Need advice: New motor or FVD for old Delta bandsaw??

[DavidK]

Hi,
I just bought a rather beat up Rockwell 28-300 14" bandsaw. This is a wood/metal saw which has a build in transmission for slowing down the blade speed for cutting metal. The price was great, but it has a 3/4 HP 3 phase motor and I have only single phase power.

So now I have to decide: Buy a larger 120V motor (1 or 1.5 HP) or buy a VFD to drive the 3 phase motor.

Mostly I plan to use it for wood working, but being able to accurately cut metal would be useful at times.

I have an electronics engineering degree, so wiring up and programming the VFD sounds like a fun project, but I wonder if the 3/4 HP motor will be powerful enough to do resawing.

It appears that a VFD to support a 1 HP motor is a fair bit cheaper than a good quality motor. Not to mention that the shipping for a VFD will be a lot less than for a motor.

What do you think??

 

[Michael Mathews]

David,
Is the motor and transmission original to the Bandsaw? If so, I would think it was sized accordingly for the depth of cut for Resawing capability. If they are original, then I think going with a VFD would be a great choice! The VFD will allow you to slow down the blade speed enough to cut metal yet still get the higher speeds to cut wood. Just be sure to get some metal cutting blades as they are quite different in regards to tooth geometry compared to wood cutting blades. Oh, and DON'T buy the cheapest VFD you can find. If you know what to look for (assuming you learned this when earning your degree) you'll want a constant torque type drive and NOT a drive intended for a Fan or Pump application. They are usually cheaper.
Michael