Harbor Freight portable metal/wood bandsaw

Rob Keeble

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Location
GTA Ontario Canada
Given we have makers here, i thought i would post this info.

So i come to the conclusion we need to take stock on HF tools. Not all are junk. Seriously China is making so much of the goods we buy lately and they definitely getting better.

So this saw
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-...ep-cut-variable-speed-band-saw-kit-62800.html

Is a case in point of something they sell that has evolved from the first unit dressed in orange to the one it is now.
Researching it there were lots of reviews some negative referring to various bits of the saw. Looks to me like HF have taken stock of this feedback and for the sake of others i will post some pics of the latest versions insides.

The drive wheel rubber tire is now molded such that little cast teeth on the wheel click into the tire and serve to keep it from slipping on the wheel. Pretty neat castings and molding of the tire.
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Then the drive is now a chain drive to the worm drive gearbox. I think before there was some sort of drive direct on the cast wheel hub which had teeth that got worn out or damaged.

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Other wheel is tensioner

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I have not seen what Dewalt or Milwaukee have as alternative but for the $99 US i paid for this they would have to have one heck of a better alternative to justify the hundreds of additional dollars.

Will post the pics when i am back at the computer tapatalk is trying its controlling behavior again and that dont sit well with me.

Btw just for reference the blade that comes with this saw is a wood blade, its a standard size 44" blade that one can buy at HD or Lowes. I purchased Lennox blades for metal cutting they come 3 in a box here all same teeth count. I got 18 tpi blades for what i want they fine.

Also has pretty good bearing guides both top and bottom.

I will post a pick of what i plan to do. Today was just a shakedown to check for grease etc and see how i am going to mount it.

I plan on trying (not sure i will succeed) to make a universal mechanism to latch and unlatch this from my two devices i plan.
One being a off cut saw and the other having the saw mounted in a stand with a table to use it as a metal cutting bandsaw upright.

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Any suggestions on a contraption i could incorporate by buy it that would serve as a wiggle free coupling would be most welcome.

I want my cake and want to eat it. May have to settle for half a slice but first i am going to try for the whole cake. Lol
 
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I've got one of these electric hacksaws and I have to say it's made metal fabrication a lot easier. I've actually been surprised at how well it works.

I've only ever used mine to cut things 'free hand', but I like the looks of those jigs there.
 
www.swagoffroad.com makes really nice band saw tables for all of the brands and models of these saws. I've now bought two of them (one for my son). They include 3/4 X 3/8" miter slots in the tables so you can use any standard miter gauge with them. The saw is mounted to an insert in the table, so it can be quickly removed from the stand for portable use and then put back into the table. One thumb screw holds it in place.

I have no connection to them. I'm just a well satisfied customer.

Charley
 
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