4x6 Horizontal Bandsaws options?

[JeepinJ]

I know most of the HF, Jet, Black Bull, Grizzly, etc. have the same casting. I've looked through most of the 4x6 enthusiast pages, but nobody talks about a different style. Is that the only 4x6 option out there? I'm trying to stay under $500. I have been told the green HF model is superior to the red one, but I can't find one locally. I just get this weird feeling about buying power equipment at HF. If you know of any other style that might be worth a bit more coin than the $229 HF chunk, I'm all ears.

Thanks,
-J

 

[930dreamer]

I have this one For Sale.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83168

 

[JeepinJ]

I have this one For Sale.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83168

I don't think I'll be visiting Texas anytime soon.

 

[rsanter]

I have 2 of the HF units that I have used the hell out of over the years
have gotten good service from them
you may need to do a little 'tuning' for them to cut just right

bob

 

[JeepinJ]

I have 2 of the HF units that I have used the hell out of over the years
have gotten good service from them

I have heard a lot of good stories after doing some mods, and getting a good blade. I have also seen two smoke the motor right out of the box. I was just hoping there was another sub $500 option out there other than a porta-band.

 

[oldtractors]

The Harbor Freight one is fine. Worst case is they burn up a motor out of a box, at which point you tell them to get you a new motor, or if it happens later on then put a good motor on it.

I got my HF one about 10 years ago on sale for $99! It still has the original motor, although it gets so hot you can't touch it. It has run for hours at a time when I had to make a bunch of cuts. It is one of the most used metalworking tools in my shop.

 

[PCO6]

I used the common type of 4"x6" band saw for about 20 years. Mine was a Craftex from Busy Bee (same as the Grizzly, Jet, HF, etc.) and it worked great. I replaced it with the one pictured below which is also a Craftex. The difference with this one is that the head swivels thereby making it easier to cut angles. The standard type requires that you angle the clamping vice which is easy enough for short material. For long material however that often means you have to move things out of the way as you swing your material into place. If you have lots of floor space that's fine ... I don't. With this one, the material stays in place and the saw head swivels to the angle you want.

http://www.busybeetools.com/products/BANDSAW-METAL-SWIVEL-1{47}3-HP-CSA-CRAFTEX.html

 

[metal1313]

i would love pone of these for the same reasons as above. i have a very small shop, it would fit in some peoples shops 10-15 times easily. this would help so much cutting angles and i just cant afford a good us made machine like a do-all

 

[ZRX61]

I have 2 of the HF units that I have used the hell out of over the years
have gotten good service from them
you may need to do a little 'tuning' for them to cut just right

bob

I pissed around with one for weeks & ended up stuffing it into a corner unused. Lfe's too short.

 

[PCO6]

I pissed around with one for weeks & ended up stuffing it into a corner unused. Lfe's too short.

The "fine tuning" rsanter referred to is probably in regard to aligning the blade bearing guides properly so the blade will cut straight. My first one was good right out of the box. After a few years I had to make the adjustments and it was a pain. My second one wasn't even close to being right when I got it. It's not a very good design (my opinion) and I'd like to come up with something better.

 

[JeepinJ]

I guess I'm either going to pick up the HF red one, or the Clarke from TSC today. The Clarke looks just like the rest, except it has the slightly improved guides like the JET version. I don't know if that would make it worth $279 though. I can get the HF version for $199 right now with my 20% coupon.

 

[wbclassics]

HF unit is on sale in Jan for $229 (no coupon)... minus 20% = $183. The postmaster delivered my January HF retail flyer a week earlier than he should have. IF HF's POS (Point of Sale!) software has the January sale pricing uploaded on Jan 1st, you'll be able to get 25% off the sale price for a total of $172.

 

[JeepinJ]

Jan 1st, you'll be able to get 25% off the sale price for a total of $172.

That may be worth the wait. I was hoping to finish up my new control arms, and welding table tomorrow.

