kb0thn
Stainless
- Joined
- May 15, 2008
- Location
- Winona, MN, USA
Hi Guys,
I have a WF Wells horizontal band saw. I use it primarily for cutting round solid 304 SS and 6061 into slugs for chucking in my CNC lathe. Typical part is in the 2 to 2-1/2 diameter.
My cut speed is SLOW. Cutting through 2-1/2" 304 SS today and it is taking about 30 minutes per cut. This is with a 3/4" x 0.035" 4/6 tooth variable pitch Lenox QXP bi-metal blade. According to the dial on the saw, my blade speed is about 80 feet per minute. I am using a "Nonstaining Sawing Coolant" from McMaster-Carr:
McMaster-Carr
If the blade was brand new the cut might be 20 or 25 minutes. So not much better when new.
Assuming this cut speed is low, what can I do to improve it? Saw seems to be setup for 3/4" blades and WF Wells says that it isn't optimal to switch it to 1". I don't need 1 minute cut times, but something closer to 10 minutes per slug would be nice.
Thanks,
-Jim
![20180618_141539.jpg 20180618_141539.jpg](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/data/attachments/194/194579-85aa908007c9d32c71aa736f0f1d939f.jpg)
![20180618_141548.jpg 20180618_141548.jpg](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/data/attachments/194/194580-1c0140e5e9c42bef4f80093b3dbc07d1.jpg)
![20180618_141703.jpg 20180618_141703.jpg](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/data/attachments/194/194581-4878992b1cee31b97fd6aa1678d1b5ae.jpg)
I have a WF Wells horizontal band saw. I use it primarily for cutting round solid 304 SS and 6061 into slugs for chucking in my CNC lathe. Typical part is in the 2 to 2-1/2 diameter.
My cut speed is SLOW. Cutting through 2-1/2" 304 SS today and it is taking about 30 minutes per cut. This is with a 3/4" x 0.035" 4/6 tooth variable pitch Lenox QXP bi-metal blade. According to the dial on the saw, my blade speed is about 80 feet per minute. I am using a "Nonstaining Sawing Coolant" from McMaster-Carr:
McMaster-Carr
If the blade was brand new the cut might be 20 or 25 minutes. So not much better when new.
Assuming this cut speed is low, what can I do to improve it? Saw seems to be setup for 3/4" blades and WF Wells says that it isn't optimal to switch it to 1". I don't need 1 minute cut times, but something closer to 10 minutes per slug would be nice.
Thanks,
-Jim
![20180618_141539.jpg 20180618_141539.jpg](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/data/attachments/194/194579-85aa908007c9d32c71aa736f0f1d939f.jpg)
![20180618_141548.jpg 20180618_141548.jpg](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/data/attachments/194/194580-1c0140e5e9c42bef4f80093b3dbc07d1.jpg)
![20180618_141703.jpg 20180618_141703.jpg](https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/data/attachments/194/194581-4878992b1cee31b97fd6aa1678d1b5ae.jpg)