Does This $250 Harbor Freight Band Saw Even Work?!?!
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- čas přidán 13. 06. 2020
- Bought a Harbor Freight band saw!!! Putting it together and doing a review on the saw and a couple blades!!
Bandsaw:
www.harborfreight.com/horizon...
Olson Blade:
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
Bosch Blade:
amzn.to/3hnzT37
Cutting Lubricant:
amzn.to/2XXsyzs
Sony A7II Camera: amzn.to/2yprn1p
Follow me on instagram! / austinniemela - Auta a dopravní prostředky
You put one of the pulleys on backwards they're supposed to be opposed to give you multiple speeds for cutting different materials, same as an old drill press. And the larger TPI is for harder material because there are a greater number of teeth per inch which equals less chip load, and you would run about 240 surface feet per minute for aluminium and around 110 for stainless in mild Steel. Oh and abrasive Wheels we're never intended for use on aluminum because it causes major galling to the wheel which in turn causes excess Heat which gives you the result you see in your video just a little info for you.
Ben Smith is correct. The gearbox pulley is installed incorrectly. Look at diagram under the belt guard cover at 4:45 in your video. Flip the gearbox pulley so the larger diameter is next to the gearbox.
You're right, i had a lathe with very similar set up for speed changes
This maybe the problem why at collage the saw they brought wont go fast and barely cuts the metal. I started and welding course . I will see tomorrow if i can fix it . Check the owners manual
A lot of things have changed over the years, and bench grinders might be a thing of the past, but be cautious when grinding any non-ferrious metals on a wheel of that type, for it can load the wheel up with the soft metal and cause it to explode!!!
Modern day wheels might be different, but I don't care to run the risk. Be safe 🙏
my thoughts exactly
*Perfect band saw for the hobby enthusiast **MyBest.Tools** Easy to set up and square. Had it running in 10 to 15 minutes. Quality of cuts will depend on the quality of the blades.*
Let me help you. I welded and sold bandsaw blades of all types and sizes for decades. Here is the easiest thing for most people with this saw. For 1/16" and thinner steel material like sheetmetal, you should use a 24tooth blade. For 1/16 -1/8" steel material, you should use a 18tooth blade. 1/8- 1/4" and thicker, and the most popular blade is 14tooth per inch. Use Hardback blades for mild steel and most things. Never get flexback its lighter duty blade, more for woodwork. If you need to cut Harder materials, like a grade 8 bolt or stainless, use a Bi -Metal (cobalt alloy) blade. Hard Materials will strip the teeth off a regular hardback blade as you discovered. Bi-Metal is used in production shops on large saws as they have much longer life on regular mild steel cutting as well. (They cost more but are more economical for production) They are a dull silver color before use. Most aluminum I would use a 10t.p.i blade, except for very thin material maybe a 14tooth. Hardback is fine for most common aluminum alloys but you can use Bi Metal but aluminum is not hard, so its not necessary. Hope this helps you band saw guys.
Thanks.
FYI just like your flat steel cut faster standing up. If you put square steel in there at A 45° 🔶 you’re never cutting a big flat spot!! it will save a lot of cutting time. Cheers
I love my saw! Had one of these over 25 years, best money I ever spent! The vertical option with the lil table attachment is fabulous! I cut a little table insert of aluminum to fit in that square hole inset around the blade so it doesn't drag the material I'm cutting down into the inset and pinch the blade. You need 14 to 24 teeth per inch for metal cutting either with a band saw or a jig/saber saw.... I usually use 18tpi for everything. I use the cheap $9 and $17 Harbor Freight blades, work just fine for mild steel, brass, bronze, copper, and aluminum. Make sure you are getting a blade for metal cutting, not for wood!!! (Wood blades have way less teeth, they will snap if the tpi is too small') For stainless you want more teeth, a bi-metal type blade, and put your saw on the lowest speed setting. Should be at least 3 different pulley settings in your drive belt box there. Patience is your friend in metal cutting or drilling. Never be in a hurry and rush the cutting. Speed is never your friend here. Let the saw's weight do the work. Keep a couple extra blades on hand. You will hate yourself if one breaks in the middle of something and you can't get one locally when you need it.... Always cut on the flat of the wider side of the workpiece even though it is slower... will probably be a straighter cut.