 

[ZRX61]

The "fine tuning" rsanter referred to is probably in regard to aligning the blade bearing guides properly so the blade will cut straight. My first one was good right out of the box. After a few years I had to make the adjustments and it was a pain. My second one wasn't even close to being right when I got it. It's not a very good design (my opinion) and I'd like to come up with something better.

The one I have won't stay "in tune". If I could pick it up, I'd drop it in the trashcan.

 

[alex71]

Most of the problems people have with this saw is due to not enough blade tension.

Get rid of the plastic knob. you CANNOT tighten it enough by hand. replace it with a bolt and tighten it within an inch of its life. when you think you've got it tight enough, make it tighter. if you're not nervous that you're about to break something, you haven't got it tight enough.

have I got my point across? make the blade tight, and it will cut straight and not jump off the tires.

And get rid of the blade that comes with it--replace with a strarret or something similar and start cutting.

yes, I have one of those shameful tools. Mine is an old Enco version, made in Taiwan, but it's the same **** as you can buy at harbor freight today.

 

[Ign]

Sub $500 (before shipping) and also a swivel head similar to the Busy Bee posted above. Claims 5x6 rather than 4x6, and swivels to 60 degrees. I couldn't see if the Busy Bee goes past 45 on their site.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-x-6-Metal-Cutting-Bandsaw-w-Swivel-Head/G9742

If HF you might try this $180
http://images.harborfreight.com/hftusa/itc/7731/images/40.jpg

 

[EdT]

I have a Taiwanese ENCO one that I got about 20 years ago and it has worked fine for lots and lots of cutting. Yes I had to align it a couple of times, but it has been a very good value for me. If it blew up tomorrow, I'd probably get another. I did have one mis- adventure when I replaced a the blade. The new blade was a bit thicker than the old one and was too tight in the guide bearings. After a short time the excess pressure caused the blade to "dish" across its short dimension and that made it try to cut circles rather than straight lines. This did not work out too well. The blade was toast, but once I loosened up the bearing clearance it was fine and the next new blade cut straight.

 

[thinkracing]

I would love to get a good source or part number for a decent blade for the HF band saw.

I only use mine as a vertical saw and struggle with all of the above. A decent blade would Be a great first step as I sort it out.

 

[PCO6]

... I couldn't see if the Busy Bee goes past 45 on their site.

No the swivel head only goes to 45*, same as the standard unit.

For those interested in 4x6 bandsaws, here is a forum with lots of good information ... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4x6bandsaw/

 

[Stephenw]

I would love to get a good source or part number for a decent blade for the HF band saw.

I only use mine as a vertical saw and struggle with all of the above. A decent blade would Be a great first step as I sort it out.

Most larger towns have a saw shop. They will be able to custom weld you a quality bi-metal blade to fit the Harbor Freight saw. Most Home Depot stores also stock a blade that will fit.

 

[Stick Figure]

Most larger towns have a saw shop. They will be able to custom weld you a quality bi-metal blade to fit the Harbor Freight saw. Most Home Depot stores also stock a blade that will fit.

Anyone that has Starrett will also be able to order one. We have a couple of local places that I get them for my Jet version for around $20 each.

 

[VegasBruce]

I guess I'm either going to pick up the HF red one, or the Clarke from TSC today. The Clarke looks just like the rest, except it has the slightly improved guides like the JET version. I don't know if that would make it worth $279 though. I can get the HF version for $199 right now with my 20% coupon.

It comes down to what color you want. They all pretty much the same, just make sure everything is lined up straight. They don't cut to bad at all. Change the oil in the gearbox right away, contaminated oil has been a problem with them in the past.

 

[JeepinJ]

Well I bought the HF one yesterday. I immediately changed the blade to a RIDGID 24tpi, and cleaned the gearbox out. I replaced the oil with Lucas 80w90. I shimmed the guides, and tightened the **** out of the tension. I have made about 40 cuts with it today on some heavy wall steel square tubing from 1" - 2". It has worked like a champ. The motor has stayed cool, and so has the blade.

