paskmakes.com/free-plans/ I've wanted make these modifications to the saw for a couple of years. The only thing stopping me, I wasn't sure if it would make a good video and if something isn't a video these days, it doesn't get done. Anyway I decided I really wanted to get it done I'm glad I did, it's now gone from a capable saw to an awesome saw that will be a pleasure to use! :)
I can't speak for anyone else, but I watch your stuff because I like to see a craftsman at work, not because I plan to do anything like this. You sometimes seem apologetic for having better tools (like the milling machine), or you try to justify the time you spent on something that was probably unnecessary. You shouldn't. You are a skilled craftsman and I think most of us are here because we want to see what you do, regardless of whether it'll ever apply to us. If anyone gives you flack for making a video that you wanted to make, ignore them.
I own none of these metal working tools, I’m an amateur wood worker but I must say… Neil, your videos on any topic are a delight to watch. You’re so informative & honestly the reason I like your channel, you’re very innovative. Thanks for the content, mate!
Exactly. Woodworking only for me, even built his swivel workbench seat (wood version), but I am just as eager to watch @paskmakes metal working videos as his woodworking... knowing full well I have no intention of ever realistically getting into metal working
Agreed! I'm pretty much the same, and don't envision I'll ever get into metalworking, but i still feel like I learn a lot watching these videos - creative problem solving, improving tools in useful ways, functionality oriented design, and overall just learning to think critically and constructively around improving annoyances and shortcomings of tools and equipment. I doubt I'll ever apply anything from these videos directly, but the thinking? Useful all the time.
To answer your question in the video -> I watch your videos for the enjoyment of them Neil. You really are missed in the community here when you are away for a while, but I, like most of us here, keep checking your channel regularly in hopes of catching one of your videos. We love your videos and you are very much respected. Whatever you make is enjoyable.
Wow, best video yet. Most TH-camrs have no clue that the average hobbyist does not get equipment for free, can’t afford high end equipment, does not get the tax write off for every nickel spent, and gets huge enjoyment in making a reasonably affordable tool into a high end product. There are so many candidates for “pimping” modest tools into really nice equipment and this is a great look at how to do that. Thanks!
I totally agree. Much more relatable. I'm rarely good at coming up with a tool design from scratch. But I can see 5-10 ways to improve nearly every tool I own.
You wondered out loud why people would watch this when they don’t have your saw. We’re watching how to solve problems, and how to overcome challenges. Not how to modify a saw. Great content, as always. Please keep it coming.
Brilliantly said... as i sit here try to articulate why I'm watching videos on tools' don't own or even intend to own. It's the very neat solution to a problem.
Also it is amazing to see how a person can make THINGS with their own hand, in a way I do not know, and can not imagine. Its like watching a secret knowledge tutorial :D
11:53 nothing like seeing imperial getting sanded away 😂 I'll never build anything like this, I'm more of an aspiring woodworker, but I find your process fascinating. I love how you mix hand tools and power tools, your application towards accuracy and resourcefulness in sourcing materials. Basically I'd watch you make anything just to see how you make it, the poetic side of craftsmanship I guess
hello Neil, I am a French amateur metal worker. I bought 3 years ago the same saw as you. Mine is an Austrian brand and painted in red... I am so happy to finally find useful and cool modifications. Well done and thank you. I would love to have your milling machine and your metal lathe. I plan to make one myself. Thanks again Neil.
I'm on a pension so forever having to try and make do with what I have. While I don't have this specific tool, the changes you make are applicable to many other tools. I also appreciate you mentioning your mistakes, gives something to look out for as well as a little less guilt when I mess up myself.
It's not about a saw per se, but about seeing how you problem solve. Each individual challenge might relate to something not connected to saws but which could be just the answer needed for something else. Always greatly appreciate your filming and narration style which is succinct but informative, edited perfectly. Thanks Neil, keep on being you!
"I looked away at the depth gauge and now it has some pretty colors!" I have to say, I don't do metal work but I love your videos. Your voice is soothing to me, you know what you're talking about and you slip a little humor in. Keep doing what you're doing!
I’m a woodworker, but I do bits of metalwork and I love that your videos show all the little metal pieces you make because it gives me ideas for small metal projects I can do with my limited stuff.
After every mod I kept thinking the video was going to end but they just kept coming. Great work! I love seeing people modify tools and gear more than simply buying a "better" one off the shelf. Buying something ready-made seems counterintuitive to the hobbyist mindset.
You had me at putting decent casters on it. Then horn-swoggled me with a ratchetting tap handle! But why upgrade? Well, when you have a machine you like its better to improve it than chance a new machine that will no doubt have its own problems. And why would I watch your video. . . ? Well; I've neither your skill or your workshop and sadly don't think I'll ever amass either - so living vicariously through you is a wonderful alternative and I often pick up tricks and tips anyway. So thanks for all you bring, its truly a joy, Neil.
