Good bandsaw for making forms

[Dana]

Like I said, even with bi-metal blades and the appropriate tooth count the blade speed is about 10 times to fast for cutting hard metals...plan to build a double jack-shaft for the one I use for metal when I retire.

I bought 10/14 and a 28 TPI classes for mine, but the 28 is all I ever use. If I had to do a lot of cutting of thick stock I have the coarser blade.

I did add a jack shaft to slow it down, and it's powered by a treadmill motor with a variable pitch pulley so I have some adjustment. I can vary it between about 350-1100 rpm (correction: fpm, blade speed).

 

[n45bm]

True. Just change the blade so suit, 10 tpi or so for aluminum and 4 tpi for wood, and Bob's your uncle.

How'd you know my uncle's name is Bob?

 

[Marc Bourget]

Sometimes "blade walk" is caused by too narrow a blade forced to accept too much pressure.

Agree on the bi-metal. I picked up a 16" Delta ML and a 36" Delta (forget mod #) and learned the narrow blade lesson real quick. Saws came with 5-6 boxes of blade material. I gave up on them and only use bi-metal now.

Concur on the "tune" of the saw.