Metal Cutting Band Saw

I wasn't able to find anything on Northern tool or Habor Freight, which surprises me. Jet has one for about $300 and will cut 4" at 90 degrees but it will only cut 3" at 45 degrees. There next one up is $900. I see these things in tool books all the time cheap when I'm not looking for one.

HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL METAL CUTTING BANDSAW Three speeds to cut everything from brass and aluminum to rugged alloy and tool steels! In horizontal position, use the gravity feed adjustment to increase or decrease cutting pressure. 6-3/4'' x 6-3/4'' table for use in vertical position. Blade and heavy duty stand included.

Item #: 37151-7VGA $199.99 $169.99

• Harbor Freight Bandsaw

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37151

Also, about breaking down, the only problem I had was with the motor, the bearings sieze up while it was under warranty, they sent me a new one at no charge. I notice others had trouble with quality, too. so, My advice is to use it as much as possible, and wear out a few blades if necessary to see if anything will fail during warranty. If you get the problems worked out before the warranty expires it should last a long time.

I've seen these in auctions in factories, sometimes under another brand name, but the parts look identical, and they sell for as much as a new one with a warranty, as is and where is.

You have to look at most of the imports as kits, you get the parts but you also have to put the attention to detail in that the low price doesn't allow the factory to put in. I have a few such imports and most work well after I cleaned, adjusted, sometimes modified, and otherwise worked over to be what they were supposed to be. However in the case of the bandsaw, the only used ones I saw that were US made were in the $500 range, more than I wanted to spend, and they were larger, and I don't have all that much room left. So for me, and I suspect a lot of others, the imports allow us to have a piece of equipment we might not have otherwise, accepting that it may not be quiet as good. But at least it cuts metal, and reasonably accurately, beats a hacksaw too.

Setting up a bandsaw requires an understanding of how everything is supposed to work. One part mis-drilled was enough to throw everything off. The new part solved that problem.

It didn't solve the slow cutting. That took another, much heavier and more expensive, saw. A buddy now happily uses the HF saw. He never cuts anything very big so the speed's not a problem.