Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Well, it was bound to happen. I run this saw all night sometimes. It doesn't owe me anything. I cut brackets for 3 sets of traction bars at a time with this hog. Not to mention more manifold collectors than you can shake a stick at. Anyway, the night before last I set up the saw for 6" collectors and started to cut. Since it shuts off when it reaches the bottom I generally set it up and then go do other things. Mostly weld and I'm sitting next to it. I went up stairs to the couch and relaxed a bit. I here a loud click and then nothing. I then smell it. Oh ----. I run downstairs to the basement and its smoking up the joint. The Blade jammed and then broke. That locked up the motor and it completely cooked itself. The smell was insane. I found the breaker tripped. I got my meter and disconnected the motor. It was shorted to ground. :-X The windings were fucked and the internal cooling fan was completely melted. I removed the whole thing. I went to grainger today and they had a similar unit on the shelf. The motor is marked 1 hp but its chinese and the unit called for a 1/3 horse. I got the motor and have to put it back on tonight. Moral of the story. Dont leave your saw going if you aren't sitting there. The motor was only $60 and the blade was $21. Not bad considering how much I use it. :y

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

lucky you didn't burn your house down

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

No ----. You got lucky!
www.forums.woodnet.net

They might can help you. It's woodnet... But many of those people have high end metal working stuff & are use to rebuilding broken machines.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

My machine is all fixed. It wouldnt burn the house down, lol. Tripped the ground fault and shut off.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

yup those kinda bandsaws just cant be left unattended too much.

at work we have an amada computerized automatic bandsaw...now thats something you can load up with 25 lengths of tubing and walk away from...

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Im a big fan of setuping up potentially dangerous equipment and then leaving them unattended haha.
At work (tire shop), we used to jam the bar in the inflation pedal so you can walk off and do something else. I can personally vouch that a regular 35psi max passenger tire is good to 80psi :1.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

I think mine is about due for a new motor also. It starts up really slow and I can tell it has a lot less omph than when it was new. But for the price of the no hassle replacement warranty I'm just going to go get a new one :)

Later
Randy

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Grainger has overload protected motors for $60. My saw is finally set up and cuts pretty straight.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Ya, I only run mine when I'm in the shop. Never have I have a problem like the blade jamming up like that, normally my belt will slip before is stalls and burns out the motor.

What hp are the motors on the HF ones.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

HF band saws are 1/3 hp. I have one as well and it works well for what it is and i got the 1 yr warranty for close to nothing, so if i run into some bad luck or "chinese ---- luck" im covered. The damn thing does its job pretty well when it has a good blade and is lubed up, but a lot of time if you leave it, once it finishes cutting, the piece of metal it just cut that is supposed to fall off rolls back into the blade cuasing it to slip off the pulley. That and its hard to dial in perfectly flat, other then that, no complaints.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Some have probably seen it, some haven't.

The HF bandsaw modding page:
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Bandsaw/Bandsaw.htm

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Nice info there. The meltdown looks similar to mine but quite as bad. Mine just melted a bit, not crazy like that thing.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

That is a great site.I just spent some time cruising it and there is alot of good info and tips for using the asian machining equipment.Thanks

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

I just made some cuts with the new motor on it. Amps are great and the thing is smooth. I threw on another Bi metal blade. Those things really make the difference. I just cut a complete 6" collector and welded her up. It came out great like before.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

nice dave

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

i just bought one. woot

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

You didn't already have one? Beofre you even try it go buy a random tooth bi-metal blade.
And then start wondering how you worked without it.

Also sending you a PM

Thanks
Randy

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Yes I use a 14-18 tooth variable with variable tooth path. I had a Starrett on there that worked good. I have a Morse on it now and its about the same. Bi metal blade is worth every penny. Grainger has them for about $20.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

i am ------ precision with a chop saw

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Your lucky it did'nt burn your face off!

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Thanks Dan. Next time it lights up I'll drop it on your porch.

Re: Harbor Freight Band Saw shit the bed!
 

Dave, you ignorant slut......