# Show us your 4x6 Bandsaw Modifications!



## HMF (Oct 8, 2010)

These HF bandsaws are like kits, with a little fine-tuning, and a few modifications, they serve us well for years. This is the place to document some of your favorite modifications. 


http://www.mini-lathe.com/bandsaw/bandsaw.htm#mods
http://www.mini-lathe.com/bandsaw/Gearbox/4x6%20bandsaw.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4x6bandsaw/
http://www.craftkb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/metalworking/18934/4-x-6-Bandsaws
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=32250
http://www.craftkb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/metalworking/14447/4x6-bandsaw-mods
http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/mboard/archive/index.php/t-6049.html
http://www.tinyisland.com/4x6bsFAQ.html
http://www.mini-lathe.com/bandsaw/Gearbox/4x6%20bandsaw.htm
http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=72808
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sawking/

Please add YOUR modifications! Thanks.


Best,


Nelson


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## HMF (Oct 15, 2010)

These are courtesy of Mike's Workshop:

http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/bandsaw-modifications.html

*Bandsaw stand*


The 6 x 4 bandsaw seems to be used by many hobby engineers. It is a sturdy, robust machine and the main problem reported on the Yahoo 6x 4 bandsaw Group seems to be the stand. Many dislike the stand because it is too flimsy. I have not found this a problem at all. Provide the bolts are done up tight then the stand seems to be quite rigid.

My main dislike about the basic stand is more to do with controlling the swarf. This gets everywhere and within a short space of time the shelf becomes covered with it. The header photo shows some of the changes I have made to get round this. Firstly, a plywood panel has been added to the cutting side of the machine to stop swarf falling onto the shelf. This keeps the shelf clean but just means more ends up on the floor. To control this I have added an inclined gutter that directs the swarf to a small plastic container. The gutter was made by slitting some square PVC rainwater down pipe down the middle using a circular saw. This is the screwed to the plywood panel, as shown.

My second dislike is that when the saw arm is in the vertical position any attempt to move the saw by lifting the front and dragging it on the wheels can lead to the whole saw tipping backwards. ( I know the saw is better moved with the arm lowered but sometimes you just don't think). The problem arises because the arm is so heavy and the wheels are so close to the stand that the centre of gravity is behind the wheels if the front of the saw is lifted by more than about 10-15 mm. To overcome this I moved the wheels about 100 mm behind the stand. To do this two 25 x 25 x 3 mm steel angle pieces were attached to the stand close to the floor and these extend behind the stand. The wheels then run on an axle between the two pieces of angle, as shown in the header photo.

Having added the steel angle pieces along both sides of the stand it was a simple job to add another shelf below the existing shelf, thereby increasing the storage space and this also provides a place to stand the collection vessel at the end of the gutter.

Also shown in the header photo is a lamp that was added. This was attached directly to the swinging arm and it has a flexible neck so that light can be directed to either side of the saw blade. The lamp is a low voltage halogen lamp. The switch for the light is mounted on the plywood panel beneath the stop/start buttons.

Standing up directly to the right of the lamp is a new saw table to replace the flimsy version supplied with the lathe. This will be described on a separate page.

This shows the other side of the bandsaw. The middle shelf has been inverted and the edges stiffened with 25 x 25 x 3 mm steel angle. Used in this way it forms a tray so that tools do not fall off the edge. The tray is very useful for storing bandsaw accessories. On the tray is a clamp for holding short workpieces and a fence for the saw table. Both of these accessories will be described on other pages. The galvanised box fixed to the plywood panel houses the back of the light switch and the transformer for the light.


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## HMF (Oct 15, 2010)

*Bandsaw vice modification.*

The standard bandsaw vice works well for cutting long stock. For short stock it cannot clamp the workpiece. To solve this my first solution was to add an M8 jack screw to the movable vice jaw, as many others have done. This worked well but it was very slow to reset the vice for a new thickness of stock. Even with the jack screw it is still impossible to hold very short pieces. Angular adjustment of the standard vice is a real pain because in order to lock the fixed jaw after adjusting the angle it is necessary to grovel under the vice table to put a spanner on the lock nut. The angular scale on the side of the saw used to set the angle was a joke. It was very inaccurate and being only made of adhesive metal foil it started to peel off after a short space of time.

Inevitably, one day I had to cut a piece that was too wide to fit in the vice. This day came when I was making my tee slot faceplate.

In order to overcome these problems I have made a number of changes to the vice. these are:

1. On the moving jaw the slot in the jaw that allows the jaw to be positioned laterally has been eliminated.
2. Doing this means that a plate can be bolted to the vice jaw to extend it right over to the saw blade. Nothing is lost in this process since the ability to move the vice jaw is more than compensated by the extra length of the jaw.
3. A jack rod has been added. This is not screwed but slides in a clamp block. It can be released with 1/2 turn of the clamping screw. This is much quicker and easier than a jack screw.
4. Nuts and screws on the moving jaw that have to be tightened or untightened often have been replaced by screws with tommy bars.
5. On the fixed jaw I have moved the pivot point about 15 mm closer to the bandsaw arm hinge. This gains extra working space enabling wider work to be cut.
6. Moving the pivot point means that the circular slot is no longer a radius to the pivot point. To compensate for this the fixed jaw has been slotted so that the lock nut can follow the curved slot.
7. The lock nut for the angular adjustment of the fixed arm has been replaced by a tee nut that runs in the curved slot of the vice table. This enable the vice to be locked from above rather than having to grovel under the vice table.
8. A new, more accurate, angular scale was engraved in a strip of aluminium that is screwed to the side of the bandsaw


This shows the base of the moving jaw. A piece of 5 mm plate has been screw to the base with a single hole in it. This effectively eliminates the slot in the base of the moving jaw. On the vertical part of the jaw a piece of 6 x 75 mm plate has been screwed on so that extends right up to the saw blade. On the left hand side is the block in which the jack bar slides. The 10 mm diameter jack bar can be seen disappearing off the top of the photo and the locking nut off to the left hand side.

