- Joined
- Jun 19, 2017
- Messages
- 12
Hello all, this is my first post here, but this seems like the place for an honest answer.
I've hit a decision point with my well-worn 4x6 bandsaw. I'm thinking it may be time to replace it, rather than trying to refurb my current unit, but I want to make sure I'm not "wimping out".
Background: I've used and abused my Harbor Freight saw for more than 10 years. Aside from some rudimentary adjustments, and an occasional blade change, I'd done nothing to it. I was a novice, and hadn't read the (many) forums for these tools, so I did zero in terms of cleanup, and never even changed the gear oil, etc. Recently the motor finally failed, so I tried to replace it with a 1/2hp 1800rpm unit I had on hand. Unfortunately it wasn't a direct fit, the motor had a bigger frame and output shaft, so fitting it involved boring and re-broaching the motor pulley and notching the motor's base plate where it interfered near the tension-adjusting bolt on the mounting plate. At that time I undertook a slightly more serious attempt at aligning the blade guide bearings.
Since that replacement/adjustment, the saw just isn't cutting. Like, at all. A test cut through some 1/8" angle iron literally killed a brand-new bimetal blade and wouldn't even finish the cut after swapping back to the previous blade that was working "well enough" prior to the motor swap. To be clear, the saw was running for minutes on a cut that I expected to take well less than 60 seconds. Yes, teeth oriented correctly, belt position and feed pressure in the range of what I've used previously, etc.
Not sure where I went wrong. Willing to admit improper blade tension probably killed the new blade as much as anything, but I suspect this motor just isn't a good match.
The problem now is that while I could buy a new motor (and probably a replacement pulley), I'm looking at how worn the guide bearings are, and considering the fact that I've abused the worm gear, etc., and the math is starting to get stupid. With coupon, a new HF saw can be picked up for ~$200, while a new motor, pulley, guide bearings, etc. will easily add up to $160+shipping and that doesn't address all the other little parts.
I'm typically a "repair, don't replace" person, but the economics of this situation seem to dictate that the time to refurbish + unknown future failures aren't justified by $40 savings.
Thoughts? Thanks.
I've hit a decision point with my well-worn 4x6 bandsaw. I'm thinking it may be time to replace it, rather than trying to refurb my current unit, but I want to make sure I'm not "wimping out".
Background: I've used and abused my Harbor Freight saw for more than 10 years. Aside from some rudimentary adjustments, and an occasional blade change, I'd done nothing to it. I was a novice, and hadn't read the (many) forums for these tools, so I did zero in terms of cleanup, and never even changed the gear oil, etc. Recently the motor finally failed, so I tried to replace it with a 1/2hp 1800rpm unit I had on hand. Unfortunately it wasn't a direct fit, the motor had a bigger frame and output shaft, so fitting it involved boring and re-broaching the motor pulley and notching the motor's base plate where it interfered near the tension-adjusting bolt on the mounting plate. At that time I undertook a slightly more serious attempt at aligning the blade guide bearings.
Since that replacement/adjustment, the saw just isn't cutting. Like, at all. A test cut through some 1/8" angle iron literally killed a brand-new bimetal blade and wouldn't even finish the cut after swapping back to the previous blade that was working "well enough" prior to the motor swap. To be clear, the saw was running for minutes on a cut that I expected to take well less than 60 seconds. Yes, teeth oriented correctly, belt position and feed pressure in the range of what I've used previously, etc.
Not sure where I went wrong. Willing to admit improper blade tension probably killed the new blade as much as anything, but I suspect this motor just isn't a good match.
The problem now is that while I could buy a new motor (and probably a replacement pulley), I'm looking at how worn the guide bearings are, and considering the fact that I've abused the worm gear, etc., and the math is starting to get stupid. With coupon, a new HF saw can be picked up for ~$200, while a new motor, pulley, guide bearings, etc. will easily add up to $160+shipping and that doesn't address all the other little parts.
I'm typically a "repair, don't replace" person, but the economics of this situation seem to dictate that the time to refurbish + unknown future failures aren't justified by $40 savings.
Thoughts? Thanks.