I don't have this saw, nor do I intend to buy one. I watch because your method of problem solving, logic and workflow are inspiring and quite educational. Well done!
Yes it was. I’ll have to get around to do same. So many project so little time and I’m retired lol. Love my home shop it’s where my mind can run free. 😂
Fantastic idea. I have struggled with a simple solution for the vertical table. Don't like taking the screws off and on to change and add the vertical table. Thanks for the simple idea. I have the same saw and have made many modifications, but the vertical table was genius.
This is why i still love and watch every one of your vids. Its so refreshing to see you stick to your style of "Hey, this is what im doing and how i did it, watch it if you like, hope it's helpful" So many channels like this feel they have to keep ramping up their channel until its basically a reality TV show that happens to have some Making in it. Your realism and down to earth approach really just makes me feel like I'm watching my dad in the shop as problems are solved and new things are created. Thanks for another great video!
This is subject matter I have no interest in, but I just love your work, narration, and video quality so much that it’s super intriguing and great to watch.
I used to love working with my hands and doing the things you do here. As no longer am able to it is good to watch these endeavors and how the human mind works great job.
Apart from what I see in your ever entertaining videos I really know nothing about metal working. But seeing you extend this machine's functionality while making the best use of the existing parts is highly entertaining and enlightening. Things like the perfectly shaped new clamp or the idea of attaching the vertical table by clamping it onto the horizontal fences just show a great understanding of what you're doing.
I own a similar horizontal saw, so I feel like this video was made for me! I probably won't do all of these upgrades, but I'm definitely going to add the small outfeed table and fence. And the "return to 90" adjustable stop block is a must. Thanks for the video and the motivation!
I've had (pretty close to) that exact saw for about 25 years and suffered most of the same issues! It's REALLY time to move it up the to-do list and cure them... Thanks for the ideas!
Hi Neil. YT originally suggested one of your videos to me when you were making nice stuff out of firewood and I subbed at that time. I enjoy watching you build/modify and improve your machines. You really do fantastic work. I particularly like it when you include your problem solving and design steps. Thanks for sharing from the USA.
Tapping the button on the welder starts the gas so there is gas coming out of the nozzle when starting the weld, it is handy for more gas coverage for better looking welds and when ending keeping the torch above the weld for 5 to 10 sec so there is more gas until the weld cools down is also better for looks and quality.
@@PaskMakes Your welds look fine already, so probably not worth sweating over. On the better MIG (and TIG) machines, there should be a setting labelled "post flow" which sets how long the gas coverage continues after the trigger is released and the arc has stopped. Might be hidden in a menu, or on a dedicated MIG machine, just be a fixed number of seconds and appear nowhere in the manual or control menus.
I own Grizzly's version of this saw, and I feel as you do, that its fundamentals are fine. Your improvements are spot on, and I plan to do several of them immediately.....casters, the small table for vertical use, and the outfeed table. Thank you!
I will never have one of these saws, but it was so much fun to watch you solve problems, and follow them one by one down the chain of solutions. I especially loved the Chinese puzzle box that makes the movable fence! Kudos, and thanks for being yourself. That's what people love about you.
One of the main reasons I watch and love your channel is to learn! Seeing how you tackle problems and the way you share your thought process is a great help.
Neil, I’d watch you take out the rubbish bin! I’ve been watching your channel for years, and I love your videos and the projects that you tackle - large and small. You are a very talented maker, and I am always impressed and inspired by your videos!
I love modification videos like this. Not because I need them, but I enjoy watching you do your magic, Neil. As far as modifying vs buying new, well, not everyone can afford to drop a perfectly good machine that needs a few tweaks and buy one with all the bells and whistles that in the long run doesn't really do a better job. This was fun and fascinating to watch. Thanks. Oh, continue to use that lathe. You have it, use it. It's fun to watch as well.😁
Wow. What an awesome series of upgrades. You're playing on another level, Pask. I have one of these saws, and it wasn't cheap in spite of its limitations. I have done a lot of cutting with it, and every one of your modifications rang true. My mill and lathe aren't equal to yours, but like you said, anyone can do it with any tools if they set their mind to it. Thanks for this valuable contribution.
This video (and all your others) are for me! I don’t have a shop and am not a metalworker, but you are so charismatic and your projects are so entertaining I always watch!
This is my favorite. I love improving tools and customizing them to my needs. Even very cheap tools can be improved with simple methods. Great video mate, I really really enjoyed this one!!
I will most likely never ever have any use for any of this, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this video, Neil. You are not a "Jack of all trades" - you are a MASTER of all trades. Awesome project!
Just received your Dart in the mail last week. Thanks for supplying us with years of informative and entertaining making videos Neil! PS the Dart is great!
As much as I'd like to, I'll never own metal lathe, but I do enjoy watching you use one. I'll never own a band saw like this either, but again, it was a joy to watch you use and upgrade it. Something I do regularly use from your videos is ideas for how to make something better, and the many techniques you show us that we can apply to our own projects. Any time you think something may not make a good video, please go for it regardless. We always enjoy them and learn a lot from you. Thanks so much!
