Welding Tips and Tricks

I was looking at getting one of the harborfreight 7x12in bandsaws with the hydraulic downfeed and liquid cooling. Does anybody have any opinions on them? I read a lot of reviews and moat seems to be pretty posotive about it.

I've had one for a couple years now and they work OK. Take your time and make sure it is setup right. Plenty of instructions on the setup adjustments come with it. If you catch it on sale and get on the web and find a 20% off coupon you can get out the door for just under $6oo...

The blade that comes with them (high speed steel) is a real POS and HF does NOT carry them or coolant so you're on your own. If your going to get one of these saws get online and find a good bi-metal blade or better, you'll be glad you did.

I put a couple of old magnets on the catch pan to keep chips (saw dust) from plugging the return path for the coolant to the tank. Keep the coolant clean or it will eat the pump alive...don't ask...

If your a small shop or hobbyist They're not a bad deal. I don't think I'd want to run it 8 hours a day 5 days a week but they do cut true if adjusted right.

Are the BiMetal blades ok? My local northern tool has them otherwise I was thinking of going with a carbide blade if I could find one. I won't be runninbg fit that often. It will only be used a couple times a day on average mostlynin the summer. I wish I had more work though!

Bi metal blades are ok for mild steel. Just don't feed the blade to fast. Carbides are better but a lot more $$$. I've been running the same bi metal for probably 6 months and use it several (20-30) times a week, all mild steel cuts.

I'll just try the bimetal first then. Sounds like they will fill my needs just fine. Thanks Ace!

Hello,

Check out Ellis Band saws, I bought one a year ago and absolutely love it. Also it cuts dry like butter. The best part is its American made. The prices aren't much different if any. It's really a great built saw. I bought the model 1600 paid $2400.
contact information: Ellis MFG. Co. 107 W. Railroad St. Verona, WI 53593 / 800-383-5547 / www.ellissaw.com

Hope this helps you.

Gary

I would loceto genllis i know several people with tjem. But i don't have the $2400 roght now. I dont really even wwnt to spend the $600 on the HF saw but i need to cut sone bigger thicker tubes and round stock that my chopsaw doesnt like. Once I get some more money i will definately be getting one. I have my eye on one of there larger units.

6" round stock is the max the HF saw will hold in the vise. I have cut several pieces of gas pipe with mine.

I haven't looked in to the HF saws but for a saw that will last you, your children and grand children a lifetime the Ellis is the way to go. The 1600 is a dry saw but with some common sense cuts can be as clean as a cold saw. I've been around them in high production shops and rebuilt them. Cant beat them.

I agree with others in this thread regarding Ellis Bandsaws, they are my first choice if and when I can afford one ($3K). In the mean time I purchased a relatively low cost ($970) Horizontal Bandsaw from MSC Industrial Co.

SPECIFICATION
Combination Horizontal & Vertical Bandsaw | Machine Style: Manual | Drive Type: Step Pulley | Angle of Rotation (°): 45.00 | Maximum Capacity (Rounds) at 45° (Inch): 5 | Maximum Capacity (Rectangular) at 90° (Inch): 7 x 12 | Maximum Capacity (Rectangular) at 45° (mm): 120 x 125: Weight 275 LBs:
Machine Style Manual
Drive Type Step Pulley
Angle of Rotation ( ) 45.00
Maximum Capacity (Rounds) at 45 (Inch) 5
Maximum Capacity (Rectangular) at 90 (Inch) 7 x 12
Maximum Capacity (Rectangular) at 45 (mm) 120 x 125
Maximum Capacity (Rectangular) at 45 (Inch) 4-3/4 x 4-7/8
Maximum Capacity (Rounds) at 90 (Inch) 7
Maximum Capacity (Rounds) at 45 (mm) 127.00
Phase 1
Coolant System (Yes/No) Yes
Blade Speeds (SFPM) 90, 135, 195, 255
Blade Length (mm) 2362.20
Blade Length (Inch) 93
Blade Width (mm) 19.05
Blade Width (Inch) 3/4
Blade Width (Decimal Inch) 0.7500
Throat Band to Column (Inch) 7
Blade Thickness (mm) 0.80
Blade Thickness (Decimal Inch) 0.0315 (0.032)
Horsepower (HP) 3/4
Capacity Under Guides (Inch) 12
Overall Height (mm) 955.04
Overall Height (Decimal Inch) 37.6000
Voltage 115/230

WOB

Anyone have a harbor freight portaband? I was wondering how they hold up.

kermdawg wrote:Anyone have a harbor freight portaband? I was wondering how they hold up.

I'll be interested in that, myself... Can't get the boss to buy one. If he can get it for cheap at HF and I can prove it's value before it dies, he'll buy a good brand (or keep buying the HF ones...)

Steve S

Well think of it this way. A milwaukee portaband is 400 bucks. A harbor freight one is 89. You can buy almost 5 HF saws for 1 milwaukee.

But the Milwaukee lasts 5 times longer.

AKweldshop wrote:But the Milwaukee lasts 5 times longer.

If that is the case then it will not matter price wise which one you would buy.
-Jonathan

Superiorwelding wrote:

AKweldshop wrote:But the Milwaukee lasts 5 times longer.

If that is the case then it will not matter price wise which one you would buy.
-Jonathan

That's the trade off.

My 2 cents...

~John

Don't forget to check the pawn shops, name brand portabands show up regularly around here in the $100-$200 range.

AKmud wrote:Don't forget to check the pawn shops, name brand portabands show up regularly around here in the $100-$200 range.

My buddy got a nice porter cable one at a pawn shop for 100 bucks. Problem with pawn shops is you never know what they have, you might have to go to one for weeks at a time before the item your looking for shows up. Even then, just because it looks good don't mean it aint f***ed on the inside.

At least you can haggle with em and get a good price