Anyone ever make a band saw brake?

[Bob Slater]

My one complaint about my General 490 is how long it takes to wind down once you shut it off. I keep thinking I will get lax and take some piece out before it has come to a complete stop. (obviously, Slow is not stopped when it comes to finger slicing) Any thoughts on this?

[Dave Lehnert]

I don't own a larger bandsaw (yet) but always wondered if something like a bicycle brake could be rigged.

[Myk Rian]

How about a foot pedal that when you step on it, a braking device engages against the drive belt, or the lower wheel?
My Delta 14" also takes a while to stop.

[Bob Slater]

Myk and Dave, yeah a foot pedal and bike style brake makes sense. A foot pedal on mine probably would be hard to rig, unless it was cable operated, as it sits quite high off the ground. Eyeballing it, a lever off the top wheel with a cam might get sufficient leverage to slow it quickly. It looks like a bike brake pad would rub against the side of my top wheel perfectly.

[Rod Sheridan]

It's tough when you have a bandsaw with low frictional losses, and large amounts of stored energy.

We feel for you, for having such a good machine.:rolleyes:

Aside from a mechanical brake, you could use DC injection to stop the motor, although I suspect that a brake from a bicycle would probably be free.

Regards, Rod.

[Jamie Buxton]

The brake on my LT16HD also turns off the motor. I stop a running machine just by stepping on the brake. You might be able to do the same while you're remodeling your machine. My machine has several safety switches. They mostly watch the blade covers, so that if the cover is not closed, the machine won't run. The wiring to those switches is low-voltage stuff, not the 220 that powers the motor. It would be easy to add another switch in series with the others. Perhaps your Grizzly has similar capability.

[Frank Trinkle]

Grizzly makes some models in the Extreme Series that have full electronic brakes. (Not the foot pedal kind that they have on other models designed only for emergencies... these are standard use-every-day brakes)

They have one on their G0514X2B - see it at:

http://grizzly.com/products/19-3-HP-Extreme-Series-Bandsaw-with-Brake/G0514X2B

[Alex Shanku]

3ph motor and vfd would work

[Josh Kandiko]

+1 for 3ph motor and vfd would work. Add a brake resistor if it is a large bandsaw.

[Bruce Page]

Mine has a brake but I seldom use it. I use a scrap push stick if a small piece is near the blade and needs to be removed.

[Andrew Joiner]

A scrap of wood feed into the blade will stop it when switched off. Most saw's stop fairly fast. This size takes longer. You know those pesky old heavy wheels have all that inertia.

http://www.tannewitz.com/images/tann_ghe36.jpg
MODEL GHE36

[tim mathis]

hi bob,
on woodnet. posted by matt v
on 9-11-06.
titled - griz 0514x footbrake.
he shows pictures of his bandsaw brake he installed on his grizzly.
tim mathis

[John Bailey]

3ph motor and vfd would work

That's what I've got and it was an added benefit. It works great. On my Oliver 192 I've got a handle that comes on the outside and is attached to a piece of wood on the inside. When you turn the handle the wood rotates onto the inside of the wheel and the friction stops the wheel. Very simple and effective.

John

[Dave Lehnert]

hi bob,
on woodnet. posted by matt v
on 9-11-06.
titled - griz 0514x footbrake.
he shows pictures of his bandsaw brake he installed on his grizzly.
tim mathis

Do you have a link? I can not find it.

[Bob Slater]

Lot's of good suggestions, thanks. .MAybe a small bar under the table, going to a bicycle handbrake, with a quick detach bike caliper mounted above the wheel. MAny ways to do the same thing.