I bought a saw like HRP pic from a west coast company in 82/83 for $188, Twain made. Brand name is Fairbanks-Ward-USA model RF-110..Takes the standard 64-1/2 blades which are being made now in a lot of different tooth styles/pitches. Had to play with aliment at first as wasn't even close but once I got it set I haven't had to touch it since then; slide the blade out from the bearings and slide another in.. Only thing I did was add air to blow the chips off the blade when used vertical as chips would accumulate on drive wheel and run through guide wheels and bend the blade, use air in horizontal too when doing soft materials like wood, plastic or big metal cuts to keep chips from piling up.. HF has about the closest to what I have at I think $249.95 or so.
I’m leaning toward buying the Milwaukee or Dewalt portable bandsaw and then getting the SWAG table. However the Bauer (Harbor Freight) is considerably cheaper any one have experience with one. Pros and Cons? Normally I don’t buy much from Harbor Freight.
I've used a Grizzly G1010 saw for about 20 years. It is convertible from horizontal to vertical and with a good bi-metal blade has cut anything I've thrown at it...
YES! I have an older Milwaukee band saw I got from the ol' auction site and added the SWAG Offroad v1 table. It is so nice to have a metal cutting bandsaw with a table in my cramped suburban 2 car garage. It's one of my favorite tool purchases.
My neighbor was moving from Oregon to North Carolina and didn't want to pay to have this Grizzly saw shipped, dig this, he gave it to me, like brand new, only used a couple times, still has the origìnaI blade. I replaced the cheesy wheels and put rubber pads on the front legs which reduced the vibration, improved the belt cover, motor bolts, aligned the blade guides, added the table for vertical cutting, have hardly used it for horizontal use. Have used it vertically many times in the short time I've had it, pretty handy little saw.
My first portable saw (and swag table) were stolen a year or to ago. After that, my neighbor had a portable saw that he wasn't using so he gave it to me. And i purchased another swag table for it. I like them, great for small work. You'll probably use it more often than you think you will. I have a larger horizontal bandsaw that I use for cutting tubing and what not, but I get a lot of use out of the small vertical saw. I put a small toggle switch (with guard) on the side of mine, and zip tied the trigger. Also welded on a small section of square tube to fit into a hitch receiver that is off to the side of my drill press. I leave the saw mounted there most of the time.
Company that makes a popular adapter table that turns a portaband type saw in to a small vertical metal cutting band saw. https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-V40-Portaband-Table_p_63.html Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Swag table looks nice. If you goooogle for ideas, you’ll find a hundred similar designs. Making your own isn’t hard. Here’s mine: Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Fore sure! The import saws have a lot of room for improvement, not just add-ons, most of the improvements I made to my saw were generated from either videos or discussion on many of the tool related forums, sometimes just replacing the metric fasteners and tightening up clearances makes a big difference. I think many of the problems come from hasty assembly and/or a lack of initiaĺ adjustment, either from the stores or like mine, from the purchaser.
I have the King Canada version of this. I picked up a used one two years ago, and wonder how I ever managed without it.
I have the king one as well. Easily the most used tool in the shop and for the money cannot be beat. I make sure I buy higher end blades and that makes a big difference in the life of them and cut quality Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
HRP told me tools are now off topic and we have to post in the garage journal. Dannys a friend but I think he has lost his mind.
The Jalopy Journal
