[TheForge] New Bandsaw question

[David E. Smucker]

You should be able to cut both the railroad rail and the 1050 with this type 
saw.  Railroad rail is about a 1080 steel -- rather high carbon.  One trick 
with railroad rail is to cut it upside down.  That is start the saw cut on 
the base with the rail head at the bottom.  Used railroad rail is almost 
always work hardened and at least you will get 95 percent of the cut done 
before getting to the harder material.  Contrary to what has been said by 
some of my friends on here on long thick cuts like railroad rail I would 
always use a coolant / lubricate -- it can be applied by just dripping it on 
from time to time during the long slow cut.  For something like the railroad 
rail you should be running the saw at the slowest possible speed -- after 
all you are cutting a "tool steel".  Railroad rail is close to W1 i.e. 1095. 
(By the way rail road rail can make very good tools.)

My guess is that your 125 pound rail (125 pounds per yard) is not a hardened 
rail.  There is rail out there that has had the head hardened -- but as far 
as I know it has been limited to sections that are somewhat larger than the 
125 pound size.  Still since the rail is "used" the top 1/8 or so will be 
work hardened.  You may be able to pre cut the hard section with you chop 
saw -- then turn it over as noted above and cut in the band saw.  A file can 
tell you a lot on how hard the head is.

Dave Smucker
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Kilpatrick" <crimsonkil at lycos.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 1:26 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] New Bandsaw question


Firstly,
     Thank all of you for such great information.  Secondly, I have some 
125# railroad rail that I am wanting to cut and my chop saw isn't cutting 
it.  I also have some 3" round I need to make a series of cuts in and some 
1050 in 1 1/4" that I need to cut through.  That is why I am looking this 
saw.  I also want to be able to cut curves in wood.  Am I misguided in 
believing this saw will do this?

-Chris K.

----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Brown <quahog at netnet.net>
To: Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [TheForge] New Bandsaw question
Date: Wed, 03 Nov 2004 12:15:31 -0600

>
> At 20:16 11/02/04, you wrote:
>
> >A busy blacksmith friend of mine used a small cheap horizontal bandsaw
> >without ever using coolant.  Never had a problem.
> >Regards,
> >Bill Woolley
>
> Bill is right, a coolant isn't necessary.  Maybe it your are cutting a lot
> of really thick stuff for really long periods.  But a coolant isn't
> necessary most of the time.
>
> Probably the best thing you can do for this saw is to get it adjusted 
> right
> off the bat.  The guide bearings, tracking, square, tension, etc.  Get all
> this done and you'll have a good cutting saw.  If you want to add a
> modification that's worthwhile, get rid of that lousy spring thingy that
> controls the downward pressure on the blade.  Replace it with a pneumatic
> cylinder setup.  Just for starters try
> http://www.mini-lathe.com/Bandsaw/Bandsaw.htm for good stuff about setting
> up these saws.
>
> Dave Brown
> Heritage Smithing
> Green Bay, WI
>
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fashions a weapon fit for it's work.

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