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This photo shows the clamp block. It was made from a piece of 18 mm square bar and bolted to the plate by two 6 mm socket head screws.The vertical hole is for the jack bar and the horizontal hole is for the clamp pin.

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Here is the clamp pin. It is 10 mm diameter and the end is threaded M6. When the pin was originally made it had an additional thread extending from the left hand side. The two threads were used to lock the pin in the clamp pin hole before the 10 mm hole was drilled for the jack bar. This ensures that the crescent cut out aligns perfectly with the jack bar. The left hand threaded section was then turned off.

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The header photo shows the nut for the clamp pin. This is a piece of 19 mm round bar which was drilled and tapped M6 that screws on the end of clamp pin. The other end is cross drilled with a 6 mm hole for a tommy bar. The tommy bar was made from a 6mm x 150 mm round wire nail. The head end of the nail was cleaned up on the lathe and the other end threaded for the ball.

The screw for clamping the vice jaw to the vice table is also a piece of 19 mm round bar. This has an M8 theaded male end that screws into the nut on the vice feedscrew. It is tall enough to clear the top of the vice jaw to allow easy use of the tommy bar. Again the tommy bar was made from a round wire nail.

This photo shows the top of the vice table with the fixed jaw removed. Note the two closely spaced holes on the left hand side of the photo. These are the pivot holes for the fixed jaw. The one on the right is the original hole and that on the left is a new hole approximately 15 mm away. The holes are threaded M8.

Also note in this photo the two holes on the right hand side, either side of the blade slot. These are tapped 8 mm and can be used to mount faceplate clamps to hold objects for cutting.

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The new hole is not at the centre of the curved slot radius. The hole for the locking bolt has been slotted as shown in this picture so that the locking bolt can track the curve slot when the fixed jaw is moved. The casting was very rough at this point and it has been cleaned up roughly with a file and a small plate added for the clamp bolt to act on.

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This is the clamp bolt with the tee nut that runs in the curved slot. The nut was produced by sawing and filing as no great accuracy is required.

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The photo shows the new aluminium engraved scale attached to the side of the bandsaw.

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Here the band saw has been set up for cutting a short piece of steel. Notice the 6 mm plate on the fixed jaw. This plate is not fixed in any way to the jaw. It simply allows the fixed jaw to be extended out almost to the blade. To set this cut up the piece was first clamped somewhere near the centre of the jaws just over the vice feed screw. The jack bar was then loosened and pulled out until it hit the fixed jaw and then locked into position. The vice was loosened and the piece moved to the cutting position and the vice re-clamped

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## HMF (Oct 15, 2010)

*Bandsaw table and fence.*

The 6 x 4 bandsaw is supplied with a table for use with the bandsaw arm in the vertical position. There are two problems with this table. Firstly it is a flimsy piece of sheet steel and secondly it is fiddly to assemble onto the saw. Furthermore, once it is fitted to the saw then the saw can only be used in the vertical position. It must be removed from the saw to revert to the more normal horizontal sawing. This is not very convenient.

The table described here can be left permanently on the bandsaw. It is hinged at the attachment point so that it can be flipped out of the way for normal horizontal sawing. The table is 150 mm square and bolts onto the blade guide block in exactly the same way as the original table.

This shows the saw in the vertical position but with the table flipped back. The table is made from a piece of 6 x 150 x 150 mm steel plate. The attachment plate is a piece of 6 x 75 x 100 mm plate and the two M6 countersunk screws that secure it to the blade guide block can be clearly seen in the photo.The hinge is made by drilling 3 mm holes in the edge of the attachment plate. The two smaller blocks either side of the attachment plate are 6 x 25 x 25 mm steel with similar 3 mm holes in the edge, into which hardened steel pins are fixed with epoxy resin. The hinge edge of the attachment plate must be rounded ( a simple filing job) to permit the table to swing about the pivot point.

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This photo shows the saw in the horizontal position. The flipped up table does not interfere with the operation of the saw in the horizontal mode.

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Having the table permanently mounted means that it is available for instant use. This convenience means that it is actually used quite often whereas if I had to fix and remove the table each time it would probably be quicker to use a hacksaw. It is particularly useful for removing material prior to milling or for cutting a long strip of metal along the length.
Bandsaw table fence.

This fence is designed to clamp in the edges of the bandsaw table and provides a guide for material being cut.

This shows the working face of the guide. It is made from a length of 25 x 25 x 3 mm steel angle. The two black pillars are 12 mm square hot rolled steel. These are pivoted on the steel angle. Between the steel bars at the top is a length of 10 mm steel bar which is threaded M6 at both ends. The thread runs through a clearance hole on the left hand side and is free to rotate. There are two nuts locked together to retain the bar loosely to the pillar. On the right hand side the pillar in threaded M6. If the bar is rotated clockwise then the two pillars are forced apart at the top and at the bottom the pillar ends move closer together as the bars pivot around the two pivot points, clamping the assembly firmly to the saw table. Conversely, turning the bar anti-clockwise will relase the fence.

Actually, the threads are not formed on the 10 mm bar. The bar is bored out 5 mm at both ends and then tapped M6. On the left hand side a piece of M6 studding is screwed in with some Loctite on the thread. On the right hand side, a 6 mm hex head screw is screwed through the pillar and then screwed and Loctited into the bar. This provides the hex head on the right hand side of the bar that is used to turn the bar.


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This shows the other side of the fence. The two pivot points are the two socket head screws on each pillar.

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The clamping arrangement for the fence is crude but very effective. Once tightened onto the table it is very rigidly attached. It is very simple and quick to attach and remove from the table.

The fence increases the usefulness of the saw table since it is easy then to make long straight cuts.


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## HMF (Oct 15, 2010)

*Bandsaw clamp*

The standard vice cannot reliably hold objects less than about 25 mm in length. Sometimes it is necessary to hold small or odd shaped objects for cutting on the bandsaw. The clamp shown in the header photo can cope with many of these difficult clamping problems. It was constructed from a piece of 6 x 75 x 100 mm steel plate. At one end is a vee block with two projecting lengths of M5 studding as shown above. Above the vee block is a clamp bar made from 10 mm square steel bar which was drilled to fit over the studs. The clamp bar was also drilled in the centre for an M5 screw.