The wheels are pure crap, they don't turn well and tend to grind away under the weight and the thin sheet metal will start to flex out and drag over time... I mounted mine on a rolling plywood platform with locking wheels that I made for it. I got my machine at ENCO, but it is exactly the same model.
And Good Grief man, don't cut dry like that on any kind of saw with teeth!!! Keep a lil can of gear oil or WD-40 nearby and continually drip/spray a little on the cutting part every minute or so as it works so you don't overheat the blade. When the cutting squeaks, chirps, or chatters, you need some lube. It's messy, it will drip on the floor. And in drip in the shelf underneath along with all the metal shavings, but it is worth it. Blades will last a whole lot longer. (Never drill metal dry or fast either). I can't speak to the cutting compound, never used it before on a band saw, only on tiny jewelry sawblades. Great vid man!
Thanks for this comment. Very useful information and summed up a lot of reasons why so many of my cuts in the past have looked terrible!
One year later and this saw is now $350! We need to restore order
LGB
You need to have one tooth cutting at all times. That means for thinner material you need more teeth. If you try to cut thin metal with a coarse blade you will knock teeth off or break the blade.
I appreciate your time and effort for this review - thorough and informative. Price has gone up though. Today it's $370.
Much needed tool. I remember telling you how much you needed this on the beginning of your flat bed videos. You said you were going to get one, but that was a while ago.
I have done a lot of custom work on my 4X4 Jeep and Yukon. I use the chop saw for heavy steel like trailer hitches and bumpers. Or when I have a lot of steel to cut. I built a 50' X50' steel awning, obviously that would have taken forever with the band saw. When it comes to fabricating a small part or trimming a larger piece to fit nothing beats that little band saw in the veridical position. Sometimes I just need a one off piece. I love that you can just set it on there and walk away. Also the mess factor, the chop saw throws metal everywhere. I can just put a bucket under this little saw and there is virtually no clean up.
Those are great saws. There are several online tweaks to improve the saws ability. Mine has maybe a hundred hours on it, makes nice straight cuts.
Had mone for 2 months now, cutting 3" thick cold and hot rolled solid round stock repeatedly. Works great, blade is still like new. My only minor issue was the gears weren't quite QC'd and had a little binding. after turning them back and forth they freed up. The gear oil wasn't quite "full" per the manual so I topped it off with some lucas oil stabilizer. gearbox doesn't even get warm after 30 minutes of cutting.
I have had several of these saws over the past 30 years and generally had good service.
Something that will make your blades last way longer and cut better is an Oiler . They just drip oil on the blade. They’re not as much for lubing as they are for cooling . Only down side is the part gets oily but well worth it
Great video- you answered most of the questions that I was thinking- Thanks! I have an old one of these that i need to tune up- its never cur straight. I do machining so I'm always doing more operations that clean everything up. Thanks again.
A tip for assemble, Open box and take everything off the top of the white Styrofoam
then with the lid of the box open turn the box over onto its top and pull the box off then remove the Styrofoam from the now topside then assemble the saw upside down while it sets in the foam.
Great content..I will be purchasing the harbor frieght bandsaw. Thos was the best demo and blade upgrades yet. Thanks and keep them reviews coming.
This just made my morning better
Thanks for the video. You covered everything I wanted to know.
This is a really thorough review. Thanks for doing it. In addition to saving time, would you say it's also quieter vs the chop saw?
This was super helpful. My free Amrox saw is the first metal band saw I have ever owned. Thanks a bunch.
Your video is done very well! Curious how the saw does cutting on a 45deg. and how wide of material you can cut on a 45deg.
Good little saw for the price and your right. If you are going to be doing full time fabrication projects and really working the saw, of course you will want something a little bigger and better. But for the occasion of use and application, great bang for the buck deal. Glad to learn that on the blade. Also did I see different size settings for the pulleys ? So you can adjust the blade speed... that will help alot with the cutting of different materials and sizes of materials. The lube stick is a must have and use. Even a little cutting oil dripped on it when cutting, especially larger materials, will certainly help. Great video and thanks for sharing. I know that I can add it to list for Santa !!
Good video. For aluminum I use a mitre saw with a blade for cutting aluminum and acrylics, it works very well for both solid aluminum and pipe/tubing/profile. The only thing you need to make sure of is to clamp that work piece down properly.
