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Does anyone know if you can use a standard bandsaw blade (metal of course) to saw AISI A-2 steel? Thanks

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
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THAT could be exciting!

Metal cutting band saws run a lot slower than wood cutting ones, and have a pump to bathe the edge with oil to keep it cool. They use finer teeth than most wood blades, too. I've never seen anything hardr than mild steel cut on one, but my experience s limited.

I do cut aluminum on my wood cutting bandsaw, but I would not try steel.

ergggg....so its like cutting a plane blade or something....

So a grinding wheel thing won't work...for 1/8th steel, and grinding wheels...I want to make some sharp blade thingies...??

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
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you really need somthing to keep the tool steel cool while it is being cut or you end up changing the temper of the steel

Ok, I can cool it off, but will a store bought $12.00 blade for metal cut the stuff?

Basicly I would sandwich it in 1/8 pieces of "wet" wood or something.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
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I honestly wouldn't attempt cutting A2 with other than a bandsaw designed exclusively for metal cutting.
It's tough stuff to say the least and the blade needs to run slow.

a you talking about a 'regular' bandsaw for wood? that would be running too fast methinks, and with no real good way of cooling the blade.


we have a bandsaw in our shop similar to this, and this will cut tool-steel just fine.
This is running much slower and has cooling fluid constantly running over the blade.

if there's a metal shop nearby you could maybe sweet-talk the owner into letting you cut it there.

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Frank

Frank, that is the coolest kid in your avi I have ever seen! Is he yours?...

I have that router speed control, and a table top bandsaw. I have to be below 9 amps or something... De debil is be tempting me wit his sweet siren song....

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

The big question here is if the tool steel is in its annealed (softened) state you can cut it with a metal cutting blade and loads of coolant so stop the blade over heating, A2 it an exceptionally tough steel so I'd imagine you'd be better off with an angle grinder with cutting and grinding discs, if its annealed you'll need to harden and temper it and A2 is a real pita to heat treat

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Bummer, well, debil dune get me dis time... danks all...

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Don't let this be a set back you can still make the tools, and grind the A2 to shape keeping it cool

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Simple quick check ....
If you can notch it with a file, you can cut it with a metal cutting blade.

Upright bandsaws are used all the time for metal cutting.. and the saw will handle it just fine so long as you don't expect it to cut as fast as wood. There are metal cutting blades that work just fine at normal band saw speeds... and if the steel is soft enough to cut with a file, you are fine.

Just be sure you clean it out well afterwards....
Metal shavings in the saw = rust spots under your guitar finish...

Good luck

John

Well, I can cool it off, and I can get the RPM's to 120, and you can get custom blades made, so what kind of blade will cut A-2 steel?

-M42 Bi-Metal - Rugged production blades to cut solids and heavy walled structures as well as hard-to-machine materials??

And can you get a custom blade made for a reasonable price?

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
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Frei,

As everyone has mentioned, you can't cut hardened tool steel with a standard wood cutting bandsaw blade. The blade is probably less hard that the steel that you are trying to cut. Here is what you can do: Purchase some Oil-Hardening Ground Steel Flat Stock from MSC, Grainger, McMaster Carr or your local tool supply store. This material is soft enough to cut with a hack saw or even a wood-cutting bandsaw using a steel cutting blade. Just make sure that you cut really slow so as not to create too much heat. After you make your tool, you heat the piece with a propane torch until glows cherry-red, then quench it in some brake fluid or tempering oil. This will bring the hardness up to over 65-67 Rockwell which is the hardness of a good chisel or plane blade. After hardening, you should temper the piece in order to reduce it's brittleness. You do this by heating again with the propane torch slowly until the piece turns a straw-yellow color, then quickly quenching it again in the oil.

This sounds complicated but it is really easy to do. I have made chisels, plane blades and scrapers that have been in constant use for more than 20 years and have outlasted and out performed many store-bought tools. I encourage you to give it a try.

Mike Franks
http://www.mjfranksguitar.com

Would that mean O-1 tool steel?

http://www.speedymetals.com/s-48-o-1.aspx

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Maybe cut it with a variable speed jig saw using a metal cutting blade and a lubricant of some kind (like wax or oil)

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Yes, 0-1 is Oil-Hardening Tool Steel.

Mike Franks
www.mjfranksguitar.com

Use a nylon cutting wheel on your hand held grinder. Tool steel, depending on what kind, will strip the teeth off of a bandsaw blade. Tiny teeth shoot all over the place. Not that I have tried it or anything.

Something y'all might be interested in. I have one of these: http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/prod ... urce=froog and if you don't have the full cooling stream thing this thing works pretty well. It's a water based coolant though so you have to make sure to wipe down well when you're done.

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http://www.speedymetals.com/s-48-o-1.aspx


All this stuff is annealed, its 15-19 Rockwell....

De debil be strong wid dis one...!

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Guys I've cut annealed O-1 tools steel on a cheap 3 wheel black and decker wood saw with a fine metal cutting blade and coolant, it doesn't strip the teeth etc but does wear them out quick I think my blade lost it's set as it still felt sharp just made a funny noise and wandered all over the place! I work as a blacksmith and metal worker have made lots of cutting tools and the cheapest and easiest way really is with and angle grinder cut all the large chunks off with a thin 1mm cutting disc then change that for a grinding one, and grind up to your lines, and I finish off on a belt sander, so it's all possible with annealed steel

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

I would use a cutoff wheel on a handheld grinder or a metal cutting fiber wheel on a chop saw.