6:40 I just enjoy people improving on tools they have. Custom tools and accessories are really awesome. It makes your space so much more personal and fitted to you.
As a metal worker for over 30 years all I can say what a great workshop you have I use to make fixtures to go onto our vices so we could hold small parts on our cnc milling machines and it was great to heard the sound of that grinder I thought I would never hear that again I would use milling machines ,bandsaws and lathes and I would die for a workshop like that Thank you for the great video
I get it. love watching your process. If you buy something else, you have to relearn how it works and it's quirks, by modifying something you already have you can keep the good things you like about it and improve the things that you want it to do better. very enjoyable to watch you upgrade something you use to be more effective and more usable.
Awesome video! Always great to see a man confident & knowledgeable enough to modify his tools! 22:45 just need a magnetic cushion, now! 26:59 that roll pin is weaker than your original handle could push. Make a solid pin that barely fits, then thin the ends a thou; then texture the center. A touch of locktite & hammer it in. You'll want as tough a steel as your lathe can cut. 21:11 Huh. I thought you'd go w u channels & a locking nut on the big table; it'd be a slightly fiddly build, but much easier to store when not on use. Hell, you could really go for it; have guide stops in a mounting slot, then a hinged lock flap, where a lock nut threads up through both tables and is flush on top. One thumbscrew, easy to fit, but solid as a rock.
I’ve had a similar relationship with my 4”x6” horizontal saw, making the following mods to date: - Extension for small parts - Vertical table - Hydraulic lowering piston - Flood coolant / coolant-trip tray - Riser base (I’m 6’5”) - Higher leverage handle (spiked wheel with rotating handle) REALLY looking forward to incorporating several of your additional mods mate !
Great additions to the saw. I have one of these as well. Things I did to mine was I made a "0" clearance insert to fill that slot under the blade. Sometime when trimming a piece of stock it would fall in the gap and jam the blade. I built a base with casters as well but made mine out of channel iron because that was what I had lying around. That allowed me to make a folding stock support for the "left hand" side so I wouldn't need to use a stand to hold up long pieces.
Have regularly used this saw for about a decade.....your identification of it's shortcomings are spot on. I had already addressed some of them, but you have taken it to the next level!....great video! These saws are really a solid tool for the price, but your mods triple it's value.
What I like about this video is you end up using a lot of your other shop machines to make this one cheap, but suits the needs of your shop better. It showcases current skill, gaining more experience and how projects in the future will be improved by the improvements to the machine getting the improvements.
This video is for exactly me. I have this exact model of saw and have been trying to find a great list of modifications for it. And lo and behold my favorite Australian maker named Pask makes that video! Great day!
if a thing has good bones it's always worth modifying. this proves the point magnificently. thank you. i enjoy your thought processes in tool building.
Great video and great improvements to a super popular saw, one of the neat things when using the saw in the vertical position is you have a place to sit! Thanks for sharing these amazing ideas!
im loving the recurring theme of "I could have doen this with a hacksaw and a file, but i have a mill and it is fun" i know you like to keep things approachable but you have spent the time and effort on your workshop, use it with no shame!! maybe one day do a comparison video where you make a semi-complicated part and do one on the mill and one with hand tools. you could show easily that the results are comparable but highlight the difference in time.
This is definitely one for my metalworking library as I have a Harbor Freight version of this saw. So many great ideas, and I agree that that stock table is definitely a pain to install and remove! Thank you!
I will literally never need this video, as I primarily craft with fabric and yarn. However, I find the process of making cool stuff to be endlessly interesting, and I loved how you solved all the little puzzles of how to make your tool work for you! Nicely done!
Major level up there. So many useful new features and improvements. That's really impressive. I bet it's such a pleasure to use now. Satisfaction with every cut.
This was my introductory video to your channel, I have a similar bandsaw and I have been inspired to modify it! I look forward to seeing your previous content 😊👍
I love what you did to improve your saw! I have a large Jet wet saw, metal cutting bandsaw and other dry saws. However, a few years back I bought a Milwaukee Portaband saw and mounted it on a table from Swag Offroad. I added a foot pedal to it. I have found that I end up using this simple saw far more than my others. You can easily make a table and roller stand for it. You did a fantastic job! What a great saw!
I love your videos and your attitude reminds me of my late Father, we should modify and mend things, not just buy new every time. I think that this is a lot more satisfying for your soul. Thank You
Dad bought a saw similar to yours in the mid eightys, I have inherited the saw, Its time for upgrades, I will be trying some of yours, thanks for showing everyone how you did yours! 🏁
Please do not hesitate to make videos about anything! Speaking for myself, I enjoy your problem solving and meticulous craftsmanship more than what it is you're making. Loved the mods!