Oh cool on the vertical plate usage! I can make one! Great. Had no idea on that.
This basic saw has been around for longer than you have been alive, and before Harbor Freight was an idea. Only minor differences are in the stand, cut off on switch and hardware on the upper portion. I have been using one of these for almost 45 years, with only minor maintenance. WD40 is about all the blade lube I use. Blade speed and tooth count is the key to cutting different types of material, Hope you fixed the pulley set up. Mine has cut more metal than I can count, and still going strong.
Robert Walker knows !
So you spray wd40 ? Do you spray continuously or just every couple minutes ?
Also ,use some Oil, it will save your blades. speed is also a factor.
My thoughts exactly.
Spray coolant is best as the blade wheels will slip the blade mid-cut if they get all oily.
@@viscache1 CMAC here, Iment to say, water soluble oil.
Thanks on the Stick - Kut. I just got an old 1988 Amrox BS-450 band saw for free. It is a bit more primitive than the H.F. unit but before the old blade broke I had it cutting fair. Funny, I decided on that Bosch blade before I saw this video. I like a fine clean cut. Hopefully this will be an ok saw for occasional usage or I may end up using it more than I think. I do some welding and fabing here and there. Weekend warrior so to speak at times. I know a bad band saw blade can make you crazy trying to make a straight cut. Hoping the new Bosch blade will make a big difference after some tweaking.
Oh now I know what that side handle is for!!! A built in adjustable stop. Sweet!
Bolt the light stand onto the head with the heavier head staying on the floor. Assemble it upside down, then pick up the head with the stand attached.
Awesome video!! I bought one of these saws and love it for my knife making. Do you apply the Stick-Kut to the blade by just smearing it on the whole blade? Thanks!
Austin Niemela, From what I seen and know from experience. The chop saw is a rougher cut because it is like a grinder in that it melts the material then removes it. The band saw knocks the material out in chunks. Carbon tip blades are made for steel and harder material. You are right about the teeth. The higher the TPI the bigger the bites the blade takes and faster it cuts and the rougher it will be. The lower the TPI the smaller the bites the blade takes and slower it cuts yet it will cut finer. I have 26 years of existence in woodworking and currently moving into metal working.
I think you have these numbers arse about………….big TPI means fine tooth……………lower TPI means bigger chips!!!
Stavros
I have one of these………it’s the best thing since sliced bread…………..needs a bit of T L C but sure beats a hand held hacksaw.
When I bought there were two similar models…..one Taiwanese, the other Chinese. I bought the cheaper model(;$250 compared to $350). It’s a beauty…….no complaints
Stavros
Stavros
If you’re going to have the bandsaw in a fixed location. You can place those cement mixing containers below it with some lubricant and run a fish tank pump up to the cutting location. That way when it spills it’ll drip back into the container
The first band saw I got from Harbor Freight was this one. I had it 14 years b 4 it went south. Was a very good saw!!!
Update ,My 10 year old HF bandsaw was replaced with a September 2020 red one just like you show there, It was so far out of spec and it takes 2 weeks to cut a 2 inch 1/8 inch wall pipe. I have tried several different brand and TPI of blades. It has No way to be used upright/vertical except to use the transport pin to hold the unit upright. FYI. Later from Texas.
Yeah, after your video, I went out and bought this saw and purchased two replacement blades, ones a 12TPI and ones a 14TPI, I haven't tried it yet, just got my 2" x 2" x .012" square tube and my 12" x 12" x .06" skid plate, for my E-bike carrier I'm going to build. Besides this saw I also bought a Chicago Electric 80 Amp inverter stick welder from Harbor Freight, so I'm going to do my E-bike carrier starting tomorrow and we'll see how it goes. 🖖😎
Good stuff!
Excellent analysis and presentation.
Thanks for watching
GREAT JOB MORE TOOL REVIEWS WITH SAMPLES ! LIKE THIS ONE
You need to adjust your stop bolt down just a little to allow the saw to finish the cut without adding hand pressure if you have not done it already.
When you changed the blade it looked like you messed with the wheel tracking bolts. Just wondering if you had problems with tracking after that?
Nice review!
Lenox bi-metal blades r about the best u can get take it from some one who has used them a lot they r good blades 14 teeth tpi they may cost a little more but r worth it. I have seen them last a year + if taking care of.
