*Perfect band saw for the hobby enthusiast **MyBest.Tools** Easy to set up and square. Had it running in 10 to 15 minutes. Quality of cuts will depend on the quality of the blades.*
Dude I can't thank you enough for this video. 4 years later and you just helped me assemble this beast. I can't imagine the amount of time that you saved me. I'd buy you a coffee and your kid some candy if you were local
I have two of these saws- one is 16 years old, the other 12- made a little differently back then, but about the same. If I may submit some ideas and advice. Have someone weld an extension onto the blade tensioning bolt just above the upper cover with bends like a crank handle. You can now set the tension or remove the belt much faster. Take a hard bristle tooth brush and mount it so it rubs against the lower wheel- this helps keep wood build up on the rubber. The proper position of the blade on the upper wheel is to have the gullet of the blade centered on the wheel- this helps the blade track properly. Toss the blade it came with and get a better blade. These are pretty good saws but have limitations in HP. Using a slower speed gives you a little more power.
My brother in law gave me a 10 yo Harbor Freight bandsaw. I did some upgrades (new tension rod, new tires, new ceramic guide blocks, and a link belt, and a Kreg fence). Put a washer on bottom wheel to make them co-planer. Saw cut everything I wanted it to cut. Only got rid of it because I build guitars and needed more resaw capability. Gave it to the guy who hauled my new bandsaw home, and he is still using it to this day. Decent saw for a small shop.
Paul Waldrop now that’s what I’m talking about! Good for you man! Above and beyond what most people are willing to do and that often sets apart a good machine from one that could have been. As for the co-planer wheels I’d say to each their own but it’s actually not necessary unless something is very wrong. The wheels are set at the factory and that should be that. The blade will ride where it rides and it’s where the gullet of the blade on the top tire that’s really important. I refer everyone to Alex Snodgrass’ Bandsaw Clinic video on TH-cam and for ANYONE that has or will have a bandsaw it is a must! He breaks it all down beautifully. I too got a larger capacity bandsaw eventually and there’s no going back once you have the capability. AND you gave it to yet another happy owner, THAT is awesome. So you build instruments? I’ll have to check out your channel! Do you have an Instagram of your work? Let us all know! Thanks so much for watching!
You are a lifesaver! I did not get a war and peace manual I got 14 pages of nothingness. Half of the stuff that you talked about wasn’t even in my manual. Thank you for putting this video together.
Just saw this video. Best part was the knock on the garage doors! "Mommy won't let me have a cookie before dinner" and you defused the situation with a whip on the nose, which he quickly rejected because he wasn't getting any sympathy from you! Kids are great!
Found this instructional video to be extremely useful and helpful. Several key steps are not addressed in manuals provided which could have impacted the product functionality and reliability. Setup details and tuning could not have been done properly without this video in my opinion. Highest marks for creating an excellent video for assembling this harbor freight tool that comes in an IKEA type box. Thank you
best video on the internet for this saw👍 I just converted saw to a 3 phase motor with vfd for speed control. Now…cutting steel, aluminum, etc is easy as blade speed can be set very low.
I left mine in its box in the back of my Nissan Pathfinder, and removed all the big parts separately, to save my back. It would have been great to have seen this video before I did the assembly! One thing I spotted in your video that is a big help is the alignment of the table to the frame. Thank you, this is perfect and much needed.
Best instructions ever, well done video. It wasn’t bad putting it together, it was just getting it dialed in, well until this video!!! Thanks much, I appreciate you.
Dude you killed this! I put mine together today and then watched your video and it felt like I was watching myself because you went through everything I did, from picking it up in the store to assembly to one of my kids coming to the shop crying while I’m working. Nice job man!
kb coolman well thank you so much for watching! I’m so glad this video is still helping folks out there considering picking one up. If you have any question about your new bandsaw I’ll be happy to answer. Sometimes it takes a few days to get to the comments and question but I’ll get there. Have fun and thanks again!