You are truly an inspiration. I built the box jig and it worked great, now I can add this project to my todo list. It looks like you addressed all the shortcomings of these bandsaws. Thank you for such a well filmed, edited and great content video! Greatings from Canada!
This is absolutely fantastic. I own that same saw (well, mine is red) and you have inspired me to make some modifications. I bought mine at Harbor Freight. It has been a very good saw. Cuts very accurate. I named it Clark - it is Super Saw. Thanks for posting this video. Very good work!
I have a similar Chinese saw that I have already done some modifications to. You have shared some very nice, unique ideas, some of which I will do on mine. Enjoyable video.
I got one of these from a Craigslist seller who got it from his brother- both guys were not interested in it, and so I bought it for $20.00 U.S. I did make a new wheeled base for it and a small table for the vertical function, the thing is bulletproof, very robust construction. Nice video too by the way.
The reason I watch videos such as this is because it shows me tricks and techniques to do things that have nothing to do with the things in the videos. So many times I've done something a certain way because I remember seeing it on some TH-cam video. The odds of someone having your particular model of machine and your particular set of tools is nearly zero but the methods transfer to all sorts of things.
90 min to grind that face is pretty full on. I've noticed over the years just how patient you are with jobs that take a bunch of time - anything kumiko are an even better example - and for some reason I really appreciate that about all of your projects. Also, the leftover "Lu" on the ruler would drive me nuts 😂
Thanls for this Neil. I have had the same saw for a couple of years now and noticed you have the same, like you I have put up with the shortcomings but for the money it is a super handy tool. I will certainly be coppying some of these ideas, thanks heaps for sharing. Something else I find myself wanting for is an adjustable height prop for cutting long items, currently I use offcuts of steel on a beer keg 😂
Neil, you said that you weren't sure who this video would be for. I have enjoyed every video that you have put out and your patience, skill and craftsmanship amaze me every time. I have a cheap Harbor Freight portable bandsaw and got one of their stands to go along with it. I don't have any other metalworking tools, so I have to live vicariously through you and Jimmy Diresta to see how the other half lives. You two are truly masters of both wood and metal. - Chris
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paskmakes.com/free-plans/
I've wanted make these modifications to the saw for a couple of years. The only thing stopping me, I wasn't sure if it would make a good video and if something isn't a video these days, it doesn't get done. Anyway I decided I really wanted to get it done I'm glad I did, it's now gone from a capable saw to an awesome saw that will be a pleasure to use! :)
Greetings from Melbourne Australia where about are you located.
Good things happen when you think about solutions for a couple of years! :)
I can't speak for anyone else, but I watch your stuff because I like to see a craftsman at work, not because I plan to do anything like this. You sometimes seem apologetic for having better tools (like the milling machine), or you try to justify the time you spent on something that was probably unnecessary. You shouldn't. You are a skilled craftsman and I think most of us are here because we want to see what you do, regardless of whether it'll ever apply to us. If anyone gives you flack for making a video that you wanted to make, ignore them.
I absolutely love shop improvement videos, keep em coming 😍
I feel you on the "if something isn't a video it doesn't get done" It's a blessing and a curse. Great work as always.
I own none of these metal working tools, I’m an amateur wood worker but I must say… Neil, your videos on any topic are a delight to watch. You’re so informative & honestly the reason I like your channel, you’re very innovative. Thanks for the content, mate!
Thanks very much Joshua! :)
Exactly. Woodworking only for me, even built his swivel workbench seat (wood version), but I am just as eager to watch @paskmakes metal working videos as his woodworking... knowing full well I have no intention of ever realistically getting into metal working
Same here. Your comment sums up how I feel about the channel and Neil’s work too.
Agreed! I'm pretty much the same, and don't envision I'll ever get into metalworking, but i still feel like I learn a lot watching these videos - creative problem solving, improving tools in useful ways, functionality oriented design, and overall just learning to think critically and constructively around improving annoyances and shortcomings of tools and equipment. I doubt I'll ever apply anything from these videos directly, but the thinking? Useful all the time.
I was just about to write the exact same😀
To answer your question in the video -> I watch your videos for the enjoyment of them Neil. You really are missed in the community here when you are away for a while, but I, like most of us here, keep checking your channel regularly in hopes of catching one of your videos. We love your videos and you are very much respected. Whatever you make is enjoyable.
This what I came here to say. Keep on keeping on-I’m here because I like watching you make anything!
Same!!
I reckon he could literally make a video of sweeping up and most us would watch it 😂
Ditto!😀 I watch the old videos to get my fix if the new one is too long in coming
Same!
Wow, best video yet. Most TH-camrs have no clue that the average hobbyist does not get equipment for free, can’t afford high end equipment, does not get the tax write off for every nickel spent, and gets huge enjoyment in making a reasonably affordable tool into a high end product. There are so many candidates for “pimping” modest tools into really nice equipment and this is a great look at how to do that. Thanks!
