http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37151

I got a $100 HF gift cert for xmas, and one of my buddies that uses the shop a lot said he'd pitch a hundred towards a band saw to replace my rather scary chop saw. Yeah, its a HF model as well. Its had a few.......adjustments made over the years and its gettin kinda sketchy. I think the part that scares most people is there is no power switch, you just plug it in and go :eek: Anyways I'm just wondering if this thing is worth gettin since I cant afford or justify paying a ton of money on a more industrial model. If not I guess i'll just get another chop saw, but I sure would rather get a band.

Thanks
Dallas

Just find another source for blades since the HF ones just can't hack it.

Other than that, I've beat the hell out of this model band saw for the past cpl years. There are websites that talk about various modifications to this unit that will enhance its versatility.

x2 My buddy had one a few years ago and it worked pretty well. It made some nice cuts in 2x2x1/4 angle with no trouble. I only used it in the horizontal mode,so I don't know how it does in vertical mode. I hate my chop saw and have been looking at the same bandsaw.

I gave one away that I had, received it on a large lot buy of tools. I think if you got a couple dozen good cuts from one you would be doing good.

I don't know anyone that has actually used the thing ever having any complaints about it.

It's one of harbor freights best tools.

but, as said earlier, get soem better blades.

I picked one up used for next to nothing. It's great as a chop saw, and the vertical gets the job done, but it's not exactly a precision instrument.

Where does one find these Better Blades?

I picked one up used for next to nothing. It's great as a chop saw, and the vertical gets the job done, but it's not exactly a precision instrument.

Where does one find these Better Blades?

jlindustrial has them, I think other guys use mcmaster online as well. Airgas/Rutland has them. The Fastenal guy said he could get them. Those were all for Lennox blades.

Milwaukee blades from HD fit on there, as do a ton of others. I use my chop saw for horizontal cuts mainly. I just leave mine setup for vertical use like a scroll saw. Works pretty good for most stuff, just can't get too aggressive with speed or the blade will pop off. I run a trail of Tap Magic along the line I'm cutting and it seems to hardly ever pop a blade if I do that beforehand. It's worth the $ IMO. Use the coupons on here and it's even cheaper.

my only major issue is it won't chop straight. i've adjusted it a few times but it's never perfect. i made a larger table for it...some sort of quick release would be nice. i'll frequently find something else to use for cutting if the table is on just so i don't have to change it...only two screws but i'm lazy. check out their 6x48 belt/disc sander if you don't have one already..that's nice with a 24 grit wart remover belt.

I have that same saw and like it alot. Used the shit out of it with no problems except blade replacement. Like said above, get some spare better quality blades as the one that comes with it wont last too long.
It does have a switch, it will shut off automaticaly when the cut is done. Look just to the right of the clamp adjuster wheel. The black metal tab on the saw part will hit the rocker switch and shut it off when it goes down.
Use alot of lube when cutting as well. I havent used my pos chop saw since.

Does the 20% off coupon still wrok?

$170 + 20% off would be smokin!

Does the 20% off coupon still wrok?

$170 + 20% off would be smokin!


Yes, it does.

I have a friend that just picked up the bandsaw the other day for $135 and some change

Well I ended up picking this one up today with the 20% coupon, but the fawker keeps poppin the blade off. I messed with the angle on the upper wheel and it got better, but still wouldn't stay on. Took about 8 tries to cut one piece of 1.75x.120 wall tube. Am I missing something? also what speed are you guys running at?

Dallas

RTFM for starters, then search :flipoff2: -- the 4x6 bandsaw catches a load of flack, but if adjusted well and equipped with a decent blade, it can crank out some pretty consistent cuts. I like Lenox blades, FWIW.

Randii

SEARCH! I'm one of the folks who uses the shit out of his, I have two of them and they run quite often and are worth every fawking penny they cost.

You can set them up, start it, walk away and when you hear the pieces hit the floor, go pick it up and start over again. Try that with your chop saw!

Don't try to for any great precision, the accuracy is pretty good, but precision not so good. Adjust the balde guides so the blade runs true, tighten the blade as tight as you can by hand and you'll have it about right, buy better blades and everything will improve. I can only imagine how much better mine would cut if I spent more than $5.00 on blades :flipoff2:.

I have a similar 4x6 bandsaw from Homier. $100, no freight.