Casey Lane fantastic! I’m really happy to see this old video is still helpin people out, when I picked up this machine I was honestly surprised someone hadn’t already done an in depth video for it. Well, thank you so much for watching and following. I’ve got some more shop videos planned in the not so distant future that will hopefully help more folks out. Take care and enjoy your bandsaw, they are a fun tool!
Just got one. Put most of it together then thought it would not hurt to look on u tube .Bam just like that I have an instructor. Tomorrow belt alignment table and blade install. Feel better about proceeding after watching this. Thank you. It helps.
So I FINALLY set up my 14" Central Machinery band saw after it sat in the garage for more than six months collecting dust, only partially assembled. I have to say, it's not a bad machine at all. After watching several youtube videos on how to properly set up a band saw, it really didn't take me more than 10 - 15 minutes to dial this thing in, and it actually cuts and tracks really well. My ten year old son was resawing paper thin slices on it. The slices were so consistent and thin you could literally see between the wood cells through to the other side. I'm sure the dust collection could be a lot better, but I can't see where this saw wasn't more than worth what Harbor Freight charged me for it. Especially for a weekend hobbyist like me. If you take the time to set this saw up correctly, then you'll have yourself a pretty decent band saw.
The best demo video I've seen yet on assembling the Harbor Freight 14-inch bandsaw. You definitely should do all their assembling editorials....Excellent! You saved me so much time. I hope your son eventually got his cookies....lol.
great video. I bought one 14 years ago and its still working great. I did a few mods and new blades. Take good care and maintaining your tools and it will take care of you.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. The manual has a lot to be desired. You filled in the gaps and helped me understand the adjustments required. Keep up the good work.
Just an FYI I just bought mine from harbor freight and went to put the electric together and the ends of my wires come off so there was one problem other than that I'm pretty satisfied with the old thing don't know what else I could say about it but thank you for helping me put it together I followed you right on long and didn't take no time after I started following you so thank you again have a good evening
I saw a couple of videos. This one guy put his together differently than the instructions. So I looked at yours because you turned the machine on after completion. LOL! I did have to extend my slots for the base plate so that the motor plate would line up to the face plate. And it wasn't operator error. Some people might have to do that. But so far so good. Thanks again man great video!!!
Joe Vasquez C.Ped. Excellent! so glad to here this video helped you out! Thanks for watching and we hope your saw works for you. im happy to answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability. thanks again!
There were a couple of areas in the instruction manual that were unclear to me. Your video was a life saver. Thank you for putting in the time to make it. Oh, and give your boy a cookie for me. He looked like he could really use one.
Gueorgui Nikolov Popov Karadjov thank you very much! Get yourself some decent blades and I think you’ll really enjoy that machine. Thank you for watching!
Thank you for your video. I was able to finish assembling my bandsaw.. The instructions manual was horrible. I would not have been able to accomplish this without a lot of help.
I’ve had one of these for over ten years, I used to have a Delta (was stolen from me) and this is pretty much the same saw, sure they cut corners but not where it matters. I have used and abused it a lot and it’s never failed me.
Just bought one this weekend with HFs 25% off coupon and put it together this AM. I was pretty sure I had it right but sure appreciate your putting this video together to confirm I did it the same way. Blade tensioning was the technique I was ultimately looking for so I appreciate your take on that as well.
wdh375xen I’m about to get mine. Yes, thanks for this video. Very informative and entertaining altogether. Was that Oscar Peterson, your background music. Very good uprights music.
I so glad to hear this "little" video helped! With that 25% off coupon you really can't go wrong...unless you hit a snag during assembly i suppose. Well thank you so much for watching. I have a few more videos in the pipeline so hopefully I can keep thing relevant to fellow makers out there and maybe entertain a bit too.
I just bought this saw and was hoping that someone posted a video of the assembly. Thank you!!! P.S. My nut sack was missing a couple washers, but I got it all together with some extras I had laying around. Great job, looking forward to the next vid.
Thank you for an excellent video. I think I got every instruction clearly except maybe the positioning of the blade vs. the guides underneath. Mostly because I couldn't see really well. But I am so happy you did this. I am without help, and yes I'm a girl but I think I can do all of it except taking it out of my car to the yard. I appreciate this video so much. I saved it and subscribed.
