Band saw for metal. what is it, device, principle of operation, application, pros and cons
A band saw for metal will help to carry out work related to the processing of thick iron blanks. If you choose the right canvas, it will cope well with sheets of any thickness. There are several models that have their own characteristics.
Band saw device for metal
Good performance and power are not the only advantages of the devices. Some of them are compact and lightweight. To install a table saw for metal, you do not need to use lifting equipment. Any model of a band saw machine consists of:
Using a wood bandsaw to cut metal!
- hulls;
- drive;
- cutting elements;
- feeding mechanism;
- machinery control systems.
The principle of operation of a band saw for metal
The efficiency of the technique depends on the power of the engine driving the pulleys. This is considered an important criterion to consider when choosing the type of blade. Vertical or horizontal metal band saws are safe. This is because the cutting blade moves away from the workpiece. The product cannot be thrown into the direction of the user. Working on a metal band saw follows the following principle:
- After turning on the equipment, the belt starts to move. You can send the workpiece to the machine and start cutting it.
- The cuts are carried out due to the equal distribution of pressure on the metal, which helps to obtain accurate cuts.
- Cutting can be done perpendicularly or at an angle not exceeding 60 °.
- To obtain the desired cut, change the position of the canvas, turn the frame or the table itself.
How to choose a metal band saw?
Before purchasing expensive equipment, it is important to consider its further purpose. Any band saw for metal, professional or for household needs, must provide not only the necessary cut, but also protect the operator. Correctly selected elements of the machine will extend its service life. The working blade for a band saw for metal can be made:
- Carbon steel. Designed for cutting various alloys.
- Made of bimetallic materials. Applicable for special operating modes.
- Made of carbide elements. Used for cutting iron castings and joints that contain a lot of titanium and nickel.
- Diamond coated. Work in progress on abrasive materials.
Bandsaw Applications for Metal
If we focus on performance, it should be noted that modern designs are clearly superior to disk counterparts. The durability and strength of band saw machines for metal are ensured by the constant supply of materials to the cutting zone. The equipment is used for:
- Processing of metal sheets along a complex contour with an unclean cut, because these joints in the future will be welded into different structures. Movement can repeat different shapes.
- Cutting straight and angular shapes on steel rods, pipes, profiles of different types of cross-section.
- Cutting workpieces from metal and their alloys with different technical characteristics.
Metal Saw Bands Rating
Floor-standing and tabletop models are common. The former are more commonly seen in industrial plants and large workshops, while the latter are ideal for garage use. The ranking of the best models includes:
- American metal band saw Jet HVBS-712K. Cutting can be done horizontally and vertically. The saw can move at one of four speeds. This model has a reliable and powerful engine that is able to work without breakdowns for a long time.
- Saw Proma PPK-115. A model with a rigid structure, excellent performance, three speed modes. Its belt drive protects the motor from overheating. Low weight and design parameters help to easily move the device.
- Gravity band saw for metal Pegas 220-250GH-R. The device is used for piece and small-scale production. The frame of the machine lowers its own weight. The device can carry out perpendicular and angular cutting
DIY metal band saw
The purchase of special equipment is not affordable for many craftsmen. For such people, it will be useful to know how to make a band saw for metal with your own hands. For work, preparation of tools and materials is required:
- old bike;
- jigsaw;
- plywood 1.5 cm thick;
- wooden beam;
- bearings;
- studs, washers, screws;
- shafts;
- brass bushings with internal thread;
- electrical tape.
It is worth making a band saw by adhering to the following steps:
- Assembling a frame that acts as a table top. A bar for the pulleys is attached to it. In addition, an electric motor is installed there.
- Manufacturing and installation of belt-driven pulleys that are mounted inside the cabinet.
- Installation of the cutting blade and guides. The tape is mounted on pulleys. The guides are located on the side where the saw teeth are missing.
- Finishing, commissioning and final check of the structure’s performance. The upper pulley is covered with a casing, which increases the level of safety during the operation of the equipment.
Installing blade guides
So that the saw cuts the material evenly and the tape does not push through, guides are installed on a narrow beam along the blunt saw end. A common version of the device consists of three bearings located on the bar, one of which lies on the flat side of the canvas, the other two support it from the sides. Sometimes on the sides, instead of bearings, they put limiters made of wood.
Align the guides at the pivot point so that there is no vertical deflection at the opposite end, for convenience, the position of the beam is marked with the canvas stretched out.
REQUIREMENTS FOR LABOR PROTECTION IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
4.1. In case of smoke or fire, immediately stop work, turn off the electrical equipment, call the fire brigade, inform the immediate supervisor and the administration of the organization, take measures to evacuate the premises. When eliminating a fire, it is necessary to use primary fire extinguishing means, to take part in the evacuation of people. When lighting up electrical equipment, use only carbon dioxide or powder fire extinguishers. 4.2. In the event of injury, the employee must stop working, notify his immediate supervisor and call an ambulance or go to a medical institution. 4.3. If voltage (sensation of current) is detected on the metal parts of the equipment, the equipment hums, in the event of vibrations or increased noise level, in case of sudden heating and melting of the case, arcing of electrical equipment, breakage of the supply cable, it is necessary to stop the operation of the equipment, report the incident to the immediate supervisor. It is forbidden to start work without instructions from the manager. 4.4. In case of electric shock, it is necessary to release the victim from the action of the current by immediately turning off the electrical installation with a switch or switch. If it is impossible to turn off the electrical installation quickly enough, it is necessary to release the victim with the help of dielectric gloves or a dry wooden object, while it is also necessary to ensure that you yourself are not energized. After the victim is released from the action of the current, it is necessary to assess his condition, call an ambulance and provide first aid before the doctor arrives.

Working on a band saw for metal
In the conditions of small-scale production, only metal band saws can cope with the tasks of cutting a variety of rolled products. Therefore, they are an indispensable attribute of many procurement industries. Today, we will dwell on the parameters of band saws, talk about the device and manufacturers.
The process of soldering the cutting strip
Soldering in the workshop is as follows:
- the places at the junction of the canvas are polished from both ends, a brass strip is placed between the surfaces;
- to make a strip, a piece of brass (0.3-0.4 mm) is cut along the width of the saw blade, moistened and sprinkled on both sides with borax powder;
- the sponges of the mites are heated in an accessible way (gas burner or forge) to a bright red color, applied to the adhesion site and pressed;
- the strip heats up from hot sponges, brass melts and spreads, and borax works in the form of a flux, which prevents soldering from oxidation when heated;
- the pliers are not removed until the joint has completely cooled and the solder has hardened, after they are removed, the adhesion site is moistened with a wet hardening sponge;
- inspect the joint, its hardness must correspond to the canvas;
- if the junction is solid, then the heating procedure with ticks is repeated until the appearance of a straw-colored adhesion, gradually cooled;
- a soft adhesion requires one more incandescent heating with tongs and a more abrupt cooling;
- so that the sponges of the mites are not soldered to the saw strip in the process, a solution of chalk with liquid glass is applied to their contact surfaces;
- for installation and tension on the lower and upper pulley, a handle is used, the correct position on the disks and rollers of the stop is checked by rotation, the correct passage is adjusted;
- turn on the unit for a short time and additionally adjust it if necessary.
Types of saws depending on the work with the material
The following division into categories is made according to the processing material:
- for stone;
- for metal;
- for wood;
- for synthetics.
Working with hard materials (metal, stone) is carried out with a tool in which the working saw blade is reinforced with heavy-duty teeth from the corresponding alloys. The wrong choice of the saw blade leads to its breakage and deterioration of the edges on the workpiece being cut. Before buying a saw, determine the front of further work.
LABOR PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS BEFORE STARTING WORK
2.1. Put on overalls, safety footwear and other personal protective equipment. Fasten overalls with all buttons, avoiding hanging ends of clothing, remove hair under the headdress. Check the clothes for sharp, piercing and cutting objects. 2.2. After receiving an assignment from the manager, employees are required to check the serviceability and availability of tools and devices, fire extinguishing equipment, general ventilation systems, and lighting of the workplace. 2.3. The personnel working on the band saw machine must make sure that the machine, all tools and equipment are in good working order, put on overalls and safety footwear as required by the standards. Clothes should be tucked in so that there are no loose ends, and cuffs should be fastened. 2.4. Check the operation of the machine at idle speed:. serviceability of the controls (mechanisms of the main feed movement, start, stop movement);. serviceability of the lubrication and cooling system. 2.5. Check the presence and serviceability of the machine from the front side movable to the side or a folding screen that protects the worker from chips flying off during cutting, as well as equipping with a device for automatic cleaning of tooth cavities from chips during operation. 2.6. Check the presence and serviceability of the saw blade guard along the entire length, except for the area in the cutting zone. The saw of the machine in the non-working area, together with the pulleys, should be fenced with solid fixed fences, and in the working area. with a movable fence, set according to the height (thickness) of the material being cut. 2.7. Production processes should be carried out only with serviceable instrumentation, grounding, protective fences, interlocks, starting equipment, technological equipment and tools. 2.8. Check the presence and serviceability of the device for catching the saw band when it breaks. 2.9. The tool in the workplace must be positioned so that it cannot roll or fall. 2.10. It is prohibited to put the tool on the railing of fences or on the edge of the scaffold, scaffold, near open hatches, wells. 2.11. Employees notify their immediate supervisor of all detected faults. The start of work in this case is allowed after troubleshooting and only after obtaining permission from the immediate supervisor.