The vee block was made by taking a piece of 25 x 25 mm square bar and cutting it at 45 degrees using the band saw.. The two pieces were then screwed to the plate from below using M4 countersunk screws.

At the other end of the plate has two more M5 studs that are Loctited into the steel plate. These are spaced to accept the clamp bar.

This photo shows the clamp holding a piece of 50 mm diameter steel bar

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Here it is holding a piece of 10 mm bar. Note that the centre screw of the clamp bar is used to hold the piece in the vee groove.

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In this photo the clamp bar has been moved to the other end of the clamp and it is holding a piece of 1/2" square bar.

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Here it is clamping a short piece of 6 mm steel.

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This shows the clamp mounted in the bandsaw vice ready to cut a small piece of steel.

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This photo shows some small pieces that have been cut from short stock. The scale can be judged from the matchbox.

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I have used this little clamp often. Apart from the ability to cut small pieces of stock it is also useful when an angled cut is needed on a piece of flat plate. The angle can be accurately set up with the clamp on the bench and then the set up is simply tranferred to the bandsaw for cutting.


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## HMF (Oct 15, 2010)

*Bandsaw hydraulic cylinder*

The standard 6 x 4 bandsaw has a spring tensioner that controls the force exerted on the workpiece being cut. This control works fine for cutting solid workpieces. The force can be varied to provide a coarse finish on the cut with a heavy load or a very fine finish if the load is light. However, if the object being cut is thin, or a thin walled tube, then, no matter what the load the teeth of the blade are likely to snatch the material and these can break the teeth off the saw blade. Conventional wisdom says that to avoid this situation then at least three teeth must be in contact with the object being cut.

More up market bandsaws are equipped with a hydraulic damper that controls the rate of descent of the saw blade. If the rate of descent is set very slow then even on thin walled tube the saw blade just nibbles away at the material being cut rather than taking big bites and tooth breakage is eliminated.

Many users in the US have fitted hydraulic cylinders to their 6 x 4 bandsaws. In the US hydraulic cylinders seem to be available cheaply as surplus items whereas on this side of the pond cheap hydraulic cylinders seem to be as rare as honest politicians. I did investigate door closure dampers as a possible route but the specifications for these units, which relate to doors not bandsaws, makes a choice difficult.

In the end I decided to make my own hydraulic damper as shown in the header photo. It consists of a copper cylinder which is easily fabricated from standard plumbing fittings. Inside the cylinder is a steel piston sealed with a rubber o ring. The piston incorporates a non return flap valve that opens when the saw arm is lifted and provides an easy path for the hydraulic fluid. This means there is little resistance from the cylinder when lifting the arm. The flap valve closes automatically when the saw arm is lowered and the only path for the hydraulic fluid is via a needle valve. Depending on the opening of the needle valve the rate of descent of the saw arm can be controlled from very near stationary to several metres per second.

This shows the complete unit. It consists of a copper cylinder, closed at one end. The closed end is bolted to a steel pivot block made from 10 x 20 hot rolled bar with a 10 mm hole for the pivot. The upper end of the cylinder is closed by a compression fitting drilled out with a 10 mm hole for the piston rod. The end of the piston rod screws into block of 10 x 20 mm hot rolled steel. Above this block is the adjuster knob that operates the needle valve controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid. Separated by spacers is another identical block of hot rolled steel into which is screwed the push rod that connects to the upper pivot block also made from 10 x 20 mm hot rolled steel bar.

The cylinder itself is made from a piece of 22 mm copper tube 130 mm long. One end is sealed with a copper end cap ( stop end in plumbing parlance) which is soft soldered in place. The end cap is then drilled with a 6 mm hole and bolted to the bottom pivot block using a 6 mm hex head screw and washer. The copper being soft makes a good seal.

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The piston is 20 mm diameter and the seal with the cylinder is formed by an o ring that sits in a groove machined in the periphery. The two holes in the piston go right through the piston to the other side. The piston rod is 8 mm diameter and 120 mm long. It is drilled out with a 4 mm drill for the entire length. The piston rod end is threaded M8 and screws into a threaded hole in the piston. The threaded hole in the piston does not go all the way through the piston and the last 2 mm are drilled with a 1 mm drill. This small hole makes the seating for the needle valve. Note the 3 mm hole drilled in the piston rod just above the piston. This is to allow the hydraulic fluid passing through the needle valve to flow to the other side of the piston.

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The other side of the piston shows the small 1 mm diameter hole in the centre. The two M3 screws secure a sheet of thin plastic over the end. This forms the flap valve. If the piston is being raised the plastic flaps open by the flow of oil passing from above the piston to below the piston. If the cylinder is being lowered then the flaps are pushed firmly back against the two holes and the only flow is then through the central hole controlled by the needle valve.

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This is the plastic disc that forms the flap valve. It was cut from a piece of blister packaging that so many items are packed in these days. It is approximately 0.2 mm thick. This piece of plastic has been in use for 4 years and does not seem to be showing any signs of wear or stress.

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The needle is machined from a piece of 4 mm steel studding. The end is turned down to 3 mm and the conical tip is 6 mm long. At the top the lower carrier block is part threaded with an M8 thread at the bottom to accept the piston rod and part threaded at the top with an M4 thread which the needle valve screws into. The knurled adjuster knob screws onto the portion of the M4 threaded rod that emerges through the lower carrier block and it is locked in place by a lock M4 lock nut. Thus turning the adjuster knob raises and lowers the needle valve,

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This is a close up of the carriers and the adjuster knob. The lock nut can be seen above the adjuster knob. The spacers either side of the adjuster are 10mm diameter and they were bored out 6mm. The two carriers are bolted together through the spacers by M6 screws. The upper carrier block is threaded centrally M8 for the push rod going to the upper pivot block.