Nice review!! The humor kept me listening. Your right we do tend to create our own problems. Holes not lining up is usually a result of an earlier mistake. Great job keep the videos coming.
Thank you. My gosh you saved me so much frustration! Loved your video, was easy to follow and enjoyed your humor! Keep up the hard work and again, thank you!
Shenanigans Woodworking well right on right on! So glad this silly video was a help. I hope the Saw works out for you. Thank you so much for watching! If you have any issues with blade tracking or drift etc. there's an excellent video on TH-cam from Carter, I think it's called bandsaw clinic, something like that. It's a longer video and worth every second.
Just found your video. Thank you for the details. The blade guards positoning esp helped! I read and reread parts of the instructions and had some "oh sh**" moments! You are very right, it's usually the buyer and not the instructions that mess up! I'm a prime example.
Bought one today. Took me the afternoon to assemble it. The stand was the hardest part in my opinion. I put it together (finger tight) as best I could according to the instructions. When that obviously wasn't going to work, I just re-arranged it until it looked like it would work. The instructions are just not real clear at times with their drawings. Some parts of mine were pre-assembled. The motor pulley was already installed. That was nice. Lining up the pulleys was a little tricky, but not bad. My upper pulley was out just a tiny bit too far and it would rub against the door when it was closed. Fortunately, it was small enough that I was able to just readjust the pulley cover a little and that was enough to take care or it. All in all, a nice saw and well worth the money, especially with the coupon. Putting it together is a bit of work, but the benefit is that I know exactly how it all works now. I think I will be enjoying this saw for many years to come.
Bhodi well thank you so kindly! as long as it was helpful was the purpose and if its entertaining in the least, well thats just a bonus i guess! Thanks you so much for watching!
I have the older green model which was made in the same factory in Taiwan as the standard models for Jet, Powermatic, and Grizzly. I upgraded the motor to 1 1/2 horsepower, swapped out all the blade-guide assemblies for Carter's, added a Carter blade tensioner, added a Kreg fence, added a Grizzly 6" riser block, and upgraded the belts to the red link-belts. All of this was done as I could afford to do so. The only thing that I wish that I could still do is get cast iron wheels. Your video is great! I think that Harbor Freight should put a link to it on their website!
Michael Gross haha! Wow! Well thank you so much I really appreciate that! Harbor Freight actually follows my Instagram account. They’re really great folks over there and it’s amazing that they’ve found a way to lower the barrier to entrance for anyone interested in a broad range of skilled trade! They make no bones that their machines may but be “industrial grade” but damnit! Who cares at their price point on a huge selection of tools and machines! It’s like I always say, 9 times out of 10 it’s operator error and the tool is just fine. 😂👍🏽 thanks for watching!
I really want to take a moment to thank you for this great video! I had been thinking of getting one for a long time..and looked at loads of craigslist used machines. I purchased one yesterday---and your assembly should be the official video for this product. I'm always amazed that people care enough to take the time and energy to help others with videos that obviously were hard work. One day we will look back at this time as the golden age of learning---after everything is monetized to the nth degree. Anyway--one observation I'd make that you left out---this saw is better than Delta in that the slowest speed really is about right for aluminum and mild steel cutting. Most saws never get below 1000 fps. Really a great product--
One of the best tutorials on assembly. Funny and the piano jazz was just right for this. For the money this is an OK saw for light re-saw. For a busy shop a better quality saw would be needed. Not a fan of the guides and bearings. Thank you for the entertaining and good instruction.
Dingle Berry well thank you very much! I do agree to an extent: for the money it’s hard to beat. For resaw one would need an appropriate blade. In this saws case a 5/8” 3tpi resaw blade would run just fine. Take your time and let the blade do the work, it’s bandsaw not a table saw. As for the guides and bearings, they’re not the best and I’ve certainly seen worse! Get some decent cool blocks and that’s as much as I’d bother on the guides for this saw and its capabilities. Now, if one is planning on making a living on a bandsaw then you’re right, you may wanna look at other options for which the bottom end would cost 4 times this saw and that would just be a base model saw! For most home owners and hobbyists this saw is worthy addition to the garage or shop. I’m sure you know all these things already but I reply with this in hopes that others that read the comments can glean a little extra info concerning this saw. Thank you for commenting and thanks for watching!