Hindsight on the 14 inch Dewalt chop saw I bought a few years ago. I thought I could cut heavy angle iron with it. Nope! You need a metal band saw plus way more quiet to use!
What was the difference in the squareness of cutting the 3/8 vertical vs horizontal. Also, it is easier to cut angle iron as a pyramid vs an L. Great Video
Yo la tengo ya hace 10 años !!!!! Es una EXCELENTE maquina. De todas las máquinas que compre sin lugar a dudas esta fue la mejor compra que hice.
Lo único que, hay que hacer es tratar de ponerle rulemanes de buena calidad y NO apurar el corte, dejar que la hoja baje normal, ni muy rápido ni muy despacio.
Si le pones una bomba con lubricación extendes la vida útil de la hoja de sierra. En 5 años de uso intenso, (me dedique a hacer herreria, rejas, etc), use 2 hojas
sin ningún problema. La velocidad de corte que son tres, yo siempre la deje en la mitad. Las hojas de corte que uso son de 1/2" x 1,650 mt x 24 dientes x pulgada.
En la caja de engranajes tratar de controlarla que no le falte aceite o grasa. Yo le puse tambien MOLICOTE, (que es un aditivo).
Esta es mi opinion y mi experiencia.
Es asombroso cuánto durará una humilde máquina cuando la cuidamos bien. ¿Si?
Notice when you cut vertically you still cut your sheet metal laying down same principle it will always cut fastest pushing through the thin way if you tried turning your sheet metal the tall way it would take forever if it would even cut. You’d have no fence that way. So you get the principle. Also if you van get a wet system added on where you could pour that liquid cutting coolant that would really help but you’ve need a reclaim pit and make it water proof .
Use a wood blade miter saw on aluminum tube. Its hands down the best way to cut intercooler pipe.
Thanks! Very helpful!
all this cuts you have done can be done in 20 sec or less. Get your self some. bi metal bandsaw blade and by loosening that spring handle a bit will put more weight on the metal you cutting 🤘
I’ve got a similar saw from another store. I bet it’s the exact same saw just rebranded. Anyhow with good blades and oil on the part it works great. I think I will build a better base as the original one is very flimsy
You need to put in the descriptions what music you are using for your videos. ❤
It is so annoying this saw is 369 now. I found a coupon for 199 that expired in 2020. What a different time that was.
I have the next sized one..a friend gave it to me lol. I had to take apart the bearing/gear box area and re grease it and adjust everything but it works great...except for yesterday I tried cutting some angle iron from a bed frame...it ruined the blade. Then I remembered cutting that stuff awhile ago with my cutoff wheel on my die grinder and saw how hard that steel was...so be careful cutting some of those bed frame angle iron...they must be treated to make real hard. Otherwise it cuts 3/8", brass, stainless and aluminum real good. But the stainless steel seems to dull the blades much faster. Just like drilling stainless on a drill press...the key (IMO) is to drill the stainless as slow as possible and in bursts so it won't get hot...once it gets hot it dulls the bits real fast...I'm sure the pros who work with stainless steel a lot already knew that.
The angle iron in bed frames is actually spring steel (if you think about it, it makes sense, beds are supposed to be springy). I learned that the hard way after welding and cutting a bunch of the stuff.
tech tip for drilling stainless. turn down rpms and give it a lot of feed pressure with a good lubricant. You are trying to keep the stainless from work hardening. If you do harden it, either heat it up orange or take a pin punch and dimple up the bottom of the hole.
@@TheKajunkat Thanks for the great info...I've ruined a lot of bits in stainless.
I would change the speed of the belt by changing the belt position, then use a little cutting oil while cutting. I bet it will cut twice as fast. Big thing is faster cuts mean more heat so use some cutting oil
This is the video Harbour Freight has for their product great review Austin
Where?!
good acquisition for you ... for when you finish the truck ... and another tip ... change the saw blade as soon as possible, you can see that it is not of very good quality ...
Great. Thanks. Good tips in comments too.
Great job. I learned a lot.
Glad it was helpful!
At the end of the video you installed the feed plate for using it vertically. Can it be left on and still do horizontal cuts, or do you have to take it back off?