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you. :)
for some reason i find watching modifications and improvements even more interesting than scratch builds. theres just something about it
I totally agree. Much more relatable. I'm rarely good at coming up with a tool design from scratch. But I can see 5-10 ways to improve nearly every tool I own.
You wondered out loud why people would watch this when they don’t have your saw.
We’re watching how to solve problems, and how to overcome challenges. Not how to modify a saw.
Great content, as always. Please keep it coming.
I agree I don’t have a saw like this. But I enjoyed watching what you can do to improve the tools you do have.
Thanks David! I'm never quite sure whether the subject matter is appealing or not but glad you're more interested in the process. :)
Brilliantly said... as i sit here try to articulate why I'm watching videos on tools' don't own or even intend to own. It's the very neat solution to a problem.
Always educational if not directly immediately applicable. Keep on keeping on. 👍
Also it is amazing to see how a person can make THINGS with their own hand, in a way I do not know, and can not imagine. Its like watching a secret knowledge tutorial :D
"Because that's what I like to do" is probably the best answer to "Why?"
What I particularly loved about this video was that you used the improvements for the next improvement.
I thought it was pretty cool too and shows how much this saw is used in my metalwork projects. :)
Totally agree. I love that he used the saw to improve the saw. How fitting.
11:53 nothing like seeing imperial getting sanded away 😂
I'll never build anything like this, I'm more of an aspiring woodworker, but I find your process fascinating. I love how you mix hand tools and power tools, your application towards accuracy and resourcefulness in sourcing materials. Basically I'd watch you make anything just to see how you make it, the poetic side of craftsmanship I guess
Haha! Thanks very much Roxane and thanks for showing an interest in what I do. :)
hello Neil, I am a French amateur metal worker. I bought 3 years ago the same saw as you. Mine is an Austrian brand and painted in red... I am so happy to finally find useful and cool modifications. Well done and thank you. I would love to have your milling machine and your metal lathe. I plan to make one myself. Thanks again Neil.
I'm on a pension so forever having to try and make do with what I have. While I don't have this specific tool, the changes you make are applicable to many other tools. I also appreciate you mentioning your mistakes, gives something to look out for as well as a little less guilt when I mess up myself.
It's not about a saw per se, but about seeing how you problem solve. Each individual challenge might relate to something not connected to saws but which could be just the answer needed for something else. Always greatly appreciate your filming and narration style which is succinct but informative, edited perfectly. Thanks Neil, keep on being you!
Thanks very much - Glad you enjoyed it! :)
"I looked away at the depth gauge and now it has some pretty colors!"
I have to say, I don't do metal work but I love your videos. Your voice is soothing to me, you know what you're talking about and you slip a little humor in. Keep doing what you're doing!
I’m a woodworker, but I do bits of metalwork and I love that your videos show all the little metal pieces you make because it gives me ideas for small metal projects I can do with my limited stuff.
Glad you find them useful Charles! There's so much you can do in metalwork with just basic tools. :)
After every mod I kept thinking the video was going to end but they just kept coming. Great work! I love seeing people modify tools and gear more than simply buying a "better" one off the shelf. Buying something ready-made seems counterintuitive to the hobbyist mindset.
I love seeing a tool being used to make its own upgrades.
I thought that was pretty cool too! :)
yes it is very satisfying
I've been a woodworker for my entire life, and even making my own tools, fixtures, and jigs with aluminum and steel. Love the content.
You had me at putting decent casters on it. Then horn-swoggled me with a ratchetting tap handle! But why upgrade? Well, when you have a machine you like its better to improve it than chance a new machine that will no doubt have its own problems. And why would I watch your video. . . ?
Well; I've neither your skill or your workshop and sadly don't think I'll ever amass either - so living vicariously through you is a wonderful alternative and I often pick up tricks and tips anyway. So thanks for all you bring, its truly a joy, Neil.
I don't have this saw, nor do I intend to buy one. I watch because your method of problem solving, logic and workflow are inspiring and quite educational. Well done!
That quick-attach table, and especially how it clamps into the vise, are worth the price of admission alone!
Yes it was. I’ll have to get around to do same. So many project so little time and I’m retired lol. Love my home shop it’s where my mind can run free. 😂
Fantastic idea. I have struggled with a simple solution for the vertical table. Don't like taking the screws off and on to change and add the vertical table. Thanks for the simple idea. I have the same saw and have made many modifications, but the vertical table was genius.
This is why i still love and watch every one of your vids. Its so refreshing to see you stick to your style of "Hey, this is what im doing and how i did it, watch it if you like, hope it's helpful"
So many channels like this feel they have to keep ramping up their channel until its basically a reality TV show that happens to have some Making in it. Your realism and down to earth approach really just makes me feel like I'm watching my dad in the shop as problems are solved and new things are created.
Thanks for another great video!
This is subject matter I have no interest in, but I just love your work, narration, and video quality so much that it’s super intriguing and great to watch.
