nov 23, 2023), olderdan (Mar 3, 2018), Paul Jones (Mar 2, 2018), rlm98253 (Mar 3, 2018), rossbotics (Mar 4, 2018), Seedtick (Mar 3, 2018), sossol (Mar 4, 2018), sostahoe (Mar 9, 2018), toma (Mar 4, 2018), Tule (Mar 18, 2018), Tuomas (Mar 9, 2018)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member Canobi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Shrewsbury, Shropshire (UK)
    Posts
    181
    Thanks
    92
    Thanked 361 Times in 98 Posts

    Canobi's Tools
    Awesome build, great job��

    2000 Tool Plans
    It's not the destination but the journey you take to get there that matters.

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Canobi For This Useful Post:

    Paul Jones (Mar 2, 2018), tonyfoale (Mar 3, 2018)

  5. #3
    Supporting Member olderdan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Posts
    781
    Thanks
    1,456
    Thanked 1,531 Times in 463 Posts

    olderdan's Tools
    Well that was worth waiting for, thanks for taking the time to provide such a comprehensive build log and sharing it with us. I have downloaded your PDF and maybe I now have a use for that old Villiers gearbox. BTW I love that sign on your workshop doors.
    Regards
    Alan

  6. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to olderdan For This Useful Post:

    Mrmojo112 (Apr 9, 2021), tonyfoale (Mar 3, 2018)

  7. #4
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,549
    Thanks
    679
    Thanked 2,627 Times in 705 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by olderdan View Post
    Well that was worth waiting for, thanks for taking the time to provide such a comprehensive build log and sharing it with us. I have downloaded your PDF and maybe I now have a use for that old Villiers gearbox.
    Another gearbox possibility is from an electric cement mixer. I have one in the garden and yesterday when I was walking past it, I remembered the gearbox so I had a look under the covers and it looked like it would be suitable for a metal cutting bandsaw.

    Quote Originally Posted by olderdan View Post
    BTW I love that sign on your workshop doors.
    It is enforced with vigor.

  8. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to tonyfoale For This Useful Post:

    Captainleeward (Mar 3, 2018), olderdan (Mar 3, 2018)

  9. #5
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanks
    772
    Thanked 1,850 Times in 1,652 Posts


    Thanks tonyfoale! We've added your Vertical Bandsaw to our Metalworking category,
    as well as to your builder page: tonyfoale's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:




  10. The Following User Says Thank You to DIYer For This Useful Post:

    tonyfoale (Mar 3, 2018)

  11. #6
    Supporting Member Captainleeward's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    San DIEGO, California
    Posts
    1,097
    Thanks
    496
    Thanked 1,330 Times in 525 Posts

    Captainleeward's Tools
    Well Tony, WOW what a beastly machine ready for anything I see. good build Cap.



    PSST,,,,,,, keep your arms and hands away from that blade.

  12. #7
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,549
    Thanks
    679
    Thanked 2,627 Times in 705 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Captainleeward View Post
    Well Tony, WOW what a beastly machine ready for anything I see. good build Cap.

    PSST,,,,,,, keep your arms and hands away from that blade.
    I put a blade guard on the non-cutting side, beyond that it will be down to me.

  13. #8
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,549
    Thanks
    679
    Thanked 2,627 Times in 705 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools
    I neglected to include a photo showing the table in the tilted position so here it is. This also shows the on/off switch fitted on the LHS.

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.-complete-03.jpg Click for full size.

  14. #9
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,549
    Thanks
    679
    Thanked 2,627 Times in 705 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools
    The blades arrived today which let me finish off a few things.

    I adjusted the blade tension and tracking of the blade. It runs very true with no sign of blade drift. When I was happy with that I fitted and aligned the guides.

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.-topguide-01.jpg Homemade vertical bandsaw.-topguide-02.jpg Click thumbnails for full size.
    Top guides fitted and aligned.

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.-undertable-01.jpg
    Under table view showing table pivot and lower guides.

    The blade tension is applied through a spring (nothing unusual in that). This is done for two reasons, firstly it allows some compliance to reduce machine loading in the event that a cutting remnant gets caught between the blade and wheel, secondly it allows an easy way to determine the blade tension by measuring its length.

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.-tension-01.jpg
    Showing the compression spring used for tensioning and cushioning.

    The springs on many bandsaws sag over time and the tension reading becomes in accurate, in many cases it even starts off inaccurate off the showroom floor.
    I am using a high quality racing valve spring and is unlikely to sag significantly in bandsaw duty. I used my valve spring measuring device to calibrate the spring accurately, so now I only have to measure the length of the spring installed on the saw to determine the blade tension. In fact I'll make a simple length gauge with 3 or 4 different tension values on it.

    Homemade vertical bandsaw.-spring-test-01.jpg
    Spring calibration. To the left and near the top of the dial gauge is a load cell which is connected to a force readout (not in pic), the dial gauge shows the spring compression. The assembly is mounted in my press to apply increasing load in stages.

    Now that it is up and running I am pleased to report that test cuts of various samples indicate that the saw works as per my expectations. BTW I have fitted a bimetal M42 10/14 tpi staggered blade at the moment which is a good general purpose blade. It will cut steel, aluminium and also works on wood if required but that is not a prime need.

  15. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to tonyfoale For This Useful Post:

    chy_farm (Apr 8, 2018), olderdan (Mar 9, 2018), Seedtick (Mar 8, 2018), Tule (Mar 18, 2018)

  16. #10
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,549
    Thanks
    679
    Thanked 2,627 Times in 705 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools
    I forgot to mention the table height that I used. I checked the specs of several 16" bandsaws on the net and they seemed to be around 900 to 950 mm. I am not tall by any means at 1.74 m but those numbers seemed a little low and I went for 1 m. It feels ideal, I also have my work benches higher than many because it seems much easier on my ancient back

    I have got around to preparing the first of what will be about 4 or 5 parts of a video showing more details of the build. Here is the YouTube link


  17. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to tonyfoale For This Useful Post:

    chy_farm (Apr 8, 2018), davidschutt (Sep 21, 2020), olderdan (Mar 9, 2018)

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •