Cold cut saw powered by treadmill motor.

**machiningfool** · Sep 10, 2015, 12:55 PM

I had to cut some metal, rather large, 10" by 10" by 3/16ths tubing for my CNC router base and didn't have a saw to cut it with, so like I usually do, is find a treadmill, usually one I had bought for exercise and never used for exercise, and instead powered a saw with it. I bought a Ryobi miter saw and took the old 5000 rpm. motor out of it and powered it with a treadmill motor running at 900 RPM . Spinning at this low rpm., I was able to make 40 cuts in the 10 by 10 by 3/16ths with a carbide 60 tooth wood blade. There are no sparks, and sort of cuts like a mill cutter. Now don't expect it to cut through just like wood, because it doesn't, cuts more like a metal cutting band saw as far as speed. A few minutes ago, I had to make a 10" cut in a piece of 1/4" angle and used my saw and here is a picture of the cut, took about 3 minutes. First of all my metal cutting bandsaw would not hold the angle iron because of its size, and my upright band saw wouldn't have been able to make as straight of cut as this saw. The reason a cold cut saw can cut so nicely is that the speed of the blade is so slow. Robert Brown.

Cold cut saw powered by treadmill motor.-img_2250.jpg

**kbalch** · Sep 10, 2015, 04:27 PM

Thanks machiningfool! I've added your Cold Cut Saw to our Metalworking category, as well as to your builder page: machiningfool's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Cold Cut Saw by machiningfool

tags: saw, motor

**Manitoba Man** · Mar 12, 2016, 04:03 PM

Robert

Very impressive. I recently scored two functioning treadmills from our rural dump. I plan to use one on a drill press and one on a metal cutting bandsaw. I am encouraged in my idea by your fine example :-) Keep up the good work.

Greetings from Canada
Robert Braun ( German for Brown you know )

**machiningfool** · Mar 12, 2016, 05:56 PM

Thank you for your interest. A treadmill motor and control is the easiest and cheapest way to power a machine. I have powered these machines: an outboard, a lathe, a band saw, a Bridgeport mill, cold cut saw,and a large belt sander. I am running out of ideas. I guess the next thing should be a bicycle. Robert Brown.