You do have to take it off to do horizontal cuts unfortunately
Some hawk eyed viewers pointed out that the pulley was installed wrong. I was wondering if you had a chance to fix that issue and if you plan on posting another video showing cut time at higher speeds? I know I would like to see it.
I have one of these bandsaws works great but I need to find blades that will cut stainless steel. Any ideads?
Did you ever find a good blade for cutting stainless. I wanted to buy this specifically for a stainless hot side I’m about to build it may not the the right tool 😂
I have had one for YEARS ! It has paid for itself hundreds of times ! The larger Clamp at the rear of the machine is CURVED ! Very poor clamp....needs to be FLAT. Scraped it, but the casting is crap. Still working on making it flat.....Otherwise, a good buy and VERY useful !
I would like to see or know how it does with solid stock. 2 or 3 inch
Great video Austin!! I always wondered why people bought bandsaws when - I assumed - that a mitre saw / chop saw can do the same thing. I wonder how well a mitre / chop saw would do with one of those diamond metal cutting blades...I'm about to buy my first brand new mitre saw (the one I have was a gift and it's on it's last legs!) to use a general purpose cutting tool (metal and wood) but I'm toying with the idea of getting a bandsaw now too. Do you think that the types of blades they use is the determining factor or is it the design of the machines? Thanks for the great content!
Im sure im too late to the party here, but using a regular mitre/chop saw for metal is a bad idea. Besides the blades intended material, it is more about the speed of the blade. Typical mitre/chop saws spin way too quickly to cut metal. For cold rolled, hot rolled, low carbon, plain steels etc. you really shoot for around 100 surface feet per minute blade speed. Aluminum is nearly double, and stainless or other high chromium based steels (tool steels and alloys) i believe slightly less than regular steel. Blade speed is a very large factor. After speed, blade composition and purpose is the next part. Different TPIs and blade material are all designed for specific cutting tasks. Can usually find all the information you need online as to what blade to use for what material, or the local hardware store guys should have some base knowledge of what you would need.
Did you try to cut some 45 degree cuts I’m very tempted to buy it
Cutting a horizontal piece will always take longer because the chips in the cut will load and fill the teeth after the point of most pressure. The leading teeth in the cut will never cut anything. Applying a cutting fluid will evacuate the cut and chips a little faster from the blade and keep it from sticking to the blade depending on what you use.
I’ve been a wood and metals worker over 40 years. Typically any material healed flat like your flat stock will always cut the slowest. Notice on your 2x2 it slowly cut the top then tore down the sides but slowed at the bottom. If possible cut your square and rectangle cuts turned 90 degrees. So your 2x2 has the blade start and finish at a point. That’s your fastest cut. Also round stock if you can stop the machine just over half way through and turn the stock 90 degrees again the cuts will go faster than your cutoff saw. I’m thinking of getting one of these. I’d actually like a cold cut saw but they are pricey.
I think you mean 45 degrees.
No I meant 90 degrees half of a square
Turning it completely over would be what class? 180 degrees. Very good class. Then half of that would be 90 which turns the center of the uncut horizontal center into a vertical center. When you start cutting again just a small portion is close to being horizontal. The top and bottom. The rest is cut at angles to the blade. I know what I’m talking about
Turning it 45 deg what would that do unless you continued turning. I forgot it’s been so long are we talking round ? Rectangular? Square? If you were cutting a square that would be the time yes to start at 45 degrees. If that’s what you mean. If I remember you just kept the object flat which puts more of the blade to work at once but also requires more power. Say your square is 3 inches wide. Cutting it flat across the whole 3” is the least efferent way. Turing that 45 deg is most efferent. Anyway. I forget which video we’re talking I think it’s the hf bandsaw. Have a good day.
I think your first post confused things when you said "If possible cut your square and rectangular cuts turned 90 degrees." Those are two different situations that call for two different rotations.
For rectangular stock, you want to cut it "tall" instead of "flat", to keep the blade working on a thinner path through the material. Going from flat to tall (or vice versa) requires a 90 degree rotation of the stock.
Four square tube, there is no "flat" or "tall", so rotating 90° it doesn't change anything with respect to the cutting geometry. But a 45° rotation essentially turns your square into a diamond, if you want to think of it that way, which I believe is what you are talking about. In this orientation, the blade cuts through a more consistent width of material all the way through the entire cut, which is beneficial to the cutting process. ( This doesn't apply to *solid* square bar stock - it really only applies to tubing. )
If you do want to cut aluminium fast you can buy aluminium cutting blades for dropsaws aswell
Love the vids
thanks for making this...
