Hi guys. Last week on vacation the tree trimmer came and cut down a tree and left behind about 20 one foot long by 10 inch diameter logs of oak for the fire pit. So after staring at those all week long I came home with visions of resawing dancing in my head. I don’t have much money for it but I found this old meat bandsaw on craigslist for a price I couldn’t resist, $35. The table isn’t very good for woodwork of course since it’s only on one side, but I figure I can make my own table out of mdf easy enough. The fence is sort of a novel design for cutting meat but probably not accurate for lumber, but kreg and a few others have those resaw fences that I can budget for eventually. The biggest problem is the motor, or lack of one. It had a 220 3 phase motor at one time, which is just as well because I don’t have 220 or 3 phase anyway. Coincidentally on the way home with it someone was throwing out a treadmill so I picked it up and pulled the motor out which turned out to be 1hp, though Im not sure if I can get its wiring sorted out and make it work and anyway I understand I need 2 or 3hp for resawing. My other thought for a cheap motor was to try to find a cheap pool filter or air compressor on craigslist to pull the motor from. That would work wouldn’t it? Can anyone think of any other cheap sources of motors for this? Harbor freight has the motors I'm looking for at $150 but there’s that budget problem. Lastly I have a 5hp 3 phase laying around that I could offer for trade on craigslist but I don’t imagine the odds of finding someone that needs that and has what I need to be very good. All in all it seems like it’ll be a fun project, and I’m not in a hurry to get it done, I just have to keep it cheap. What do you guys think?
Bulldogg629
Meat bandsaw conversion.
Hi guys. Last week on vacation the tree trimmer came and cut down a tree and left behind about 20 one foot long by 10 inch diameter logs of oak for the fire pit. So after staring at those all week long I came home with visions of resawing dancing in my head. I don’t have much money for it but I found this old meat bandsaw on craigslist for a price I couldn’t resist, $35. The table isn’t very good for woodwork of course since it’s only on one side, but I figure I can make my own table out of mdf easy enough. The fence is sort of a novel design for cutting meat but probably not accurate for lumber, but kreg and a few others have those resaw fences that I can budget for eventually. The biggest problem is the motor, or lack of one. It had a 220 3 phase motor at one time, which is just as well because I don’t have 220 or 3 phase anyway. Coincidentally on the way home with it someone was throwing out a treadmill so I picked it up and pulled the motor out which turned out to be 1hp, though Im not sure if I can get its wiring sorted out and make it work and anyway I understand I need 2 or 3hp for resawing. My other thought for a cheap motor was to try to find a cheap pool filter or air compressor on craigslist to pull the motor from. That would work wouldn’t it? Can anyone think of any other cheap sources of motors for this? Harbor freight has the motors I'm looking for at $150 but there’s that budget problem. Lastly I have a 5hp 3 phase laying around that I could offer for trade on craigslist but I don’t imagine the odds of finding someone that needs that and has what I need to be very good. All in all it seems like it’ll be a fun project, and I’m not in a hurry to get it done, I just have to keep it cheap. What do you guys think?
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Hi Ray,
A Grizzly 14" band saw only has 1hp, so your motor should be ok.
There are techniques to be observed for band sawing.
What size are the wheels? Your picture makes it appear that the lower wheel is smaller that the top wheel. Is there a lower idler wheel?
how are the tyres?
A Grizzly 14" band saw only has 1hp, so your motor should be ok.
There are techniques to be observed for band sawing.
What size are the wheels? Your picture makes it appear that the lower wheel is smaller that the top wheel. Is there a lower idler wheel?
how are the tyres?
Hi Ray.
Treadmill motors are usually permanent magnet DC motors. They require reasonably well regulated DC at up to about 100 volts. Some of the controllers(power supplies) can be run full speed by jumpering the terminals. Other are will self destruct instantly if you do that. High power dc controllers are hard to come by and will likely cost more than a good induction motor! A few really old(late 1980's treadmills) did have an AC motor that should work ok.
I have seen motors on Craigs list at quite reasonable prices. Might keep an eye out there! Looks like a fun project.. wish you all the best with it!
Treadmill motors are usually permanent magnet DC motors. They require reasonably well regulated DC at up to about 100 volts. Some of the controllers(power supplies) can be run full speed by jumpering the terminals. Other are will self destruct instantly if you do that. High power dc controllers are hard to come by and will likely cost more than a good induction motor! A few really old(late 1980's treadmills) did have an AC motor that should work ok.
I have seen motors on Craigs list at quite reasonable prices. Might keep an eye out there! Looks like a fun project.. wish you all the best with it!
At an earlier time, I mentioned a friend of mine who has a meat band saw that he uses as a band saw for cutting all kinds of items. He has changed the blade, added a table, built a fence and to this day is still using it. One of the things I did notice, is the saw dust piles up inside in the lower part of the saw. However he has now put a hole in the bottom door and and added a vacuum port for this problem.
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