Harbor Freight Bandsaw (yet another one)

[Jason King]

Hello everyone,

longtime lurker, relatively new poster. I'm interested in acquiring a 14" bandsaw. Woodcraft currently is selling the Jet 14" for $500. Before I blow more money than I want to I started looking at the harbor freight 14" bandsaw. I'm a little worried about buying an implement of amputation from harbor freight, but this bandsaw seems to b a bright spot in their rather dubious lineup.

From my research, quite a few people seem to like them, especially for the price. Others would avoid HF like the plague.

I'm a hobbyist. I'll use the bandsaw to resaw a small amount of rough stock to make boxes and other small items. Occasionally I might try to resaw something wider, but the bandsaw is really just for general shop use. The most expensive tool is the one you have to buy twice. Would I be making a mistake with Harbor freight?

[glenn bradley]

I tend to pass on any HF product that involves any degree of accuracy. Don't get me wrong, I buy lotsa stuff there. Tarps, spring clamps, bungee cords, air quick-couplers and other stuff like that.

I have never had good luck with anything that was supposed to cut, be sharp or straight. Their heat gun works great and I have one of their 'sawzalls' that I expected to die just before the demo job was done. . . still going.

[Ted Miller]

Jason, Its hit and miss with Salvaged Freight, I know guys who have powered tools that have lasted many years from there but they are not used on a professional basis. For the average guy who doesn't use their tools all day long you can find great deals. For me I only go there when I need something quick for one use only powered by hand...

[Jake Helmboldt]

I looked at one out of curiosity. The one I saw has such flimsy little trunnions I didn't even look any further. There are enough parts on a bandsaw moving around that with imbalances, misalilgnments, etc that a junk saw can be a headache.

If you want to save money pick up the ubiquitous used Delta (it is about the one piece of machinery that is always in the local paper and trading post rag). They are everywhere and can be had for less than what the HF saw would cost. And the older ones, while often underpowered for any real resawing, are typically solid.

[Stephen C Streetman]

Have been reading online reviews of the hf bandsaw for years. Most that have it are satisfied or even thrilled. Granted it may not be the best but with a bit of fiddling people are achieving good results.
I have read from some that by the time you get it tuned you could have near the same $'s invested. Don't know enough about it to know what all is involved. Guess new tires, blade, blocks, etc..
Nice thing about hf is their return policy. Don't like it take it back. For that if I were looking for a bs with limited $'s I'd give it a try.
FWIW
Steve

[Marc Prudhomme]

jason,
I bought a benchtop drill press from them a couple of weeks ago and I was amased at the quality.From everything I heard on this forum I was expecting a Plastic piece of junk.I was very pleased with the quality ,It went together nice and everything runs nice and straight.I say go for it ,put it together,plug it in and try it.If you dont like it put it back in the box and send it back.You should know right away if you have a gem or a lemon.
My 2 cents
Marc

[James Carmichael]

I'd recommend saving your pennies then go for a Griz or maybe Ridgid (I have the latter and am reasonably happy with it).

You will likely want to upgrade your BS at some point in the future and will get little, if any, resale out of an HF.

[Ken Werner]

I did the best I could with it. I could never get it to do anything well except cut curves in thin pieces of wood. It was an exercise in frustration and inaccuracy. I went thru Mark Duginske's book and adjusted and tuned everything I could. But as Lyndon Johnson once said, "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken s**t no matter how much mayonnaise you use" [he was referring to a later US Pres, who resigned].

Bottom line: buy something better.

Ken

[Marc Prudhomme]

There is always someone on craigslist that will gladly pay half or maybe more of what you paid for at HF.You will sell it
I'd recommend saving your pennies then go for a Griz or maybe Ridgid (I have the latter and am reasonably happy with it).

You will likely want to upgrade your BS at some point in the future and will get little, if any, resale out of an HF.

[Ken Werner]

And like Marc said, I did sell it for more than half what I paid. Still, twasn't worth it.
Ken

[Jim Fox]

I'm sorry but I just don't get at all the fascination with the junk at HF.

[scott spencer]

Even the HF "gems" can be hit and miss...one's fine, another not. Most of what I've heard involves a fair amount of tweaking to bring the BS around, which makes me wonder if it'll be worth the cost of upgrades and time on your part. I like the $100 mortiser but I'd be more reluctant to part with $250 for an HF machine.

Griz, Jet, Delta, Craftsman....

[Jake Helmboldt]

Why would you pay good (limited) money for something, invest lots of time trying to get it to work for you, and then sell it for a 50% loss and be happy? I don't get it.

A bandsaw is NOT a drillpress. You can spend countless hours trying to dial in a BS and figure out what isn't right if things are working correctly.

[thomas prevost]

My BIL has one. he thinks it is great, but, then comments on it limitations vs my Delta. It is built a lot "looser" than a good saw. The tension spring is weak, the wheels appaer to have a lot of play (causing vibration.) the table is very flimsy. Thus, if it is to used for cutting curves in small project, it may work, But I doubt you would ever be happy resawing.