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The upper attachment bracket is attached to the bandsaw at two points. The pivot shaft for the bandsaw arm hinge was drilled and tapped M6. This provides one fixing point. The second fixing point is the hole into which the tensioning sping normally fits.The bracket is bolted in place with M6 screws. The tension spring is attached to the bracket by a freely swinging link as shown above. At the top of the bracket is the pivot point for the hydraulic cylinder assembly.

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The lower attachment point for the hydraulic cylinder assembly is on the shelf and is immediately below the upper attachment point when the bandsaw arm is in the lowered position. The shelf edge was reinforced along the whole length with a piece of 3 x 25 x25 mm steel angle and a brace added that attaches to the bandsaw casting to make a rigid attachment point.

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This shows the actual attachment point for the upper pivot block of the hydraulic cylinder assembly. There is a shouldered axle made from 19 mm round bar turned down to 10 mm which the upper pivot block slips over. The axle is secured in place with an M6 screw and washer. The bottom attachment point is identical apart from the length of the shoulder which was adjusted so that the two pivots were one the same vertical plane.

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The cylinder is filled with oil before use. I used SAE 90 EP oil because it was available but I think almost any oil with a reasonable viscosity would do.

The unit has been in use for 4 years it has had no maintenence at all and has worked reliably throughout that time. Total expenditure on material must have come to about Â£2-3 (circa 3-4 USD) and for that price you cannot buy a surplus hydraulic cylinder even in the US.

Detailed drawings of the hydraulic cylinder are available in the files section of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4x6bandsaw/


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## HMF (Nov 17, 2010)

Joe,

Did you modify your vise for small or thin materials?

If so, could you post some photos of what you did please. I like the small vise idea, but would prefer to make some sort of insert that I can clamp in and remove for small materials so as to not waste a drill press vise. I often need to cut small materials, and this is difficult with the current vise.

Thanks,


Nelson


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## sasquatch (Jan 28, 2011)

Great info concerning these saws,, these saws have to be the biggest bargain going.
  I keep every catalog i get my hands on, (For Years,) and these saws really have not increased in price for ?? Twenty years!!
 My saw is around 20? years old, i got it in a trade a few years back and repaired it,, Yup, the stand is really very flimsy, but will build a new one sometime shortly.


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## bazzz (Jun 24, 2011)

Hello,

Here are simple modifications I made to my HF bandsaw. I used a simple plastic cart and mounted the saw to it using uni-strut. The uni-strut made a strong base and allows me to use it in a vertical or horizontal position easily. The tray can be used for a coolant in the future.


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## Rbeckett (Jun 25, 2011)

Another reallt great source of step by step mods for the 4X6 is available in Yahoo groups under the 4X6 name. They have downfeed hydraulics, tune and true, adjustments, blade recomendations and trouble shooting as well as preventative fixes, problem cures and great stand plans from a 2 drawer file cabinet. If you have not joined, take the few minutes and read the files section. It will be time well spent. Just my .02, but I have been a member there for a good while and they helped me solve a few small and large issues when I first got mine.
Bob


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## JW turner (Sep 18, 2011)

Nelson,

Nice thread and mods. I have been thinking about making a better table and I really like your flipup design. Also, the "clamp" you use to hold small items is a good idea. Much better than holding with a pliers. ;0

Joe


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## David Kirtley (Mar 29, 2013)

First bandsaw mod.

It is the first because I only received it today and am in the process of assembling it. Well of course it had been handled roughly in transit and the belt tension knob was broken. Instead of calling customer service and waiting for a week or two, I went ahead and made a new one.

I turned the broken pieces off the old knob and looked through my scrap bin. I had a partially made handle I had on the leadscrew of my lathe before I put a longer bed on the lathe. It was about the right size.  I turned it down a bit on the shoulder because I had milled a flat on it for a set screw and it would not fit on the three jaw chuck reversed because of the flat.

Once I had it where it would fit in the chuck, I drilled out and bored the hole to match the adjustment bolt head.  Then I flipped it around and put a straight knurl on the edge to make it easy to grip for tightening.


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## xman_charl (Mar 29, 2013)

Top view of my hf .....







Charl


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## dennis98277 (Mar 29, 2013)

this is going to be one of my purchases this sunday. harbor freight has a easter special that can be used on the coupons in the home machinest magazine so the coupon was for $179 and now we can add the 20% off just for sunday that means i get the bandsaw for $143.00 that is an awsome deal no matter who you are


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## stevecmo (Mar 29, 2013)

Can you elaborate or give links to where we can get this coupon?  I've been waiting for a sale on the 4x6 band saw.


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## darkzero (Mar 29, 2013)

I don't have a HF model but I do have a Taiwan made 4x6 Enco that's the same Rong Fu 128 design. 

Enco / RF-128 4x6 Bandsaw Mods 




stevecmo said:


> Can you elaborate or give links to where we can get this coupon? I've been waiting for a sale on the 4x6 band saw.



The only place I can get the Home Machinists magazines around here is at Barnes & Nolbe. The Home Machinist magazine has some of the best priced coupons. I got the popular well made 5 drawer tool cart for $149 using the coupon in that mag.

I don't have the latest mag with the coupon mentioned (if I did I would scan it for you) but here's a 25% off coupon good on Easter day only. The 25% coupons are usually only available for New Years Day, Easter, & Independence day. Around here we can not use the 20-25% coupons with another sale coupon but the 20-25% coupons are good for in store sale prices.


http://widgets.harborfreight.com/wswidgets/common/displayCoupon.do?main=true&week=1313&campaign=c&page=25off.html&single=true&cust=00096056614&keycode=1003


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## trukker (May 2, 2013)

Got one 4 weeks ago.  It was banged up and couldnt see how bad until home with the box open.  The motor had a big dent .. no prob only a dent.  Had a leak in the gearbox bearing...changed oil, pulled the bottom blade wheel and cleaned out the theads of the 3 screws holding the bearing /seal in and put it back together.  No leak so far!  The tensioner knob was busted up and would not turn.  I made relief cut on the theaded part of the knob and put a hose clamp on tight and works fine.  It is a little finicky with tension.  I had the blade pop off a few times til I had it right.  I am getting for some good bimetal blades so look foward to it cutting even better with that!    Not a bad deal but, don't be surprised when it takes a couple hours to get the thing tuned up.