Like others in the comments, I bought this saw today and turned to this video when I was a bit stumped during assembly and needed to take a break. Thanks for posting this! Definitely would have taken me longer to figure things out if you hadn't done it first and documented it so nicely (and entertainingly). :)
I have a LOT of HF tools, some of which are pretty expensive (for me), including their small metal bandsaw and their 30" sheet metal shear/brake/roller. LOVE them both. I looked at this bandsaw and seriously considered it, but there is no riser block available for it, and that was the deal breaker for me. I build musical instruments, among other things, and need that 12" resaw height. So I looked around and found the Porter Cable one they sell at Lowes. Not that much more money, though there is never a 20% off coupon to lower it's price. Got the riser block kit for $80 and haven't ever looked back. The thing runs like a sewing machine, it's just wonderful. If the resaw height isn't an issue for you, I see no reason why this saw wouldn't function just fine. It has 2 more speeds than the PC, though that's just not an issue for me, the fastest speed is what I want and where I have the PC set. Good video, very informative and fun. Now you just have to build yourself a fence and you're really cooking!
Will Morrison yes! Yes to everything you said! It’s definitely a good bang for the buck and I tell everyone, so long as you’re not running industrial applications you’re gonna be just fine! With proper set up and the right blade you really can do a lot on this model and the barrier to entrance for hobbyists is hard to beat especially when they honor their 25% off coupon that comes out 4 or 5 times a year! A simple fence made of 3/4” melamine board and clamped to your table is all you need and it works great! I have a grizzly with the riser block and 1hp motor and because I do larger pieces it was necessary. But this saw is worth every penny. I believe the top of the head can be removed on these and a riser can be made BUT that would take a little more skill and ingenuity than most hobbyists have though most seldom need to resaw above 6”. Either way Right! Thanks for watching.
nice job! i had to figure out the vertical motor mount bracket. it's actually 180 out and upside down!! in the manual. but it is what it is, the saw runs a little rough but it can be smoothed out with some time and research! thanks for making this. it was a big help!! cheers!
Didn't mean anything negative about your vid or the way you had done it. It was just a suggestion. I have watched your vid several times and enjoy it. Sorry you took my comment wrong, keep it going there guy.
Great job. Glad you showed folks that the schematic is a great tool. After 5 years do you still have it and use it. I am looking at this to buy for my grandson of 11. Since you have a son close to that age does he have interest to use it, or do you think it is to much for him right now.
I think you'll find this saw will fit most needs. I do order my blades from Olson. get some for small fine work and tight radius' 1/8" and 1/4" blades. and 1/2" - 5/8" 3tpi resaw blades. On resaw take you time and let the blade do the work, its not a table saw. Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Thank you for watching.
4R NORTHWEST I bought it, it's a lot of fun. I bought a 1/2" 3tpi blade for resawing and plan buying different blades for it. Thanks again for taking the time to make this video. Oh, you was right, ever single bolt hole lined up perfect.
This video being shot five years ago is kind of funny to come across as I am assembling the same bandsaw today, that I got for Christmas five years ago and have been tripping over for years.
George Shaw Fantastic! I'm glad to here this video was helpful. I noticed there wasn't really a detailed video on this bandsaw and at their price point I figured it would be a popular item. The only set back was most people not planning on having to do everything short of casting your own parts to get it up and running! Thank you for watching!
George Shaw adding a fence is easy! All you need is a straight board on edge attached at a right angle to another straight board laying flat. Then clamp it to the table your desired distance. Use the miter gauge slot in the table as an "equal distance" guide so the front and back of your makeshift are the same distance from the miter slot. I have a larger Grizzly bandsaw and that what I do as I have yet to order a new fence for it and it's worked well enough to not NEED to order another. Also, if haven't already, watch the Alex Snodgrass bandsaw clinic on TH-cam. It's worth every damn second! Hope that helps and thanks again for watching!
