# Used Kalamazoo bandsaw.what do you think?



## Ken from ontario (Jul 28, 2017)

I have a Portaband that I use almost daily but there are times I wish I had a horizontal bandsaw that I could just set it up to cut and walk away, or use it  to cut longer stock or miters , a HF bandsaw would do me just fine but then  I found this Kalamazoo from the seventies for about the same price as a new HF type saw:
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-power-tool/...aw/1269707851?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true




Does anyone  know anything about this model?(#610)? it's kind of  a let down when people  slap a cheap paint on a tool to make it more presentable and then ask more money for them, I'm sure  the knobs and handles were not originally painted or at least not the same color.
The asking price is $350 but he live 4 hours away. so what do you say ,check it out or forget it , buy a HF and be happy.


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## woodtickgreg (Jul 28, 2017)

imo, that's probably a better saw than the hf. Made in america old iron. The company is still in business, you can still get parts for that old saw.


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## hman (Jul 28, 2017)

That saw is FAR superior to the basic 4x6 HF model.  It has hydraulic downfeed, a good looking vise, drip/swarf tray, lots of other features.  It probably has larger capacity than the basic HF.  Kalamazoo is a well respected brand.  This saw is bound to be a lot more solidly built than the HF. 

When going to look at it, take along a piece of 2x4 lumber and a square.  Do a test cut and check for squareness (and flatness) both ways.  Out-of-square can often be corrected with proper setup.  Lack of flatness might mean the blade tension is not correct, but be cautious.  Listen and check for odd noises in the gear box, etc.  Make sure the vise works smoothly.

Assuming all is well, I'd say it's a good saw for the money.


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## Silverbullet (Jul 28, 2017)

I too think it's a better saw, go Ck it out take a couple pieces of steel or aluminum and try it . The down feed should be adjustable not just up and drop down. It can be rebuilt fairly easy , Ck the wheels rims,, listen to the gear box if it skips and jumps offer a hundred or nothing they're costly.


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## Ken from ontario (Jul 28, 2017)

I 'll see if I can get a better price  before going for a 4 hour trip


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## kd4gij (Jul 28, 2017)

I see one major problem with that saw.














It is not sitting in my shop.


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## Ken from ontario (Jul 29, 2017)

I contacted the owner and asked if there are any issues with the operation of the saw no matter how small, this is his reply if you're interested:
_
"This saw was my wife's grandpa who passed it to me. I totally sanded it down and painted it. I taped the cord as it had some aging cracks in the shell,  but no shocks, I have some cord to give you if you want to change it. I noticed some seepage around the cylinder rod the controls lowering the arm down seal starting to go I suspect. I replaced the motor drive belt and it's got various size groves to control the speed. It cuts straight when I used it and the blade is new too. The rod that once was connected to the on / off switch is missing , grandpa would always watch his cutting and then turn it off. It can be made from some round stock if wanted. That is all I have done to it so far, hope that answers your concerns_."
It sounds like it is in fair condition regardless of it's age, the only two problems (up/down piston, cord) can be dealt with, I appreciate your  comments, thoughts.


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## wawoodman (Jul 29, 2017)

Do it!


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## mikey (Jul 29, 2017)

Looks like a good deal if you only need the horizontal function, Ken. Looks to be a heavy-duty unit. Too bad it won't work in the vertical position, which is very useful. I use mine in the vertical position maybe about 40% of the time so, for me, this would not work. Your use may vary though, so if you just need it to cut stock to size then I would jump on it.

Mike


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## Ken from ontario (Jul 29, 2017)

Thanks,mike and mikey,I'm going to pick it up tomorrow, it is in a military base  ,the owner is also a military man ,he said, see you tomorrow at 0900 hrs,, hope he doesn't kick my butt if I decide not to buy it.
Mikey, I do get what you're saying about horizontal vs vertical use, for my vertical cuts I do have a portaband with a DIY Swag table.the portaband is a great saw but it is hard to cut  chunks of thick mild steel  from a longer stock, also miter cuts are harder to do  than a stationary saw.

I'll see how it goes with the sale,wish me luck.


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## woodchucker (Jul 29, 2017)

I too agree with the others. Replace he wiring, it's cheap enough. Paint.. only if you really don't like looking at it.
Leakage on the cylinder, probably not too bad, but if it is, just get new orings.


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## Ken from ontario (Jul 29, 2017)

Thanks woochucker,  it shouldn't be that hard of a job  to replace a couple of "O" rings on that cylinder. I  also found out the paint on that saw is very close to the original color  from the sixties  ,the manufacturer used to paint the knobs as well.so it looks like the owner was trying to stay as original as possible.


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## mikey (Jul 29, 2017)

Ken from ontario said:


> Thank,mike and mikey,I'm going to pick it up tomorrow, it is in a military base  ,the owner is also a military man ,he said, see you tomorrow at 0900 hrs,, hope he doesn't kick my butt if I decide not to buy it.
> Mikey, I do get what you're saying about horizontal vs vertical use, for my vertical cuts I do have a portaband with a DIY Swag table.the portaband is a great saw but it is hard to cut  chunks of thick mild steel  from a longer stock, also miter cuts are harder to do  than a stationary saw.
> 
> I'll see how it goes with the sale,wish me luck.



Good luck, Ken! For horizontal use, that is going to be fine saw.


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