- - - Updated - - -

Got one 4 weeks ago.  It was banged up and couldnt see how bad until home with the box open.  The motor had a big dent .. no prob only a dent.  Had a leak in the gearbox bearing...changed oil, pulled the bottom blade wheel and cleaned out the theads of the 3 screws holding the bearing /seal in and put it back together.  No leak so far!  The tensioner knob was busted up and would not turn.  I made relief cut on the theaded part of the knob and put a hose clamp on tight and works fine.  It is a little finicky with tension.  I had the blade pop off a few times til I had it right.  I am getting for some good bimetal blades so look foward to it cutting even better with that!    Not a bad deal but, don't be surprised when it takes a couple hours to get the thing tuned up.


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## Bishop (Oct 8, 2014)

I made this simple clamping plate to cut small pieces or odd angle.


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## geckocycles (Jan 11, 2015)

Picked this Delta up for $125 and $10 for the vice. 
It has 2 new pulleys and belt. It vibrated like crazy so I guess the PO put new drive on hoping to fix this. What I found was the motor base was bent causing bad belt alignment. Got that dialed in and now it is smooth as can be. Of course I put on a quality custom blade from Rocky Mountain Saw Blade. The base is very flimsy even after tightening up all the bolts.  I was moving the saw across some rough asphalt and the arm swung up to vert when I hit a small hole and the saw flipped over and landed on the motor. I now see how it got bent originally. The locking pin didn't hold in horizontal position. I an 6'3" so I guess the saw was tipped up too high. THe stand was bending all over the place going across the lot. Even being aware the saw crashed 2 more times. THe stand and wheels are a joke and I am sure it's past life didn't help it any. Maybe on polished concrete it would of survived.
After fixing the motor mount again and plastic welding the new crack in the belt cover I made a stand. I am limited to width while moving into my shop. Before and after it is in it can be wider. I can mount the wheels inboard or out of the legs. It sets on ground solidly and when you lift the handle that extends from under the saw you can roll it around through most anything. If you are on off camber/rough terrain you can widen the wheel base easily. I am going to make a pan for it. I also didn't like the pneumatic wheels so I got some solid 10" dia wheels to try.




I also moved the spring tension mounting hole back 1.75" to tighten up the spring. Put a longer eye bolt on. The down feed is very light now and cuts as straight as can be now. I may put on a hyd down feed that I have from another saw of mine. So far with this light of down pressure it isn't needed and cuts very well.



The handle on the vice was nearly impossible to move. I offered him $10 and he said great. He said you have to take a hammer to the back to get it to move at all. GOt it to the shop and got it apart. THe grease had turned to tar. Cleaned it up and it was like new now. The PO put on brass jaws that were thinner than factory jaws. This caused the movable part to go back to far shearing off a stop pin. This broken pin bits got suck inside making the cap on the back not fit in right. A couple of mins work on the cap and now I got a very nice vice. Probably got a hour in it total.



I will be doing lots of mods to this soon. I had no idea that you can do so much to these. My other saw is large Carolina Band Saw. I have had it for 30 yrs and just now replaced the Hyd down feed on it. They still are in business and making replacement parts.


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## aametalmaster (Jan 18, 2015)

Mod for quick 45 degree cuts. I make lots of them and didn't want to swing the vise. Just drill and tap a hole on the 45 plane and screw in a bolt...Bob


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## Billh50 (Mar 16, 2015)

To make a better adjustable feed on mine I took an old 1" dia bimba air cylinder with a 5" stroke that I had laying around. Filled it with 90 wt gear oil and then ran a tube from front port fitting to rear port fitting with a needle valve inline. Now I just open it all the way to raise the saw and close it up til I get feed I want when lowering.


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## WalterC (Jan 2, 2016)

Hey- you said "Band saw". Well I made a portable to take with me on the job.


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## royesses (Jan 3, 2016)

Nels said:


> These HF bandsaws are like kits, with a little fine-tuning, and a few modifications, they serve us well for years. This is the place to document some of your favorite modifications.
> 
> 
> http://www.mini-lathe.com/bandsaw/bandsaw.htm#mods
> ...


http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/small-mods-to-my-hf-4x6-bandsaw.36549/


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## hman (Apr 16, 2017)

Fun thread, which I just ran across because I was at http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/i-hate-the-vice-clamp-on-my-4x6-bandsaw.19232/#post-477948

I'll post a couple of the mods I've done (to several saws) over the years ..

(1) Starting off, a variation on the vertical mode table from Post #4 above, where Nels quoted Mike Cox: http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/bandsaw-table-and-fence.html 
A simpler version, based on a door hinge, was created by Rick Sparber (of this forum) and is described in http://rick.sparber.org/FTHV.pdf
My own variation uses a gate hinge from Home Depot (about $6) and a 6" by 6" piece of 10 gauge steel.  The hinge has one nice, long leg, so you can screw it directly to the blade positioner.  It also has plastic inserts around the pin, so it doesn't rattle, and stays put when you move it to either position.




The aluminum spacers under the bolt heads keep the plate perpendicular to the saw blade.





(2) For swarf control I like to use a stainless steel "mud pan."  The 14" size is nice.  You can get them at either Home Depot of Lowes.  I add a sheet aluminum, mounted under the saw casting, as a deflector for swarf that falls through the gap under the blade.  The mud pan hooks under the lower edge of the deflector.  A piece of 1 ½" by 1 ½" aluminum angle attached to the saw legs supports the mud pan, which is easy to remove and dump.





(3) Finally, once I get the fixed vise jaw set up perpendicular to the blade, I drill a small hole through the jaw and table.  A pin, captured with a bit of sash chain, will reset the jaw at this angle very reproducibly.  The photo also shows the 45º position.  Once that is found, I use the existing hole in the jaw to drill a second hole in the table.