GENERAL LABOR PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS
1.1. Individuals who are at least 18 years of age, fit for health reasons and who have passed:. introductory briefing are allowed to work independently on a band saw;. introductory briefing on fire safety;. initial briefing on labor protection at the workplace;. training in safe methods and techniques of work;. testing of knowledge of labor protection requirements;. training and testing of knowledge on electrical safety for the relevant group, as operational. repair personnel when performing work related to the operation of electrical equipment;. training on fire. technical minimum. 1.2. Employees have the right to perform only the work that is entrusted to them and which corresponds to their specialty. In necessary cases (unfamiliar work, ignorance of safe working methods, etc.), employees should receive an explanation and demonstration of safe working practices and methods from the work manager. 1.3. When working together with other workers, you should coordinate your actions, make sure that they do not lead to someone’s injury. 1.4. During work, employees should not be distracted by themselves and distract from the work of other employees. 1.5. Employees should not turn on or stop (except in emergency cases) machines, machine tools and mechanisms, the work on which they are not assigned. 1.6. Employees are obliged to comply with the requirements of the Internal Labor Regulations. Drinking alcoholic beverages at the enterprise and being drunk at work is prohibited. Smoking should only be done in designated areas. 1.7. It is not allowed to obstruct the approaches to the boards with fire-fighting equipment and to the fire hydrants. The use of fire-fighting equipment for other purposes is not allowed. 1.8. The main hazardous and harmful production factors can be:. elements of production equipment;. moving and rotating parts of the machine;. faulty working tool;. flying away metal particles;. industrial dust;. industrial noise;. sharp edges and roughness of materials and tools. 1.9. On the basis of the approved list of issuance of personal protective equipment (hereinafter. PPE), employees are provided with installed PPE free of charge at the enterprise. 1.10. Employees are obliged to immediately notify their immediate supervisor of every accident or accident. 1.11. The requirements of this manual are mandatory. Failure to comply with these requirements by employees is considered a violation of labor and production discipline. 1.12. Control over the implementation of the measures set forth in this instruction, as well as compliance with the requirements of labor protection, industrial safety, electrical safety, fire safety and industrial sanitation, by employees is carried out by the immediate supervisor.
The device of band saws for metal
It is determined by the purpose and layout of the machine. Consider the options most often offered by manufacturers.
Two-column semi-automatic band saw manufactured by Indiamart. Its feature is the hydraulic tension of the blade and the hydraulic clamp, which is equipped with a hydromechanical sensor. The speed of movement of the saw blade can be varied over a wide range, since it is driven by an AC motor with a variator. The blade is of high quality, which ensures the execution of cutting and trimming operations. The use of such a band saw is effective in various sectors of economic activity: from the automotive industry to the production of building metal structures.
Fully automated two-column band saw from Irlen-Engineering (Russia-China). A feature of this machine is a widely variable speed of workpiece separation, good blade tension, excellent motion ability, a capacious hydraulic reservoir, as well as the ability to use when cutting metal with different strength.
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Vertical single-column band saw machines from the Czech company Proma. The peculiarity of such equipment is convenient access to the workpiece and the tool from three sides, high cutting accuracy, high quality of the welded joint of the saw blade parts. The machine is a semi-stationary type, and can be easily moved from place to place.
Band saws for metal of the jet model series (Taiwan). The machine implements the classic concept of a straight cut, therefore such equipment is often referred to as mechanical hacksaws. The design of such machines includes an oscillating frame and a crank mechanism, which provides a reciprocating movement of the saw blade. In terms of productivity, such machines are inferior to band saw equipment with a continuous belt.
Band saws from Enkor (Russia). Domestic manufacturers of the equipment in question with conventional control are represented by machines of the Corvette model range, which also belong to the class of mechanical hacksaws for metal. The machines are equipped with the necessary control and measuring devices, allow you to optimize the cutting speed, are equipped with highly resistant saw blades.
The obvious advantages of band saws for metal are the efficiency of changing the technological parameters of cutting, compactness, the ability to customize the tool for cutting various metals. The price of the equipment is determined by its capacity and functionality. It is:
- For saws with manual material feed. from 16 thousand to 50 thousand rubles;
- For semi-automatic saws. from 85 thousand to 280 thousand rubles;
- For automatic metal saws with CNC. from 600 thousand to 1.3 million rubles.
The Ultimate Guide To Metal Cutting Saws. From Hobby to Pro!
Band saws are high-performance equipment that allows you to cut curly and straight contours. The working tool is a flexible steel belt, closed in a ring, equipped with a row of teeth on one edge.
Aggregates began to be widely used only at the end of the 19th century, despite the fact that the first patent for a saw was obtained back in 1808 by an English designer. Then, in the coming years, such inventions were registered in France and the United States. The reason for such a dislike for the band saw was the inability to accurately connect the cutting blade.