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Show us your 4x6 Bandsaw Modifications!
- Thread starter HMF
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Messages
- 630
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.
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.
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2012
- Messages
- 198
Top view of my hf .....
Charl
Charl
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2012
- Messages
- 57
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 
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2012
- Messages
- 7,913
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
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
Enco / RF-128 4x6 Bandsaw Mods
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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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.
- - - 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.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2011
- Messages
- 67
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.
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.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2010
- Messages
- 619
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