PS - Mike Cox (see Post #6 above) came up with the fantastic idea of making a needle valve from a piece of rod and incorporating the needle valve seat in the piston of his hydraulic downfeed.  I've come up with a way to modify a screen door closer with (among other things) Mike's needle valve design, to produce a hydraulic downfeed that costs well under $50.  I just finished a lengthy article about this downfeed and sent it to HSM/MW.  The editor, George Bulliss, appears to have liked it.  So now it's just a matter of waiting until he has room in one of his magazines to put it in print!


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## STurnerXM2010 (Feb 14, 2018)

Finally got her reassembled and tuned up. Still need some attention on the actuator. May have to break down and go hydraulic, but I'm going to give her one last shot first. Great little saw and the best $25 I've ever spent. LOL The paint and primer cost more than what I paid for this saw. Although, the wife nearly kicked me out, as this was my 5th bandsaw I'd brought home in 3 weeks. LOL


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## Sitting on Blocks Racing (Feb 15, 2018)

Here my Hot Rod Saw stand.   Dimple die reinforcement plate (made my own dimple dies) and a set of DOHC cams bracing the back vertical.









Needed an out feed roller.   So out to the scrap pile.  S10 driveshaft, HHR brake drum and an adjustable roller made from scrap steel, al rod and a suspension bolt.


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## markba633csi (Feb 15, 2018)

I like your stand- very solid!  And your stock support stand too- I was just thinking of building one
Mark


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## Ststephen7 (Mar 22, 2018)

I have to make everything I touch as idiot proof as I can... Before making this I looked around and could not find a zero stop, so I came up with this...






Xynudu's video is much more popular than mine, and he made his stop after watching my video


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## Ed ke6bnl (Dec 7, 2018)

I can not believe some of the great Ideas you people have come up with. I made this shelf for the bandsaw because I can remove it and use it on my bigger bandsaw also. Has worked great.  I want to make the extended jaw next and the trash shoot to collect the trash cut offs.


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## hman (Dec 7, 2018)

hman said:


> PS - Mike Cox (see Post #6 above) came up with the fantastic idea of making a needle valve from a piece of rod and incorporating the needle valve seat in the piston of his hydraulic downfeed.  I've come up with a way to modify a screen door closer with (among other things) Mike's needle valve design, to produce a hydraulic downfeed that costs well under $50.  I just finished a lengthy article about this downfeed and sent it to HSM/MW.  The editor, George Bulliss, appears to have liked it.  So now it's just a matter of waiting until he has room in one of his magazines to put it in print!


The first half of the article has now been published in the November/December issue of The Home Shop Machinist.  The second half will be in the Jan/Feb issue.  

I'd post the pictures and text here, but don't want to mess with copyright issues.  Guess I should ask George what and how I can publish.

GREAT ideas from everybody else!


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## Downwindtracker2 (Dec 7, 2018)

If you put a spacer between the moveable jaw and the nut, the load will be transferred to the table instead of relying on the bolt. It will strip. I found  that on a $50 CL find.


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## jdedmon91 (Dec 7, 2018)

Guys I made myself this fixture that mounts in the saw vice to allow sawing short stock. I’ve use it on both round and square stock. It has become extremely useful. Here is the video 






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## francist (Dec 7, 2018)

Nothing groundbreaking, but for truly effortless parking try in-line skate wheels. Verrry quiet...







-frank


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## jdedmon91 (Dec 7, 2018)

francist said:


> Nothing groundbreaking, but for truly effortless parking try in-line skate wheels. Verrry quiet...
> 
> View attachment 281780
> 
> ...



Cool. My saw is on 4 larger casters so I can maneuver it in tight places


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NICOLAS LIN (Dec 18, 2019)

Ed ke6bnl said:


> I can not believe some of the great Ideas you people have come up with. I made this shelf for the bandsaw because I can remove it and use it on my bigger bandsaw also. Has worked great.  I want to make the extended jaw next and the trash shoot to collect the trash cut offs.
> View attachment 281751
> View attachment 281751


Hi, ED: It's a great job you've done to the vertical table. With this design lots of people recommend. Would you please share with us your design thinking? we're bandsaw maker and would like to study about the new design of 5"x6", what is the size and thickness of this table? and why you choose that size? Our team want to study it more, and it will be appreciate if you can share with us more. thank you!


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## NICOLAS LIN (Dec 20, 2019)

Nelson said:


> *Bandsaw table and fence.*
> 
> The 6 x 4 bandsaw is supplied with a table for use with the bandsaw arm in the vertical position. There are two problems with this table. Firstly it is a flimsy piece of sheet steel and secondly it is fiddly to assemble onto the saw. Furthermore, once it is fitted to the saw then the saw can only be used in the vertical position. It must be removed from the saw to revert to the more normal horizontal sawing. This is not very convenient.
> 
> ...


Hi, Nelson: I review this table and fence, it really good modification you've done here. May I know why does the table size design in 6 x 150 x 150 mm? any special reason? please let me know, we're bandsaw maker from Taiwan and would like to study more new idea from real user. 
What is your job? are you an Engineer? or home user? please share with us, tks!


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## MrWhoopee (Dec 23, 2019)

Some great ideas in here. I just did the hinged table mod and the extended movable jaw with jack screw.

Why is this thread stickied in Misc. Antique and Vintage Machinery instead of Horizontal Saws & Bandsaws or Harbor Freight?


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## vtcnc (Dec 23, 2019)

MrWhoopee said:


> Why is this thread stickied in Misc. Antique and Vintage Machinery instead of Horizontal Saws & Bandsaws or Harbor Freight?


That is a darn good question and suggestion all gift wrapped for me to answer! Thanks! I'll move this to the generic forum Horizontal Saws & Bandsaws. Probably will leave it as a sticky for now.


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## NICOLAS LIN (Jan 2, 2020)

Sitting on Blocks Racing said:


> Here my Hot Rod Saw stand.   Dimple die reinforcement plate (made my own dimple dies) and a set of DOHC cams bracing the back vertical.
> View attachment 258216
> 
> View attachment 258217
> ...