I've had it quite a few years and the only time my chop-saw has come out since I bought it was when I broke a blade and couldn't get to the store for another.

I now keep a spare blade handy - never know when you'll do something stupid and tear up the blade - liek dropping the saw on a work-piece.. that'll do it.

As for the blades coming off.. crank the adjuster down TIGHT.. but also look at the adjustement on the "left" (the side you feed the steel from and has the vice) for tension. You may have too much tension, and it's trying to get a bigger bite than it should.

Eventually my adjustment knob for the blade tension broke - cranked down on the plastic too much.

There's now a metric bolt in it's place, and I use a wrench on it. :D

I've never put the vertical table in place, but I often put the bandsaw vertical and hold a work-piece against the blade. Helps if you sit on the base so you can apply a little pressure to the work piece/blade to make it cut.

It may be a little slower than my chop-saw on some things, but it's MUCH MUCH quieter, and doesn't fill the air with aluminum oxide dust - just makes a big pile of metal shavings under the saw that I shop-vac up.

It's also a lot easier to make angled cuts.

..and since you can just set the steel in the saw and lower the blade n' walk away (not too far - sometimes the blade gets pinched!), in many ways it's "faster" than the chopsaw, since I'm busy doing something else while it's gnawing on the 2.5x2.5x.250 receiver tube stock all by itself.

RTFM for starters, then search :flipoff2: -- the 4x6 bandsaw catches a load of flack, but if adjusted well and equipped with a decent blade, it can crank out some pretty consistent cuts. I like Lenox blades, FWIW.

Randii

RTFM is right. If he started cutting and THEN adjusting the wheel, he didn't RTFM. :D

I don't use mine every day, hardly ever use it. But when I use it I abuse the crap out of it. From cutting stovepipe to wood to PVC to conduit to 1/4" angle... bolts, NUTS, I basically use it for everything. I love that damned saw.

If I go downstairs and put my 18tpi blade on it right now, it will cut 1/4" angle like it's been machined.... well it has been, but on an expensive machine. :laughing:

i like my cheap bandsaw better than the expensive one at work. make yourself a catch pan, add a pump for cutting fluid and some good blades and it will do about anything you need at home.

Hey Tom,
I checked Homier and can't find a $100 bandsaw. Can you give me a model #? Maybe it was a good sale? The one they have listed online is $200.
Thanks,
Blair

Single best change for me was refining the clamp. If you clamp the workpiece in well, you can walk away from the saw and listen for the clang when it hits the floor (one of these days I'm gonna set up a contact shutoff switch). A few big C-clamps is better, but I use the hell out of a basic block and clamp set: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/05900-05999/05952.gif

To a great extent, the more bomb-proof your setup is, the better your cut will be!

Randii

Hey Tom,
I checked Homier and can't find a $100 bandsaw. Can you give me a model #? Maybe it was a good sale? The one they have listed online is $200.
Thanks,
Blair

The one they list now looks nicer the mine - my base is the cheap sheetmetal POS.

Might've been mine was on sale when they came through a few years ago.. but mine is just like the HF unit linked to.

I have the Jet version of that saw. I have no problems making straight cuts, I shaved 1/64" off some brackets with no problem.

I would like to find a better method to clamp tube.

I would like to find a better method to clamp tube.


take off the flat plate clamp that it comes with and make a V shaped clamp with angle iron.

Got one for about $130 at HF really decent for the the price and will pretty much pay for itself soon :)

Gui

You get what you pay for. For the money it is OK. My biggest complaint is the cheap stand it is on. The first thing I would cut, would be some nice legs or a new rolling base for it.

Well I figured out the problem, and RTFM didn't help a bit. The instructions are lacking at best, and downright comical at times. The "Align Balde" section for example. Chinese translations are really great sometimes. What helped was the mention of coplanar wheels in this link:

http://www.tinyisland.com/4x6bsFAQ.html

I checked with a piece of angle and the top wheel was almost 1/2" too deep. That link also mentions using shims behind the wheel to adjust it, but I found it was much better to just put a puller on the wheel and pull it out on the shaft a bit. The bearing is just pressed on. Saw works like a champ now. Oh, got a new blade too, that definitely helped.

Dallas

I paid $50 for mine at a garage sale, it came with 10 blades. I keep it on slow speed, I have had no complaint's about it. I made a roller base for mine with locking feet.

