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Harbor Freight 14" Bandsaw - Comments?

David Paule

Well Known Member
Suddenly need a bandsaw. While I want a higher-end one, the low price of the Harbor Freight one does make that worth considering.

Anyone have one? How do you like it?

Does it need to be completely assembled?

Thanks,
Dave
RV-3B building
 
Suddenly need a bandsaw. While I want a higher-end one, the low price of the Harbor Freight one does make that worth considering.

Anyone have one? How do you like it?

Does it need to be completely assembled?

Thanks,
Dave
RV-3B building

Mine has been great. I wear hearing protection and use the supplied wood blade for all the aluminum extrusions without lubricant. :p

Minimal assembly. As with all things HF, check your unit carefully and swap if QC missed things.
 
Mine worked great five years ago....until it suddenly didn't work great, and that didn't take long. I got what I paid for.

Just sayin'.
 
I have a green one from several years ago. It cuts fine. It is definitely a budget saw.

The table insert has an opening that's too large and it'll tend to rotate on you and open up even more. The base works but is flimsy. The doors rattle a bit. Blade guides are serviceable but a bit awkward. The table tilt lock is barely serviceable and the table will rotate if you push too hard.

If you get one, check the tires carefully. A friend of mine bought one and the tires had something like 1/16" variation in thickness. It shook like crazy.

Assembly isn't too bad. Instructions are on HF's site. You'll probably want an extra set of hands to install the motor and to lift the saw to the base.

I clip a little LED light to it to light up the blade.
 
I have a metal cutting Harbor Freight saw. It has functioned well. My only suggestion is when you by the band saw blades, buy the best ones. They sell two grades, cheap or expensive. The cheap ones will not last as long.
I have used it for a build on my 7A and working now on my 14A
 
How much are they? You should be able to find a used Delta or Rockwell 14" bandsaw on Craigslists for $300-400 here in Los Angeles.
 
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I have a HF floor model multi speed floor model in my shop at home. About 17 years old now. First thing I did was replace the block blade guides with roller guides. It works great and cuts straight with the right blades and blade speed. Had to disassemble and clean the power switch a couple times as it lets in sawing debris and stops rocking correctly, but other than that it has been a great saw. I picked up a Ridgid floor model single speed for my hanger at our lake house for $100 on CL. I swapped out the pulleys with stepped pulleys to slow it down. This machine also works great. I keep a selection of blades on hand so I have what I need when I need it. Bi-Metel for steel and thick aluminum, and hardened Flex-Back for thin aluminum, wood, and fiberglass. Keep your fiberglass blades separated as once you cut fiberglass with them, they are not good for metal cutting any longer,,,,,it really does a number taking the sharp edge off the teeth.
 
hardened Flex-Back for thin aluminum, wood, and fiberglass. Keep your fiberglass blades separated as once you cut fiberglass with them, they are not good for metal cutting any longer,,,,,it really does a number taking the sharp edge off the teeth.

Interesting: which fiberglass parts did you cut with a bandsaw? On my two projects I can't think of a single fiberglass part that would lend itself to proper workholding on a bandsaw.

Diamond dremel discs work really well on fiberglass.
 
Interesting: which fiberglass parts did you cut with a bandsaw? On my two projects I can't think of a single fiberglass part that would lend itself to proper workholding on a bandsaw.

Diamond dremel discs work really well on fiberglass.

Two Cozy MKIV?s. I also fabricated a custom snorkel when I built my RV-10 that was trimmed on the bandsaw.;)
 
Check Craig's List and see if you can pick up an early Rockwell Delta 14" bandsaw like this:

xdelta-14-band-saw-1947-before-21260137.jpg.pagespeed.ic.28fseAio23.jpg


I bought one early this year, changed the wiring and pullies to slow it down, and a metal blade.

This is a saw that will outlive your grandchildren.
 
I have decided to get a new bandsaw but a different brand. Right now I'm leaning towards a Rikon 10-326.

Thanks for the help, everyone. Your postings were instrumental here.

Dave
 
nice saw

Nice saw, though a bit pricey.

I bought a Jet 18" for about the same price...that's my woodshop saw, though.

Don't forget a good quality blade...I like personally like the Lenox brand...
 
I bought the Rikon bench bandsaw at the start of my RV-10 build. It has proven to be a good, well designed and constructed band saw for a reasonable price.
 
Good to know. That's what I was hoping for.

My old broken one is now gone and I'll get the new Rikon in the next day or so.

Dave
 
Turn around and run. Run very fast.

The only tool worse than a Grizzly tool is a Harbor Freight tool. Or is it Harbor Fright?

I bought a 14" Delta about 4 years ago. It was a new design and model from them, designed to be cheaper to manufacture but still perform well. Instead of a large casting for a frame, it has a big box tube with welded-on parts to form the frame. It was something like $600. I have found it to be really excellent, right out of the box.
 
Opinions

I have had excellent service from the HF 14" bandsaw. I did convert it to metal cutting by reducing the blade speed and installing a quality blade.

That being said, I have had no issues whatsoever with the saw. I have cut all sorts of aluminum, stainless steel, mild steel, and alloy steel with it...

Is it a precision machine? Hardly, but it does the job and even with the conversion parts and blade, I am at less than $425...
 
I bought a Rikon 10-326 bandsaw instead of the Harbor Freight one. Quality won out this time over cost - my old bandsaw had been a cheap one and while it had been serviceable, it was only barely that and it wouldn't stay in adjustment.

I wrote a review of the Rikon here.

Thanks to every one for the suggestions and comments. One thing that made a serious impression was that so many of you who used the HF bandsaw had changed details about it to make it more workable. I didn't want to do that. And while there are decent bandsaws on Craigslist out here, I decided that it was time for a new one.

Thanks again,
Dave
 
.... One thing that made a serious impression was that so many of you who used the HF bandsaw had changed details about it to make it more workable. I didn't want to do that. And while there are decent bandsaws on Craigslist out here, I decided that it was time for a new one.

Thanks again,
Dave
The reason for the change is that wood saws spin their blades faster and have fewer teeth per inch. For cutting metal, you need to slow the blade down, which is as simple as changing the pullies and belt. Then you need to buy blades with more TPI to cut metal. Not really a big deal.

I hope your new saw gives you years and years of good, trouble free, service!
 
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