I’ve been looking at these. Wasn’t sure if it was worth it.
it is now 370 at harbor freight. I wish I could buy it for 250
what Chop saw do you use?
Does it have degrees measurement on it ?
$369.99 now
For cutting the flat stock standing it up is way harder on the blade . And for tooth count usually high tooth count is for harder metal and low tooth count if for soft metal
It depends on the blade that's on there. Since his blades are 14 and 24 TPI, either one is fine enough to cut the plate standing up. As you can see, it cut in less than half the time when standing up vs laying flat. If he had an 8 tpi blade installed, then it might cut better laying flat.
If there's say 4" across the plate laying flat, that would be near enough 14x4 = 56 teeth in the cut. That's too long of a continuous cut for a 14 TPI blade. The gullets will fill with swarf and interfere with tooth engagement. That's why the cut takes so much longer this direction. The gullets filling up make the blade dull faster. And if the plate were thicker, you might even be able to measure some blade wander as the blade is forced to make this overlong cut.
Sir can I cut 200mm X 100mm in any angle?
Helpful
What was that item you touched to the blade at 24:48? Some sort of lubricant?
Yes a cutting lubricant paste
@@austinniemela - less messy than oil, I suppose?
@@KingGhidorah_ yes!!
Have you tried a Diablo Blade?
So I’m watching this thinking “oh cool! some tips to build this solo” then you break out the engine hoist... I don’t have an engine hoist.. 😂still a great video though!
Build it upside down, then flip it over onto its feet.
I have used mine for over 10 years now with only a few snags along the way. for its size, it is one tough saw. sorry if it to heave for you haha
Put the other pulley the correct way and try the belt on middle of pulley’s and you should get better cleaner cuts
Did you ever figure out any tricks to this thing? Just took me 40 min to cut 1” 1/4 galvanized pipe w a new blade
Did u modify the bandsaw
I've had one for a couple years. I'm looking to upgrade. It really hates cutting solid stock. It constantly throws and breaks blades. What a pita this thing is.
Yes Ben Smith is correct you put one pulley on upside down.. which means no matter which groove you use its running the same speed. Stainless must be cut very very slowly meaning the trade must be at it's absolute slowest speed!
you have gained a sub
Does it still perform today?
If you are cutting aluminum put a carbide tooth blade in your chop saw. It will cut aluminum beautiful without burrs.
We have the same hat man 😂🤭
One reason your cut took so long.........NO COOLANT. I have one of these. Have used it for years. I started using cutting oil squirted directly on the blade at first. Made the cut a lot faster and the blade lasted longer. I now placed a pan under it and use a little giant pump and use regular coolant to keep it cool. I put the tubing from the pump to a nozzle coming out right at the location of the cut. MUCH faster, and the blade has so far lasted me a year, and still cutting great.
Fine tooth blades are for cutting thinner material. The fine tooth blade should cut the stainless fine.
For another $100 you could get a Kluth babe saw. They’re real nice, much better built saw from Northern tools
LENOX CLASSIC® BI-METAL BAND SAW BLADES. The Ultimate Multi-Purpose Blade. No rating value ... Aluminum/Non-Ferrous; Alloy Steels; Carbon Steels; Stainless Steels. Structural Steels; Tool Steels ...
Las hojas de corte que uso son LONOX 1/2 x 1,650 mt x 24 dientes x pulgada. Son eternas !!!!!
I always wondered what happened to Stifler. lol
When cutting stainless it’s best to have some kind of lubricant
listening to him talk, then church is about to start music kicks in, then the bass drops, OH... it's a baptist church.
We have the same saw here in the UK. Sold by different company's. It comes in their colours and retails for around £345 or $479 upwards. I have seen one company selling it for £429 or $596. These are all Chinese made machines. I don't understand why we pay so much more here in the UK.
VAT tax maybe? Mixed with higher cost of business expenses and the lower demand when compared to the US market..also higher bulk prices in the UK due to smaller orders..compared to a US company ordering 100k of them at a time..all or some of those reasons could be a factor..