Thank you for the video help me a lot couple questions. The motor plate is on a slant. I hope that’s the way it’s supposed to be. The lower blade guide does not line up properly with the sawblade unless I mount it a little bit crooked. When mounted squarely, the back of the blade will passed by the face of the roller bearing. If you could answer my questions, it would be great thank you.
Let me say a big thanks for your video. Without it assembly would have been much tougher. Wife thanks you as well. Now I can get it out of her dining room. Great job and very detailed.
Walker Boh Glad to hear this video was of help! Happy to answer anyone's questions the best I can. Thanks for watching! Good luck and have fun. Oh! And order some better blades from Olson on Amazon. Get a 1/4" for smaller work and making turns and at least a 1/2" to 3/4" resaw blade for straight cuts and dimensioning. They're affordable and you'll be glad you did! Trust me.
I read through as many of these comments as I could. I just assembled mine. There is one significant problem. The wheels are not coplanar, and you cannot just plug in some washers to bring the top wheel out. In fact, there can be no compression on the bearing whatsoever. The design out of the box has the nut stopping at the end of the threads on the top wheel shaft. So, if you put a washer behind the wheel to bring it out (so that is coplanar with the lower wheel), then the nut will hit the bearing and press on it. This will cause friction which will quickly destroy the bearing. In addition, the shaft is too short to use a jam nut with the original nut. (FYI the shaft is threaded for a 12mm 1.75 pitch "coarse" threaded nut). My solution: First I made a very narrow 14mm washer (the face is 1 mm wide) to make contact with the inside of the wheel bearing. Then put a 14mm fender washer behind the wheel, then added the ground down 14mm washer, then the wheel, then put a thinner 12mm jam nut on the shaft with Permatex 25210 high strength removable thread locker. The jam nut just TOUCHES the bearing, no pressure on it, it must spin completely free. After doing this, I checked the wheels, they are coplanar, and the blade tracks pretty much in the exact center of both wheels. The cut is almost table-saw smooth with the stock blade. The 25210 is high strength, made for vibration situations, but is removable. Also, I replaced the dorky hex head bolts with setscrews everywhere on the upper blade guide, and attached a 3mm hex wrench to the machine. It is SO much easier to see the work, now, and it also looks far more professional. Got mine at Harbor Freight, Black Friday, $462.00 out the door including tax.
NOOOOO! No no no no. These machines, actually all 14” and larger bandsaws are set at the factory and do NOT require wheel alignment. Coplanar is NOT an issue for bandsaws. The blade rides where it rides. If you follow the bandsaw wizard Alex Snodgrass he explains everything. All that matters is blade gullet position on the top tire. Never mess with the wheel alignment on a bandsaw. I also worried about this when first getting a 14” but after some reading found that this is a common misconception and not an issue in design or function.
I've been wanting a bandsaw for some time and have thought about getting one of these Horrible Fright bandsaws. Your video and a couple of others convinced me that one of these guys will do everything I need. Thanks. I had to go back and watch the unboxing again.😆
Smedleydog1 unless you plan on making a living with out upgrades WITH that saw I think you’ll more than get your money’s worth out of it. Get a few good blades for different tasks and you’ll be set! Thank you for watching.
I think you made a good job of the video, and a good philosophical point about what value the new knockoff from HF might have to the buyer vs. the shopworn, but original quality model from Craigslist might have. In the end, the path to fun and satisfaction is sticktoitivness in patiently learning the art and science of the band saw and making adjustments to your machine, one at a time, until you have mastery.
I know you've been thanked a many time for your video tutorial on this assembly but thank you again sir. It surprises me you don't have a huge following, I can only surmise you elect not to for you seem to be far...FAR ...better at this than many that do. Take care, R.
1 shootist well thank you so much! You’re right, I’ve gotten quite a few “thank you”s on this video and it hasn’t gotten old yet! I’m really happy that so many have found this video to be helpful. So thank you again! Thank you for watching and maybe I’ll keep them coming if people are interested in seeing me do it my way.😋👍🏽
Bought one of these 2 years ago. Enjoyed your vid. Brought back memories, assembling mine. I noticed not much profanity during your build. My sheet of institutions included places where you should inject profanity, without that l couldn't have completed it. Thanks.
Well thank you for watching! I had no idea so many would appreciate the video really. I just figured there wasn't one on this particular tool yet so what the hell, wish someone had made it for me when I bought the damn thing. Glad you enjoyed and thanks again.
thank You for the Video Im going to pick one up and decided to look it up first and found you,,,,,, thanks it was enjoyable to watch ...... awesome job, must have been a pain to do the video but quality work.
Man, I wish I had watched this before I put my saw together. I had some missing parts and the toll free number was a joke. However, the folks at the Harbor Freight store were very helpful and had great customer service. The written directions were also a joke. This video would have made things much easier! Great video!
Good looks, man, thank you. If it wasn't for this video id have taken longer to put it together. Hope you're enjoying your Christmas holiday. Iron cast band saw, whoa...I actually own one now.
sTu 3pldeuce thank you and a happy Christmas to you as well! I’m happy this video was a help to you. You can’t go wrong for the money! People complain about coupon exclusions on brands at HF lately but I still find 20% off coupons withOUT the exclusions on Central Machinery tools! Even so, there are too many good things at HF to complain about the things that don’t hold up. Thank you for watching and enjoy your bandsaw! It’s a tool that can do a thousand things.
@@4rnorthwest I agree, HF is the go-to place for great deals. I belong in this culture just like you do and thousands of others. To borrow that "Mandalorian" phrase that use with my kids whenever I buy them low-end practical priced stuff, "this is the way, I have spoken". I don't know why I took too long to purchase a band saw. Maybe just eager to push limits on what I can do with fret and coping saw. Served me well there on terms of adaptability and creativity, and they're still my main shaping tools maybe just for the romance of it and what not. But this band saw is gorgeous enough for me not to fall in love with it. I'm fixing to build a fence on its table see it could help guide re-saw endeavors. Hey man it's a blessing to find folks like you on here who have compassion to share and help out. It's almost like hanging w you w the jokes and stuff. Be cool be safe always.
sTu 3pldeuce well again, thank you so much for the positivity. I get comments across the spectrum on this video from, “thank you for putting this together” to “you’re a smart ass I hate you!”😂 But hey, you can’t please everyone right! I suppose some took my wise assert seriously? Either way if you can take this video for what it’s worth, then I’m happy I took the time. Thanks again!
When I saw you remove the two panels to access the blade area I knew right there I made a better choice buying a WEN bandsaw and I do spend a lot of time at Harbor Freight, I have three of them here all within 15 minutes.
I love watching videos for something so specific as to the assembly of this particular model band saw which I also purchased on Independence Day 2017. I learned things watching this video that were not clear on the instruction manual. Not all heroes wear capes. Hat tip to this guy. P.S. A+ for information but D- screenplay. He needs a professional presentation guy.
Well I hope the video was helpful and slightly entertaining! I'm not a "professional presentation guy" which is a good thing because it means I'm in no position to bullshit anyone watching! I am not payed nor am I sponsored by anyone to do this. This is just me, my time and money to do this. There wasn't a decent video on this machine with details, so, I made one! hope you enjoyed and thanks for watching!
Thank you for the support. The guy meant well and I don't take offense to much especially constructive criticism. You're right, we all start somewhere! If someone wants "professionalism" go watch TV! and all the bias payed for bullshit that goes along with it! Or, see real people do the real thing. thats REAL entertainment! Thanks for watching!
Good video man... I’m buying one on Wednesday. Nice to actually see what I’m going to buy... How it operates... and how it’s put together very detailed. I give this video 2 thumbs up because I’m only human lol
NattyDread Andrè Right on! Hope this "little" video was helpful and comes in handy after your purchase. My first recommendation for this saw is going online to Amazon and ordering at least 2 different bandsaw blades, (I like Olson) get a 1/4" and at least a 1/2" resaw blade. I prefer a 3/4" 3tpi resaw blade for cutting taller sock on edge for making strips or veneers or general dimensioning and straight cuts. I have a Grizzly 14" with a 6" riser block and can resaw to nearly 13" tall! The motor on that machine is only another 1/4hp stronger than the HF unit. If you ever feel underpowered down the road just upgrade the motor. But unless you're making a living off that saw you should be fine. Thank you for watching!