Hi,We're bandsaw maker from Taiwan, we checked a lot of home user suggest us to add a wheel for 5x6 saw, so we did some of UOTE="Sitting on Blocks Racing, post: 557614, member: 35499"]

Here my Hot Rod Saw stand. Dimple die reinforcement plate (made my own dimple dies) and a set of DOHC cams bracing the back vertical.

￼

￼



Needed an out feed roller. So out to the scrap pile. S10 driveshaft, HHR brake drum and an adjustable roller made from scrap steel, al rod and a suspension bolt.

￼

[/QUOTE]

Hi,We're bandsaw maker from Taiwan, we checked a lot of home user suggest us to add a wheel for 5x6 saw, so we did some of search, we found there is a wheel unit at your saw and would like to ask you some of question:
1. What is the purpose for you to have this wheel? 
2. Is it necessary for you? why? 
3. What environment you put this machine while cutting? does it relate to the wheel? I mean if you need to cut something, will you move your saw to outdoor? 
4. What will be the recommend wheel size or design by your opinion? 
5. Does those wheels will be the first priority for you to make decision when you want to buy a saw? why? 
6. What is your job? a home user? please share with us any relate to the wheel set, thanks


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## NICOLAS LIN (Jan 2, 2020)

francist said:


> Nothing groundbreaking, but for truly effortless parking try in-line skate wheels. Verrry quiet...
> 
> View attachment 281780
> 
> ...


Hi, 
Never through  about the in-line skate wheels will become one of useful design for the saw machine. We're saw maker from Taiwan, and we're here to search for new design for next new product, lots of people suggest us to add a wheel on the machine, we have some question want to ask you:
1. What is the purpose for you to have this wheel?
2. Is it necessary for you? why?
3. What environment you put this machine while cutting? does it relate to the wheel? I mean if you need to cut something, will you move your saw to outdoor?
4. What will be the recommend wheel size or design by your opinion?
5. Does those wheels will be the first priority for you to make decision when you want to buy a saw? why?
6. What is your job? a home user? please share with us any relate to the wheel set, thanks
7. You talking about "very quite" with these wheels, is this necessary for you? why?


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## NICOLAS LIN (Jan 3, 2020)

jdedmon91 said:


> Cool. My saw is on 4 larger casters so I can maneuver it in tight places
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Hi, Can you show us your cool design with casters?


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## NICOLAS LIN (Jan 3, 2020)

bazzz said:


> Hello,
> 
> Here are simple modifications I made to my HF bandsaw. I used a simple plastic cart and mounted the saw to it using uni-strut. The uni-strut made a strong base and allows me to use it in a vertical or horizontal position easily. The tray can be used for a coolant in the future.
> 
> ...


Hi, We're saw manufacturer from Taiwan,many customer suggest us to add wheel set on the machine, therefore, we would like to ask some question below:
1. What is the purpose for you to have this wheel?
2. Is it necessary for you? why?
3. What environment you put this machine while cutting? does it relate to the wheel? I mean if you need to cut something, will you move your saw to outdoor?
4. What will be the recommend wheel size or design by your opinion?
5. Does those wheels will be the first priority for you to make decision when you want to buy a saw? why?
6. What is your job? a home user? please share with us any relate to the wheel set, thanks


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## Z2V (Jan 4, 2020)

My Craigslist find, 2002 model, made in Taiwan. The saw is solid but the stand is trash so I got a stick of 1 1/4” tube and a stick of 3”x3” angle and this is the result. I will be doing several more mods before this project is finished but I felt like a good base was the place to start. A down feed, true up the drive wheels, beef up the vise, maybe a VFD and 3ph motor are also planned. I replaced the guide bearings and aligned the new blade after I got the saw and it cuts square and true so I have a good base saw to start with.
More later.


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## NICOLAS LIN (Jan 6, 2020)

Z2V said:


> My Craigslist find, 2002 model, made in Taiwan. The saw is solid but the stand is trash so I got a stick of 1 1/4” tube and a stick of 3”x3” angle and this is the result. I will be doing several more mods before this project is finished but I felt like a good base was the place to start. A down feed, true up the drive wheels, beef up the vise, maybe a VFD and 3ph motor are also planned. I replaced the guide bearings and aligned the new blade after I got the saw and it cuts square and true so I have a good base saw to start with.
> More later.
> 
> View attachment 309466
> View attachment 309467


Hi, Thanks for your sharing. The photos you send to us is your garage? or some where in your home? did you often to cut something in this place? or you have to move to other place for cutting?


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## Z2V (Jan 6, 2020)

NICOLAS LIN said:


> Hi, Thanks for your sharing. The photos you send to us is your garage? or some where in your home? did you often to cut something in this place? or you have to move to other place for cutting?


Yes, the saw is in my garage and used there. It is stored pushed up against the wall and rolled out into the open floor for use. This is still a work in progress. First primer paint coat applied today, second tomorrow, then paint, etc.


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## WesPete66 (Dec 12, 2020)

Hey, I think I have the same saw as you, Z2V, Central Machinery. And yes the original stand is junk, worse than junk, just awful!
My welding options are limited, but I can always use wood, so...   Here is my version of a stand for a band saw.
The pan below turned out to not work well, so will try something else..


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## Z2V (Dec 12, 2020)

Great looking stand, good job.


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## hman (Dec 12, 2020)

I use a "mud pan" to catch swarf.  Also add an aluminum deflector "inside" the saw, to guide swarf from the blade gap in the table into the mud pan.  This arrangement catches about 90% of the crumbs.  This is also shown in post #24 on the third page of this thread.

PS - partially visible in the first photo is my own wooden stand.  HATE that tin!


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## Shotgun (Feb 16, 2021)

NICOLAS LIN said:


> Hi, We're saw manufacturer from Taiwan,many customer suggest us to add wheel set on the machine, therefore, we would like to ask some question below:
> 1. What is the purpose for you to have this wheel?
> 2. Is it necessary for you? why?
> 3. What environment you put this machine while cutting? does it relate to the wheel? I mean if you need to cut something, will you move your saw to outdoor?
> ...


