band saw

[Ragtime]

Anybody have any experience with the Hoizontal/vertical band saw? I Know the stand is shakey at best and the blade is LPQ.(lowest possible quality) Other than that would it work well for the occastional user. Do the stores usually have one in stock? I am going to on Hoidays in January and I would like to pick one up when I am in the states.

http://www.harborfreight.com/horizontal-vertical-metal-cutting-bandsaw-93762.html

Thanks

[mudbugone]

I have an older model of the HF unit and it works just fine... Other than the base it seems to be one of the better buys at HF. Get a 20% OFF coupon

I finally got disgusted with the short wobbly stand on mine and tossed this together the other day.

I made it tall (see the yard stick in the first shot)

After I finished it seemed top heavy (2 thick 50# pieces of rusty plate in the second shot added to the base) It's rock solid now

Finished and painted legs

The base was from a handicapped van bucket seat base frame...added casters...bolted 4 30" sticks of angle iron to the cast saw base which because of the base shape made the legs angle out...As luck would have it they exactly fit the scrap base. I leveled things up and welded the angle iron to the base...added the 2 cross braces at the top for lateral support (they hold the chip tray too) The base was black...the legs were grey...added a little black spray...Bingo I'm done...

After fighting that sloppy original base this was a vast improvement.. No fighting it or leaning over any longer... It stands about 38" tall to the cutting surface and I offset the saw so it doesn't tip over backwards if I need to use it in the upright position.

A stand modification is a helpful mod to one of these...Saves your back,fingers,cussing & just general aggrivation... Saw works fine though ..better with a quality blade and NO cutting on bed frame angle iron.. That stuff will destroy a blade instantly.

[yakdung]

I would recommend that you join this yahoo group. It is devoted to the 4x6 bandsaw.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4x6bandsaw/

Good luck,
Yakdung

[California]

.. Saw works fine though ..better with a quality blade and NO cutting on bed frame angle iron.. That stuff will destroy a blade instantly.I just learned something here! I have several pieces of that material and I thought it would be ideal for making equipment bases similar to what you put under your saw. Maybe not.

I ruined a blade on my HF portable bandsaw cutting grooves across the back of a cast iron tractor wheel weight. (To make clearance for the valve stem). Had to finish the project hogging out material with my 9" angle grinder. I thought cast iron was soft - not this stuff.

Are there any other common materials like this that are harder than expected?

Ragtime: There are HF bandsaw user group websites online somewhere. Keep searching in Google. You'll find a lot of expertise in setting one up, and modifications to make it excellent.


Added: Yakdung, thanks. I hadn't seen your post when I posted this.

[mudbugone]

I agree about the Yahoo bandsaw group.... I got my saw because my Uncle was going to literally trash it because the blade kept coming off.

I offered to print out the adjustment instructions from that Yahoo group ,but Oh NO he was tossin' that POS saw... He gave it to me instead... I found the adjustment instructions....fixed the tracking and as you can see I'm keeping it because it works just fine now:laugh:

[Reebs]

I have one. I love it. Do a search on this site there are may threads. Note I'm just a hack hobby welder but I use it all the time.

[Ragtime]

Thanks, I will call the Buffalo store before I go to make sure they have one in stock. Thanks for the tip on the coupon. I am going to sign up for the yahoo group when I have it here. Did I see a tip on a table mod when using it in the vertical position?
Thanks Mike

[mudbugone]

The coupon...:waving:

http://dealspl.us/harborfreight-coupons/340874p

[DUCE00]

Maybe I missed it, but nobody seemed to mention getting a good bi-metal blade with the saw. I used the stock one for a week before I made the change to a better blade and I have to agree with the other users, its the best single addition you can make. HF always cuts corners on consumables if nobody noticed by now ;)