Thanks very much and glad you still enjoyed it! :)
I used to love working with my hands and doing the things you do here. As no longer am able to it is good to watch these endeavors and how the human mind works great job.
Apart from what I see in your ever entertaining videos I really know nothing about metal working. But seeing you extend this machine's functionality while making the best use of the existing parts is highly entertaining and enlightening. Things like the perfectly shaped new clamp or the idea of attaching the vertical table by clamping it onto the horizontal fences just show a great understanding of what you're doing.
Thanks very much - glad you enjoyed it! :)
I own a similar horizontal saw, so I feel like this video was made for me! I probably won't do all of these upgrades, but I'm definitely going to add the small outfeed table and fence. And the "return to 90" adjustable stop block is a must. Thanks for the video and the motivation!
It was made for you! Glad you found it useful. :)
Now you make me want to get a milling machine.
Super cool improvement on the inexpensive saw.
Thank you for sharing your ideas.
I've had (pretty close to) that exact saw for about 25 years and suffered most of the same issues!
It's REALLY time to move it up the to-do list and cure them... Thanks for the ideas!
I've only had mine a few years and I meant to upgrade it early on. Glad I finally got around to it. :)
Hi Neil. YT originally suggested one of your videos to me when you were making nice stuff out of firewood and I subbed at that time. I enjoy watching you build/modify and improve your machines. You really do fantastic work. I particularly like it when you include your problem solving and design steps. Thanks for sharing from the USA.
Tapping the button on the welder starts the gas so there is gas coming out of the nozzle when starting the weld, it is handy for more gas coverage for better looking welds and when ending keeping the torch above the weld for 5 to 10 sec so there is more gas until the weld cools down is also better for looks and quality.
Thanks - I do that sometimes but I usually forget. If I welded more often it would probably become second nature. :)
@@PaskMakes
Your welds look fine already, so probably not worth sweating over.
On the better MIG (and TIG) machines, there should be a setting labelled "post flow" which sets how long the gas coverage continues after the trigger is released and the arc has stopped. Might be hidden in a menu, or on a dedicated MIG machine, just be a fixed number of seconds and appear nowhere in the manual or control menus.
These were great improvements for your bandsaw. Looking forward to seeing future videos.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much Joe! :)
Friday we had Cutting Edge Engineering with Pimp My Lathe, now we have Pask Makes with Pimp My Bandsaw! :D
Not sure if there is a word for it; but using a machine to self improve the same machine is always ultra satisfying.
It's two words........" MAD BRAH"
I own Grizzly's version of this saw, and I feel as you do, that its fundamentals are fine. Your improvements are spot on, and I plan to do several of them immediately.....casters, the small table for vertical use, and the outfeed table. Thank you!
There's nothing quite so satisfying is using a tool to better itself 👍
I will never have one of these saws, but it was so much fun to watch you solve problems, and follow them one by one down the chain of solutions. I especially loved the Chinese puzzle box that makes the movable fence! Kudos, and thanks for being yourself. That's what people love about you.
Thanks very much Richard - Glad you enjoyed it. :)
I just love how the band saw is used throughout the project and it gets gradually more capable
One of the main reasons I watch and love your channel is to learn!
Seeing how you tackle problems and the way you share your thought process is a great help.
Nice work mister.
Neil, I’d watch you take out the rubbish bin! I’ve been watching your channel for years, and I love your videos and the projects that you tackle - large and small. You are a very talented maker, and I am always impressed and inspired by your videos!
🤣🤣
Buy a better saw? Where’s the fun in that?
Precisely.
I just watch, and enjoy a truly skilled and humble craftsman at work.
I love modification videos like this. Not because I need them, but I enjoy watching you do your magic, Neil. As far as modifying vs buying new, well, not everyone can afford to drop a perfectly good machine that needs a few tweaks and buy one with all the bells and whistles that in the long run doesn't really do a better job. This was fun and fascinating to watch. Thanks. Oh, continue to use that lathe. You have it, use it. It's fun to watch as well.😁
Thanks Vickie - Glad you found it interesting. :)
Wow. What an awesome series of upgrades. You're playing on another level, Pask. I have one of these saws, and it wasn't cheap in spite of its limitations. I have done a lot of cutting with it, and every one of your modifications rang true. My mill and lathe aren't equal to yours, but like you said, anyone can do it with any tools if they set their mind to it. Thanks for this valuable contribution.
Glad you understand the struggles with the saw and how worthwhile it was to fix them. Great saw though. :)
This video (and all your others) are for me! I don’t have a shop and am not a metalworker, but you are so charismatic and your projects are so entertaining I always watch!
Thanks very much Ariana! :)
This is my favorite. I love improving tools and customizing them to my needs. Even very cheap tools can be improved with simple methods. Great video mate, I really really enjoyed this one!!
Glad you enjoyed it - thank you! :)
Got the tools!!
Got the time!!!
************
I always wear my 'PASK T-Shirt' when I watch your posts.
It's like it is a 'private' lesson!!!