Nicolas, it seems that you're not getting much traction with answers.

The purpose of the wheels is so that we can move the saw around.  We are working out of small shops.  Usually a garage.  12'x12' at most.  We roll the saw out of its storage place to use it, then roll it back out of the way when we're done.  The tiny wheels that most of these saws have make them hard to roll around, because they are top heavy and the stands are flimsy.  A 6" wheel, mounted to the INSIDE OF THE FRAME would make life much easier.


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## MrWhoopee (Jul 22, 2021)

4X6 Vertical Conversion, Part 1

As built, the 4x6 will cut either horizontal or vertical. In the vertical mode, the saw only has about a 2 in. throat. This is because of the twist imposed on the blade that allows it to clear the stock in horizontal mode.  I've seen several saws converted for permanent vertical use, but none have addressed this limitation. I have run afoul of this throat limitation a few times in the last year. Today I realized there is a way to increase the throat to over 5 in.  without modifying the saw itself. Fortunately, I have a second 4x6 that was given to me, a 70s vintage Taiwanese saw. It is not a quick change-over, I utilized the original roller blade guides

Here's the saw with the blade guide assemblies & supports removed.



The blade guide support is where the twist is imposed on the blade, so I fabbed up new ones without the twist. This is the lower guide support, which also supports the table.






Interestingly, the fasteners on the saw all seem to be U.S Customary (inch) threads, but with metric heads. Picture a 5/16-18 bolt with 12mm hex head. Dimensions of features are also inch, the guide head alignment slot is .875 and the guide support bar is 1.25.

I will be working on the upper guide support and table in Part 2.


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## hman (Jul 22, 2021)

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!  (Even if, embarrassingly, it's a real flat-forehead moment)  Too bad there's not an option for a super-like!


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## MrWhoopee (Jul 24, 2021)

4X6 Vertical Conversion, Part 2

Finishing the upper guide mount







Finished, with the table mounted.






All in all, I'm pretty happy.
Still fine tuning the verticality to the table and trying to figure out a stand or wall-mount to reduce the footprint.
Considering relieving the frame casting to get to 6 in. throat. It looks plenty stout and will tolerate some stock removal.

edit: After staring at the saw for a while, I realized that something was wrong. The slot in the table is backwards, requiring the removal of the table to replace the blade. Can't decide whether to fix it or call it a feature.


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## Chip Monkey (Dec 5, 2021)

1. Sheet Metal "Bib" to prevent swarf from piling up on stand shelf/brace.
2. Extended reach Frame Lock Latch Pin.
3. Enlarged table for vertical use relieved to allow normal horizontal use without removal
4. Extended face of moveable vice jaw with adjusting pin for cutting short scraps
5. "Sights" in blade recess of base to allow quick rough positioning of stock
6. Lenox Die Master 2

I gotta say this absolutely one of the best bang-for-buck machine tool deals on the market. I love this little cheapo workhorse!


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## francist (Dec 5, 2021)

Oh I like sights, those are a great idea!


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## MrWhoopee (Dec 6, 2021)

4x6 Vertical Conversion, Part 3

I just realized I had forgotten to finish this.

Up to this point, the saw head was still attached to the original base. Time to do something about that.
After removing it from the base, I put it on the mill and removed an unnecessary rib to get a little more throat clearance.




Then I fabbed a bracket to attach to the bottom of the head. It utilized the 2 bolts that serve as pivots for the motor as well as the 2 bolts that attach the angled pivot bracket to the head.





A collar welded to the bottom of that bracket allowed mounting on a pedestal.







I corrected the table slot situation,




and made a light so I can see.




It's getting a lot of use now that I can just walk up to it and flip the switch.


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## Dollar Bill (Mar 2, 2022)

If anyone is looking for an easy method to mount a blade chip brush, this requires only one hole be drilled yet it's easily removed for blade replacement.
Parts used were an eye bolt, a shaft collar, two 1/4 x 5/8 ball bearings, a 1/4 x 1-1/2" bolt and a 1.25" crimped wire wheel.


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## Chip Monkey (Jun 12, 2022)

Quick(er) change frill to make speed changes easier/faster. What I like about this is that now I'm more inclined to actually change the speed!

Length of M8 rod, a couple of knobs, and a sleeve between the lower knob (for locking) and motor flange to space knob for easier access.


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## MrWhoopee (Sep 21, 2022)

Upgraded the hydraulic downfeed control

.
	

		
			
		

		
	




The lower valve is the rapid down control
The upper one is the fine downfeed control.
Everything came from parts on hand, most of it I've been carrying around since the 70s.


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## jwmelvin (Sep 21, 2022)

MrWhoopee said:


> The lower valve is the rapid down control
> The upper one is the fine downfeed control.



Is the idea that you open the rapid to allow free movement (while maintaining the fine setting) and then close the rapid to effectively engage the fine control?


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## MrWhoopee (Sep 21, 2022)

jwmelvin said:


> Is the idea that you open the rapid to allow free movement (while maintaining the fine setting) and then close the rapid to effectively engage the fine control?


Yes, it allows dropping the head rapidly without disturbing the setting for cutting.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Sep 21, 2022)

how long is the cylinder stroke with the saw going from vertical to horizontal?


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## vtcnc (Sep 22, 2022)

MrWhoopee said:


> Can't decide whether to fix it or call it a feature.


All 4x6 Bandsaws leave our factory Tamper-Proof Certified by Mr. Whoopee!


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## MrWhoopee (Sep 22, 2022)

mattthemuppet2 said:


> how long is the cylinder stroke with the saw going from vertical to horizontal?


1.75 in. (Yes, it's an awfully big cylinder, but it's the only one I had)


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## mattthemuppet2 (Sep 22, 2022)

that's a lot less than what I expected. I have a slim hydraulic cylinder from the scrapyard which has ~9" stroke, so that should be plenty enough.


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