The only thing I will want in the future is an 18tpi blade, and some hydraulic action.

 

[VegasBruce]

Well I bought the HF one yesterday. I immediately changed the blade to a RIDGID 24tpi, and cleaned the gearbox out. I replaced the oil with Lucas 80w90. I shimmed the guides, and tightened the **** out of the tension. I have made about 40 cuts with it today on some heavy wall steel square tubing from 1" - 2". It has worked like a champ. The motor has stayed cool, and so has the blade.

The only thing I will want in the future is an 18tpi blade, and some hydraulic action.

Very cool, I'd like to make a coolant setup for the blade on mine.

 

[36tbird]

Went out and purchased my HF 4X6 yesterday. Nice cool day out so was a good project to be indoors and assemble it. I have an old Kalamazoo horizontal band saw that I got at a swap meet and it is great. I think I am going to strip off all of the HF's horizontal vice attachments and bolt it in the permanently vertical position. Then it dawned on me, I could put a seat on the horizontal cutting area to sit there when cutting on the vertical table. How decadent is that?! Might need to beef up the legs for my added weight.

When you guys say that you "shimmed the guides" does that mean you are tightening up the the rollers against the blade? If so, how tight are you going for?

 

[rsanter]

and whatever you do, do not be tempted to buy the HF blades. they are junk

I have my blades made at a saw shop, they cost about the same and they work great

bob

 

[JeepinJ]

Sometimes you just have to cheat...

I think I need a bigger saw.

 

[IMCA38]

I think I need a bigger saw.

Go for one of these if you can find it. 9 x 12, will cut most anything. I got one a couple of years ago and it works great. Hard to find and generally somewhat expensive. I paid $270 for mine at an auction. Saw another one sell at auction for $400 recently. They haven't been made since the mid-late 1970's. But the nice thing is that you can get most all of the small parts, if needed, from a hardware store or someplace like Fastenal. The saw pictured is not mine, but mine looks just like it.

 

[JeepinJ]

The saw pictured is not mine, but mine looks just like it.

I use Olson blades on all my band saws and scroll saws. I didn't realize they made anything other than blades. I wonder if that saw is made in the USA like their blades.

 

[IMCA38]

I use Olson blades on all my band saws and scroll saws. I didn't realize they made anything other than blades. I wonder if that saw is made in the USA like their blades.

Different outfit.

The Olson saws were made in Brule, NE in what I understand was pretty much a one-man shop. The dad has since passed away but the son still runs the shop doing custom metal fabrication and welding. He still makes and sells blades for the saws, too. They are an odd size- 9'9" if I remember right, and a little expensive at about $40 ea. But they cut like crazy and the saw runs so slow that I think a blade will last a long time as provided you don't do anything stupid. The son told me that the saws were about $700 new.
Nowdays, they'd probably have to be twice that just based on the amount of steel. You can't really tell from the photos, but this thing is back-breaking heavy!

 

[36tbird]

JeepinJ, used your idea and drained the oil on my new HF and put in the Lucas. Because I am going to lock my saw in the vertical, I drilled a hole in the crankcase and tapped it for a 1/4" NPT plug. This way, I can check the oil without removing that cover and just use a little wooden dipstick. I figure after some wear, it may leak around the drive wheel axle. I also got on the Olson website and ordered blades. 2 bi-metals and 3 hardbacks got me $.95 over the $100 requirement for free shipping.

I'm still waiting on approval to join that Yahoo website. I want to see if there are some ways to put a tilt table on these things.

 

[JeepinJ]

I also got on the Olson website and ordered blades. 2 bi-metals and 3 hardbacks got me $.95 over the $100 requirement for free shipping.

I have been using their 18tpi wavy hardback which was recommended to me by a machinist friend. TSC has them for $14.99.