I don't know about you guys saying there's no switch but there is one on mine. When the saw gets down to the bottom, it'll flick that toggle switch to the off position.

I don't know about you guys saying there's no switch but there is one on mine. When the saw gets down to the bottom, it'll flick that toggle switch to the off position.

Mine also has a toggle shut off.

Well I figured out the problem, and RTFM didn't help a bit. The instructions are lacking at best, and downright comical at times. The "Align Balde" section for example. Chinese translations are really great sometimes. What helped was the mention of coplanar wheels in this link:

http://www.tinyisland.com/4x6bsFAQ.html

I checked with a piece of angle and the top wheel was almost 1/2" too deep. That link also mentions using shims behind the wheel to adjust it, but I found it was much better to just put a puller on the wheel and pull it out on the shaft a bit. The bearing is just pressed on. Saw works like a champ now. Oh, got a new blade too, that definitely helped.

Dallas

Of all the tools I own, this one is by far the most aggrivating, and I am sure it is because I don't have it adjusted right or adjusted fully.

I've read the FAQ above, Tried every adjustment according to it and what I could of that 'fine' manual and the damn thing still throws the blade off. I can't get more than 30 seconds out of it before 'clunk' and the blade comes off.

The top pulley 2 12mm adjustment bolts on the back just drives me nuts.. I think it is adjusted properly and then tighten it up and its out of adjustment. I can't seem to keep it aligned no matter what I do. I crank the snot out of the tensioner as well.

The top pulley was in too far and I pulled it out and tried to align it with the bottom pulley with a piece of angle iron. Its better than it was.

I adjusted the side rollers that grasp the blade and they appear fine, they roll, but don't bind.

The rollers that are on top of the blade don't seem to be adjusted as good as they can get. I noticed that 'right' (bottom when saw is vertical) is rolling across the blade but the one on the left won't roll but I have tried adjusting it too without much success.

I have tried the tensioning rod/spring to give lighter pressure, thinking that the weight of the saw itself was putting too much pressure on the blade and focing it off when it starts to cut into the work.

A friend suggested pulling both pulleys off and making 3 guides for each pulley by drilling holes into the 3 'blades' of the pulley and bolting some flat stock so that it catches the blade as it rolls around it and keep it on. While this would work, Many others don't have this problem so this shouldn't be required as far as I can tell.

I'm at the end of my rope on this POS and I'm at the point of paying someone in my area to come and adjust this thing so that I can use it.

I'm a smart guy, but this tool has beaten me.

I have had one of these about 1 1/2 years.I used the crap out of it and the only problem is the stand.I have clamped it down to a frame jig with it cutting better
but this only started about 2 months ago.I have use lenox and a few other high dollar blades at 25.00 each with not luck.I now use 9.00 blades from ace hardware or tractor supply.The best are the 10/14 tpi blades.

Well I figured out the problem, and RTFM didn't help a bit. The instructions are lacking at best, and downright comical at times. The "Align Balde" section for example. Chinese translations are really great sometimes. What helped was the mention of coplanar wheels in this link:

http://www.tinyisland.com/4x6bsFAQ.html

I checked with a piece of angle and the top wheel was almost 1/2" too deep. That link also mentions using shims behind the wheel to adjust it, but I found it was much better to just put a puller on the wheel and pull it out on the shaft a bit. The bearing is just pressed on. Saw works like a champ now. Oh, got a new blade too, that definitely helped.

Dallas

I decided to give this thing one more chance. I spent nearly 2 hours checking, reading, and adjusting and replacing the blade and fiddling with every blasted setting I could find and I think that I finally have it cutting properly and not throwing blades.

The tension stop was too low, I was cranking the blade and hitting the stop and the blade wasn't as tight as it should have been. I didn't notice this before when I was first fighting the saw.

The feed rate adjuster was set for too much pressure. I cranked it in more and now the weight of the saw cuts and doesnt bind. I suspect that is what it was doing when it was throwing the blade off the pulley.

Blade tracking was off some and that was attributing to the throwing belts. The 2 12mm screws for the top pulley tracking adjustment are a pain in the ass.

This saw is soo tempramental it just has to be FEMALE!!!

Anyway, I am cutting with it now and probably need to play with the feed rate adjuster a bit more so that it cuts faster and won't bind/break the blade.

Persistence was the key to this saw, persistence.