AS with most tools, most users have different bench marks. For my BIL anything better than his hand held jigsaw was a huge improvement. For me the fustration helping him get it set up almost took me over the top.

[Mike Goetzke]

Jason - with all the other posts I'm embarrassed to admit I have the 14" HF 5-speed band saw. I must admit it was a choir to assemble but I made very little changes/mods to mine and it works quite well. Yes, I really wanted a Griz but right now with the things I build I really don't use the BS that frequently. When needed it has worked fine from fine detail work to resawing.

My mods: I gave the motor extra support with a simple plate, added link belt, added HF riser, built a BS table/fence based on a Wood Mag. design, and added a mobile base. If you end up getting one I can send pics if you want.


Mike

[Alex Berkovsky]

Jason - with all the other posts I'm embarrassed to admit I have the 14" HF 5-speed band saw. I must admit it was a choir to assemble but I made very little changes/mods to mine and it works quite well. Yes, I really wanted a Griz but right now with the things I build I really don't use the BS that frequently. When needed it has worked fine from fine detail work to resawing.

My mods: I gave the motor extra support with a simple plate, added link belt, added HF riser, built a BS table/fence based on a Wood Mag. design, and added a mobile base. If you end up getting one I can send pics if you want.


MikeMike,
Are you talking about my ex-BS by any chance? :D
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i232/jarhead8286/For%20Sale/th_Bandsaw-1.jpg (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i232/jarhead8286/For%20Sale/Bandsaw-1.jpg)

I think you were the one who sent me pictures of the table you built from Wood Magazine. Since then, I've sold it on Craiglist and got about 50% back taking into account the money I've put into it. It served me well while I was building my first two projects.

[Marc Prudhomme]

Great Modifications.Looks like a pretty good saw there
Mike,
Are you talking about my ex-BS by any chance? :D
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i232/jarhead8286/For%20Sale/th_Bandsaw-1.jpg (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i232/jarhead8286/For%20Sale/Bandsaw-1.jpg)

I think you were the one who sent me pictures of the table you built from Wood Magazine. Since then, I've sold it on Craiglist and got about 50% back taking into account the money I've put into it. It served me well while I was building my first two projects.

[Greg McCallister]

Looks like the Ridgid 14" is on sale right now.
Online Special: $314.10/ea - Valid through: 02/15/2007. Not sure as to how good it is (still reasearching) but some have mentioned that it is a pretty good saw. One would have to believe it is better than the HF one.

[Mike Goetzke]

Mike,
Are you talking about my ex-BS by any chance? :D
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i232/jarhead8286/For%20Sale/th_Bandsaw-1.jpg (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i232/jarhead8286/For%20Sale/Bandsaw-1.jpg)

I think you were the one who sent me pictures of the table you built from Wood Magazine. Since then, I've sold it on Craiglist and got about 50% back taking into account the money I've put into it. It served me well while I was building my first two projects.

:eek: Hey - I better go look in the garage!

[Jake Helmboldt]

My BIL has one. he thinks it is great, but, then comments on it limitations vs my Delta. It is built a lot "looser" than a good saw. The tension spring is weak, the wheels appaer to have a lot of play (causing vibration.) the table is very flimsy. Thus, if it is to used for cutting curves in small project, it may work, But I doubt you would ever be happy resawing.

AS with most tools, most users have different bench marks. For my BIL anything better than his hand held jigsaw was a huge improvement. For me the fustration helping him get it set up almost took me over the top.

BINGO! It is all about what your expectations are. For the same $$ or a little more a good, used, quality saw can be had.

Jh

[Jason King]

Thanks everyone,

My first new thread ever gets 19 posts and I don't even know anybody here yet. The creek sure is friendly.

I took a hard look at the HF bandsaw, and I think I'll have to pass for the time being. I don't NEED a bandsaw right this minute, so with a little more saving (and looking on craigslist) I hope to end up slightly higher on the import food chain.

Thanks again everyone. Once I finally acquire a bandsaw, I'll report back with my results.

Jason

[John Bailey]

I think that the HF would serve you well as long as you understand what you are getting. That being said, my choice was to buy an old (1948) Delta for $285. I threw it in the back of my pick-up, went home with it on it's back, set it upright and went to work. Even with the 3/4 hp. motor, it has resawed through 5" teak and done all the scrolling well. The cast iron trunions, heavy wheel and, especially, the micro adjusting knobs are a joy to use. It has become my main saw. All this with no tune-up what so ever. The big drawback to the older saws is no dust collection. There are many add-ons for this, and I'll be fixing that when time and money allows.

Just my experience. Whatever you get, you'll enjoy having a bandsaw around.

John

[Per Swenson]

Jason,

If you are patient and look around you can find a old

rockwell/delta band saw that will (with a little upgrading),

(see, Iturra), knock your socks off.

For instance on that auction site,,,see this number here.


Item number: 190080060739http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/globalAssets/rtCurve.gif
Haunt the classified's, craigs list, Irs auctions etc.

Spare your self a head ache.

Per