Another tip is get rid of the plastic guide blocks that come with the saw, they wear out very quickly. I cut some blocks out of hardwood blocks and soaked them in oil for a couple days, they’ve been in the saw for years and still no wear.
Vic Terraglia So glad you enjoyed my take on something that i think would be an otherwise boring watch! I hope it was helpful and thank you so much for watching!
Greetings from England Just a quick comment to anyone carrying out assembly on one of these: Please make sure the earthing (grounding) wires are in contact with the metal...and not just the paint/powder coat... Very important to achieve a good, reliable R2 (earth path) Glenn GLMelectrical
*Perfect band saw for the hobby enthusiast **MyBest.Tools** Easy to set up and square. Had it running in 10 to 15 minutes. Quality of cuts will depend on the quality of the blades.*
Dude I can't thank you enough for this video. 4 years later and you just helped me assemble this beast. I can't imagine the amount of time that you saved me. I'd buy you a coffee and your kid some candy if you were local
I have two of these saws- one is 16 years old, the other 12- made a little differently back then, but about the same. If I may submit some ideas and advice.
Have someone weld an extension onto the blade tensioning bolt just above the upper cover with bends like a crank handle. You can now set the tension or remove the belt much faster.
Take a hard bristle tooth brush and mount it so it rubs against the lower wheel- this helps keep wood build up on the rubber.
The proper position of the blade on the upper wheel is to have the gullet of the blade centered on the wheel- this helps the blade track properly.
Toss the blade it came with and get a better blade.
These are pretty good saws but have limitations in HP. Using a slower speed gives you a little more power.
My brother in law gave me a 10 yo Harbor Freight bandsaw. I did some upgrades (new tension rod, new tires, new ceramic guide blocks, and a link belt, and a Kreg fence). Put a washer on bottom wheel to make them co-planer. Saw cut everything I wanted it to cut. Only got rid of it because I build guitars and needed more resaw capability. Gave it to the guy who hauled my new bandsaw home, and he is still using it to this day. Decent saw for a small shop.
Paul Waldrop now that’s what I’m talking about! Good for you man! Above and beyond what most people are willing to do and that often sets apart a good machine from one that could have been. As for the co-planer wheels I’d say to each their own but it’s actually not necessary unless something is very wrong. The wheels are set at the factory and that should be that. The blade will ride where it rides and it’s where the gullet of the blade on the top tire that’s really important. I refer everyone to Alex Snodgrass’ Bandsaw Clinic video on TH-cam and for ANYONE that has or will have a bandsaw it is a must! He breaks it all down beautifully. I too got a larger capacity bandsaw eventually and there’s no going back once you have the capability. AND you gave it to yet another happy owner, THAT is awesome. So you build instruments? I’ll have to check out your channel! Do you have an Instagram of your work? Let us all know! Thanks so much for watching!
@@4rnorthwest No channel. But look up Waldrop Guitars, on Facebook. Thanks again for the video.
You are a lifesaver! I did not get a war and peace manual I got 14 pages of nothingness. Half of the stuff that you talked about wasn’t even in my manual. Thank you for putting this video together.
I nominate your for the TH-cam Video of the year award. Straight forward and a real learning experience.
Just saw this video. Best part was the knock on the garage doors! "Mommy won't let me have a cookie before dinner" and you defused the situation with a whip on the nose, which he quickly rejected because he wasn't getting any sympathy from you! Kids are great!
Found this instructional video to be extremely useful and helpful. Several key steps are not addressed in manuals provided which could have impacted the product functionality and reliability. Setup details and tuning could not have been done properly without this video in my opinion. Highest marks for creating an excellent video for assembling this harbor freight tool that comes in an IKEA type box. Thank you
Thanks to your video I have built and adjusted my Harbor Freight Bandsaw today. Thanks a lot!!!
best video on the internet for this saw👍 I just converted saw to a 3 phase motor with vfd for speed control. Now…cutting steel, aluminum, etc is easy as blade speed can be set very low.
