Bandsaw

I am wondering if anyone is using a bandsaw for scrapping?

I am digging mine out and getting ready to put it back together.
It is a 1942 14" all steel beast.



You may be wondering why would you need a bandsaw.
As I have mentioned I scrap HVAC units as I install new ones.
The weather is warming up and replaced 2 package units this week. The evap. coil on one weighs 36 pounds. Now as you know that is copper in aluminum fins. The yard (my yard) only pays about 35% of spot copper price for ACR's. But with a sawzall you can cut away the aluminum foil making it #2 copper bringing in about 75 to 80 % of spot copper!

Now the sawzall will do the job, but the coil wiggles and shifts in the vise making it unsafe and a huge mess. On a bandsaw the blade pulls downward holding the work to the table for you!
It cuts very smooth, blades are pretty reasonable, cuts clean with out stuff flying all over the place, including into your lungs!

I think it will also make cutting the ends off motor windings much smoother making the pulling from the other side much easier.

So whatcha' think? In the mean time I am getting to work on my saw!

I wish I had one and plan on getting one ASAP. Hopefully find one on a Auction site.
Is yours a Horizontal or vertical?
Also, I did what you are talking about with the AL fins and the Copper tube this past week. I used my side grinder to take the fins off. Cut them up to the tube and just peeled off the remainder. I think the bandsaw would do a much better job.
I think it would do a better job at cutting Compressors open too, IMO.

I've been looking at Harbor Freight's bandsaw. It's "on sale" for 230 at the moment. With the 20% coupon I think it would be a decent saw for what I want to do.

The main complaint among users looks to be with the blade, so I'd need to get a better blade, and I plan to use it for cutting windings, auto radiators and ACR's.

I've been using a sawzall for windings, but it bounces all over, causes a lot of windings to fall to the floor and overall is not that effective, though it is more effective than using a grinder.

Well I got most of it put together just need to mount the motor. I turned it by hand and tried a small piece of ACR, it cut nice. After the motor is mounted I will dig out a wider blade and tune it up. Then I should be "in tall cotton"
I will let you guys know how it goes, but it is so nice out I am hitting the beach!

I was thinking that a used bandsaw would be pretty easy to find. Oh, TJ It is a vertical Sprunger Bros. and made in Indiana.
I have the original paper work for it also. I see the tires are dry rotted, I wonder if I can use there part numbers to buy new ones.

Got the old girl all put together and running like a champ!

It cuts like butter in about ten minutes I have cut about ten pounds of #2 copper out of a ACR coil.

Here is the old girl. I need to clean it up yet but she's all lubed and tuned up.




Was giving her a trial run and got carried away! I ended up cutting up a coil before taking down my vital numbers. Will do some maintenance on the machine and get some weights on start weight, steel, and COPPER. I would like to know these percentages to be able be competitive should I have to go and buy units to scrap.

On the table you can see a sample of the copper tubing and a little bit of the "Silver Mulch". It cuts so smooth and quiet!

She's a beauty

Oh well, It is still good for cutting stuff up. I used to have a portable bandsaw that I used the heck out of for various things. I sold it when I moved not thinking I would have much of a use for it. Funny thing is, I kept my invertor. I might get that hooked up to the truck so I have 110 wherever I need it, and then I can wish for that bandsaw back.

Originally Posted by injunjoe

Well the saw works great, but the numbers don't support the effort.
For the very little gain in product value it would require slave labor to be worth doing.

The saw is still very helpful cutting off the ends making it easier to remove the steel.

I would rather spend my time doing the copper cutting thing you are talking about, then breaking down "lawn mowers" that was mentioned on another post. The gain of $1.50 per lb on the copper is pretty good at the end of the day, compared to the 30 to 40 cents gained on the AL. Just my thoughts.
Good Luck !!

Originally Posted by TJMETALRECYCLERS

I would rather spend my time doing the copper cutting thing you are talking about, then breaking down "lawn mowers" that was mentioned on another post. The gain of $1.50 per lb on the copper is pretty good at the end of the day, compared to the 30 to 40 cents gained on the AL. Just my thoughts.
Good Luck !!

Lol.

After doing the math on start weight compared to copper weight the numbers don't add up to make it worth the trouble.

ooooo, a bandsaw....I want one

yeah, i discovered the band saw method before i saw this thread. i even made a video about it. its in the dismantling section.. but i found the same results as injunjoe. its good if you need to. quick and easy, but not worth the effort when the clean ACR prices by me are good enough. still fun to play with

Very nice bandsaw, you should lose the idea of using it for cutting scrap. Both the bandsaw and chopsaw are perhaps the most dangerous pieces of equipment you will ever use.

I have a large 24 inch saw that uses 176" blades from 1/4 inch to an 1 1/4 inch wide, it;s best used for which the manufacture intended cutting and ripping lumber.

This is my chopsaw, uses 16 inch blades with 3 hp motor.