Thank you! :)
I will most likely never ever have any use for any of this, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this video, Neil. You are not a "Jack of all trades" - you are a MASTER of all trades. Awesome project!
Thanks very much - glad you enjoyed it, although I'm definitely no master, just having fun. :)
Love the large table design. Simple, quick, functional. well done.
I absolutely love how most of the improvements were done using the tool that's being improved!
Wow! You definitely win the compitition for most tools! Nice to see how you tackle problems and solve them.
Just received your Dart in the mail last week. Thanks for supplying us with years of informative and entertaining making videos Neil! PS the Dart is great!
Thanks very much and thanks for the support, I appreciate it. :)
As much as I'd like to, I'll never own metal lathe, but I do enjoy watching you use one. I'll never own a band saw like this either, but again, it was a joy to watch you use and upgrade it. Something I do regularly use from your videos is ideas for how to make something better, and the many techniques you show us that we can apply to our own projects. Any time you think something may not make a good video, please go for it regardless. We always enjoy them and learn a lot from you. Thanks so much!
Ditto with a capital "D"
6:40 I just enjoy people improving on tools they have. Custom tools and accessories are really awesome. It makes your space so much more personal and fitted to you.
using the vise to hold the the table when in vertical was a game changer. thank you for sharing! Amazing job on the build.
As a metal worker for over 30 years all I can say what a great workshop you have I use to make fixtures to go onto our vices so we could hold small parts on our cnc milling machines and it was great to heard the sound of that grinder I thought I would never hear that again
I would use milling machines ,bandsaws and lathes and I would die for a workshop like that
Thank you for the great video
@13:09 so satifying to watch that little rolled up peice build up beside the bit as it travels across
I get it. love watching your process.
If you buy something else, you have to relearn how it works and it's quirks, by modifying something you already have you can keep the good things you like about it and improve the things that you want it to do better.
very enjoyable to watch you upgrade something you use to be more effective and more usable.
Thanks very much - that's a good point. :)
Awesome video! Always great to see a man confident & knowledgeable enough to modify his tools!
22:45 just need a magnetic cushion, now!
26:59 that roll pin is weaker than your original handle could push. Make a solid pin that barely fits, then thin the ends a thou; then texture the center.
A touch of locktite & hammer it in. You'll want as tough a steel as your lathe can cut.
21:11 Huh. I thought you'd go w u channels & a locking nut on the big table; it'd be a slightly fiddly build, but much easier to store when not on use.
Hell, you could really go for it; have guide stops in a mounting slot, then a hinged lock flap, where a lock nut threads up through both tables and is flush on top. One thumbscrew, easy to fit, but solid as a rock.
Wonderful. Nicely done as per your usual standard. Thanks for sharing this project.
That clamp in table was genius.
I’ve had a similar relationship with my 4”x6” horizontal saw, making the following mods to date:
- Extension for small parts
- Vertical table
- Hydraulic lowering piston
- Flood coolant / coolant-trip tray
- Riser base (I’m 6’5”)
- Higher leverage handle (spiked wheel with rotating handle)
REALLY looking forward to incorporating several of your additional mods mate !
Sounds awesome James! :)
Someone may not have a saw like that to modify but your video shows that improvements can be made to make a tool better or more functional. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I have that exact machine and now am inspired to make it better as well. Thank you for this great video!
Great additions to the saw. I have one of these as well. Things I did to mine was I made a "0" clearance insert to fill that slot under the blade. Sometime when trimming a piece of stock it would fall in the gap and jam the blade. I built a base with casters as well but made mine out of channel iron because that was what I had lying around. That allowed me to make a folding stock support for the "left hand" side so I wouldn't need to use a stand to hold up long pieces.
BRILLIANT... So nice to watch a craftsman who knows how to use his tools.
Have regularly used this saw for about a decade.....your identification of it's shortcomings are spot on.
I had already addressed some of them, but you have taken it to the next level!....great video!
These saws are really a solid tool for the price, but your mods triple it's value.
What I like about this video is you end up using a lot of your other shop machines to make this one cheap, but suits the needs of your shop better. It showcases current skill, gaining more experience and how projects in the future will be improved by the improvements to the machine getting the improvements.
I like watching things get improved with projects, so this video is for ME! Thanks really enjoy your channel.
This video is for exactly me. I have this exact model of saw and have been trying to find a great list of modifications for it. And lo and behold my favorite Australian maker named Pask makes that video! Great day!
if a thing has good bones it's always worth modifying. this proves the point magnificently. thank you. i enjoy your thought processes in tool building.
Great video and great improvements to a super popular saw, one of the neat things when using the saw in the vertical position is you have a place to sit! Thanks for sharing these amazing ideas!
im loving the recurring theme of "I could have doen this with a hacksaw and a file, but i have a mill and it is fun"
i know you like to keep things approachable but you have spent the time and effort on your workshop, use it with no shame!!
maybe one day do a comparison video where you make a semi-complicated part and do one on the mill and one with hand tools.
you could show easily that the results are comparable but highlight the difference in time.
