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Vertical Band Saw

C

cannuck

Active Member
I have a pair of Marvel 8 saws that are in storage until I can build a larger shop. I keep a 7 x 10 horizontal that has served well for the last 40 years but for vertical work I have a chinese 4 x 6 that I leave mostly in vertical with tiny table that allows it to work horizontal as well. I also have a 24" (wheel size) Canadian vertical I used to use for wood, but far too big for my very crowded home shop. I was thinking of building a 3 wheel from accumulated 4x6 parts but really wanted a dedicated store-bought tool. I saw a vertical DoAll in a local auction yard this fall, but it was not in any catalogue and I just forgot about it. Doing accounting yesterday and for a break looked at that week's catalogue of same (Macdougall) yard and darned if that DoAll wasn't in the sale - closing an hour later. No time to run to town to re-acquaint details and catalogue pictures typically auction house horrible (the called it a "squared" company saw - the on/off switch was a Square D labelled product).

To make a long story a bit shorter: I now have a 1612U DoAll variable speed contour saw, 550V. unknown condition (but ex AECL so might be decent). I have no doubt in the quality of the tool, but just wondering what others have experienced with this family a mechanical VSD tools? Oh: price was $610 (one other bidder seemed to know what is was, but surprisingly timid). I have seen same model from $1500 to 2,500USD, so think I did well.
 
I love my DoAll 16” Vertical Saw. It has the hydraulic table, so it functions as a roll in too. Mine is 220v 3 phase I run off the phase converter.
 
cannuck said:
I have a pair of Marvel 8 saws that are in storage until I can build a larger shop. I keep a 7 x 10 horizontal that has served well for the last 40 years but for vertical work I have a chinese 4 x 6 that I leave mostly in vertical with tiny table that allows it to work horizontal as well. I also have a 24" (wheel size) Canadian vertical I used to use for wood, but far too big for my very crowded home shop. I was thinking of building a 3 wheel from accumulated 4x6 parts but really wanted a dedicated store-bought tool. I saw a vertical DoAll in a local auction yard this fall, but it was not in any catalogue and I just forgot about it. Doing accounting yesterday and for a break looked at that week's catalogue of same (Macdougall) yard and darned if that DoAll wasn't in the sale - closing an hour later. No time to run to town to re-acquaint details and catalogue pictures typically auction house horrible (the called it a "squared" company saw - the on/off switch was a Square D labelled product).

To make a long story a bit shorter: I now have a 1612U DoAll variable speed contour saw, 550V. unknown condition (but ex AECL so might be decent). I have no doubt in the quality of the tool, but just wondering what others have experienced with this family a mechanical VSD tools? Oh: price was $610 (one other bidder seemed to know what is was, but surprisingly timid). I have seen same model from $1500 to 2,500USD, so think I did well.
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I think you will love that saw. I bought mine a few years back, sight unseen from an outfit in Ontario and had it shipped to the coast. The saw had been listed for a while, lots of views but no bites. I believe that was because it was listed as 550v, not typically available everywhere. Anyway I got it home and in cleaning it up a bit I noticed the motor name plate said 440v and better yet it was dual voltage. Took me just a couple of minutes and I had it running 220v. The welder seems to work but I don't use it as I understand it, VFDs don't like that sort of load and I don't really need to. At some point I might see if I can set it up independently 220v single phase. Changed the oil and belts and just used it.
After several months the blade started to come off and I ended up making some new bushings and replacing the bearings in the gearbox. Works great now and I expect it will easily go another 84 years. Just have to get or make a sled (?) for the power feed.
Good solid, simple, well built machines.
There are some good videos on YT on these saws, Rotary SMP, and Michael M(something or other), both of which deal with bigger issues than I had.
An interesting site
Enjoy.
 
I love the index that came with mine. Do you guys have this?
 

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I'm surmising that the speed is altered by means of a variable speed pulley. I have not had a vertical band saw that uses one, but my small shaper does, and I have had them on other machines. They work fine within their limits, which presumably were considered when the machine was designed. I would not be in a hurry to change it, but would use the saw as is (well, clean up, adjust, etc of course) and only move to a VFD or whatever if you are unhappy with the original design after using it for a fair while.

On a related note, I rarely (pretty much never) change the speed on my 7x12 band saw, horizontal or vertical and find that it's fine, whether for steel, aluminum, or the occasional plastic pipe that I want to cut with the squarest possible end.
 
I have a DoAll 1612U that was also 550v when I got it. I swapped to a 2hp 230v 3phase motor and VFD, and ditched the reeves drive entirely. The VFD is able to control the speed well enough. I am using the original motor pulley and the original large pulley on the gearbox. I'm using a flat 6 rib poly v belt (serpentine belt off a car) and it rides perfectly fine on the pulleys.
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I think I will keep the mechanical VSD (note, did not mean electronic misnomer) as what I have seen in the -30 visit yesterday it seems pretty low use. The 550 comment is noteworthy as of course it will run just fine on 575-600. When you see a lower nameplate voltage it means you have higher amperage rated contacts, wiring, etc. than would be on a 575 nameplate. Mine has 550 on the plate, but I have not as yet looked into the motor to see what is there.
 
mickeyf said:
I'm surmising that the speed is altered by means of a variable speed pulley. I have not had a vertical band saw that uses one, but my small shaper does, and I have had them on other machines. They work fine within their limits, which presumably were considered when the machine was designed. I would not be in a hurry to change it, but would use the saw as is (well, clean up, adjust, etc of course) and only move to a VFD or whatever if you are unhappy with the original design after using it for a fair while.

On a related note, I rarely (pretty much never) change the speed on my 7x12 band saw, horizontal or vertical and find that it's fine, whether for steel, aluminum, or the occasional plastic pipe that I want to cut with the squarest possible end.
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The gear box has a high and low range and is driven by a variable speed pulley. It has a tach on the front and I rarely change speed. There is also an air pump for blowing chip. The OP has an hydraulic feed whereas mine has the mechanical feed, a big weight on an arm pulling through a pulley system (I'm missing the pull sled). Kinda a Rube Goldberg setup but simple. Feed force is controlled by a screw thread that adjust the arm the weight acts through.
 
MashingMetal said:
I love the index that came with mine. Do you guys have this?
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I have the "wheel " on mine. Very grimy when I got it so I took it off and washed it in hot soapy water with a cloth. Unfortunately I guess the grime had worked into the paint so it lifted some of the image off, should have known better than to clean up.
Your index looks interesting, would you be able to post a few sample pages. Oh yeh, my birthday is coming up soon and CP would work fine for you to make my day grand.
 
jorogi said:
I have the "wheel " on mine. Very grimy when I got it so I took it off and washed it in hot soapy water with a cloth. Unfortunately I guess the grime had worked into the paint so it lifted some of the image off, should have known better than to clean up.
Your index looks interesting, would you be able to post a few sample pages. Oh yeh, my birthday is coming up soon and CP would work fine for you to make my day grand.
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Sure thing, I will take pictures of the basic steel types. It was screwed on to the front of my saw when I bought it.
 
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