Hobby : "activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure" or "a small horse or pony"
So if it's not fun anymore ... get a pony???
There's just something so beautiful about seeing a tool be used to build stuff to make that tool better!
This is definitely one for my metalworking library as I have a Harbor Freight version of this saw. So many great ideas, and I agree that that stock table is definitely a pain to install and remove! Thank you!
I will literally never need this video, as I primarily craft with fabric and yarn. However, I find the process of making cool stuff to be endlessly interesting, and I loved how you solved all the little puzzles of how to make your tool work for you! Nicely done!
Major level up there. So many useful new features and improvements. That's really impressive. I bet it's such a pleasure to use now. Satisfaction with every cut.
28:18 was my favorite, brilliant idea! All your work is superb.
Awesome job. The improvements to the saw are going to make your life so much easier.
This was awesome. I love seeing clever utility added to existing tools.
Fantastic work, Neil! It turned out MUCH better! Really well done!
Stay safe there with your family!
After watching you patiently hand file so many projects over the years in your videos, its fun to hear you so excited about using the mill
This was my introductory video to your channel, I have a similar bandsaw and I have been inspired to modify it!
I look forward to seeing your previous content 😊👍
I love what you did to improve your saw! I have a large Jet wet saw, metal cutting bandsaw and other dry saws. However, a few years back I bought a Milwaukee Portaband saw and mounted it on a table from Swag Offroad. I added a foot pedal to it. I have found that I end up using this simple saw far more than my others. You can easily make a table and roller stand for it. You did a fantastic job! What a great saw!
I love your videos and your attitude reminds me of my late Father, we should modify and mend things, not just buy new every time. I think that this is a lot more satisfying for your soul. Thank You
Dad bought a saw similar to yours in the mid eightys, I have inherited the saw, Its time for upgrades, I will be trying some of yours, thanks for showing everyone how you did yours! 🏁
Please do not hesitate to make videos about anything! Speaking for myself, I enjoy your problem solving and meticulous craftsmanship more than what it is you're making. Loved the mods!
Over 1 million subscribers! Useful projects with attention to aesthetic details pays off big time.
Fantastic solutions, I have the same band saw and you gave me many ideas to improve it as well. Thank‘s a lots.
You are truly an inspiration. I built the box jig and it worked great, now I can add this project to my todo list. It looks like you addressed all the shortcomings of these bandsaws. Thank you for such a well filmed, edited and great content video! Greatings from Canada!
Using the saw, to upgrade the saw, is the coolest thing. Making your own handles and screws is so fun.🤗🤗
You make some of the best videos on TH-cam. Thank you for sharing.
THANKS for this great video. I have this same saw for about 40 years and I will be doing most of these mods ASAP. Great ideas!
This is absolutely fantastic. I own that same saw (well, mine is red) and you have inspired me to make some modifications.
I bought mine at Harbor Freight. It has been a very good saw. Cuts very accurate. I named it Clark - it is Super Saw.
Thanks for posting this video. Very good work!
I have a similar Chinese saw that I have already done some modifications to. You have shared some very nice, unique ideas, some of which I will do on mine. Enjoyable video.
I got one of these from a Craigslist seller who got it from his brother- both guys were not interested in it, and so I bought it for $20.00 U.S. I did make a new wheeled base for it and a small table for the vertical function, the thing is bulletproof, very robust construction. Nice video too by the way.
Nice find - Glad you enjoyed the video. :)
The reason I watch videos such as this is because it shows me tricks and techniques to do things that have nothing to do with the things in the videos. So many times I've done something a certain way because I remember seeing it on some TH-cam video. The odds of someone having your particular model of machine and your particular set of tools is nearly zero but the methods transfer to all sorts of things.
Pure Engineering, Good Job.
Wow! ALL the mods on this video dramatically improve this little Harbor Freight horizontal band saw. Great video!
90 min to grind that face is pretty full on. I've noticed over the years just how patient you are with jobs that take a bunch of time - anything kumiko are an even better example - and for some reason I really appreciate that about all of your projects.
Also, the leftover "Lu" on the ruler would drive me nuts 😂
Thanls for this Neil. I have had the same saw for a couple of years now and noticed you have the same, like you I have put up with the shortcomings but for the money it is a super handy tool.
I will certainly be coppying some of these ideas, thanks heaps for sharing.
Something else I find myself wanting for is an adjustable height prop for cutting long items, currently I use offcuts of steel on a beer keg 😂
Neil, you said that you weren't sure who this video would be for. I have enjoyed every video that you have put out and your patience, skill and craftsmanship amaze me every time. I have a cheap Harbor Freight portable bandsaw and got one of their stands to go along with it. I don't have any other metalworking tools, so I have to live vicariously through you and Jimmy Diresta to see how the other half lives. You two are truly masters of both wood and metal. - Chris