I left mine in its box in the back of my Nissan Pathfinder, and removed all the big parts separately, to save my back. It would have been great to have seen this video before I did the assembly! One thing I spotted in your video that is a big help is the alignment of the table to the frame. Thank you, this is perfect and much needed.
Best instructions ever, well done video. It wasn’t bad putting it together, it was just getting it dialed in, well until this video!!! Thanks much, I appreciate you.
Dude you killed this! I put mine together today and then watched your video and it felt like I was watching myself because you went through everything I did, from picking it up in the store to assembly to one of my kids coming to the shop crying while I’m working. Nice job man!
Mike Hughes well thank you so much for watching! Even though it sounds like you got it all together just fine before watching! Thank you!
You saved me a headache. The instructions were terrible so I’m very grateful you made this video. Thank you!
I just bought this bandsaw yesterday for my hobby shop. This video was absolutely perfect. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
kb coolman well thank you so much for watching! I’m so glad this video is still helping folks out there considering picking one up. If you have any question about your new bandsaw I’ll be happy to answer. Sometimes it takes a few days to get to the comments and question but I’ll get there. Have fun and thanks again!
" ...I don't have an extra pair of hands because I'm just human" ........priceless!!
Bless you for doing this! I started having trouble with the instructions at the guide assembly so you saved my bacon!
Honestly, this is the Most helpful video I've ever seen. The included AND online manuals are jacked. I appreciate, man. Subscribed. Have a great one
Casey Lane fantastic! I’m really happy to see this old video is still helpin people out, when I picked up this machine I was honestly surprised someone hadn’t already done an in depth video for it. Well, thank you so much for watching and following. I’ve got some more shop videos planned in the not so distant future that will hopefully help more folks out. Take care and enjoy your bandsaw, they are a fun tool!
Just got one. Put most of it together then thought it would not hurt to look on u tube .Bam just like that I have an instructor. Tomorrow belt alignment table and blade install. Feel better about proceeding after watching this. Thank you. It helps.
Thanks for the incredibly detailed and thorough assembly tutorial! This helped a lot!
So I FINALLY set up my 14" Central Machinery band saw after it sat in the garage for more than six months collecting dust, only partially assembled. I have to say, it's not a bad machine at all. After watching several youtube videos on how to properly set up a band saw, it really didn't take me more than 10 - 15 minutes to dial this thing in, and it actually cuts and tracks really well. My ten year old son was resawing paper thin slices on it. The slices were so consistent and thin you could literally see between the wood cells through to the other side. I'm sure the dust collection could be a lot better, but I can't see where this saw wasn't more than worth what Harbor Freight charged me for it. Especially for a weekend hobbyist like me. If you take the time to set this saw up correctly, then you'll have yourself a pretty decent band saw.
The best demo video I've seen yet on assembling the Harbor Freight 14-inch bandsaw. You definitely should do all their assembling editorials....Excellent! You saved me so much time. I hope your son eventually got his cookies....lol.
Thanks. I love the fact that you put your son in it - you're really funny and the humor helps.
I can’t thank you enough for making this video. Was at my wits end trying to follow the archaic instructions .
great video. I bought one 14 years ago and its still working great. I did a few mods and new blades. Take good care and maintaining your tools and it will take care of you.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. The manual has a lot to be desired. You filled in the gaps and helped me understand the adjustments required. Keep up the good work.
TOTALLY appreciated your efforts to document set up! Saved me a little trial and error for sure. Much love, brother!
Im happy it was a help to you! thank you for watching!
Just an FYI I just bought mine from harbor freight and went to put the electric together and the ends of my wires come off so there was one problem other than that I'm pretty satisfied with the old thing don't know what else I could say about it but thank you for helping me put it together I followed you right on long and didn't take no time after I started following you so thank you again have a good evening
I saw a couple of videos. This one guy put his together differently than the instructions. So I looked at yours because you turned the machine on after completion. LOL! I did have to extend my slots for the base plate so that the motor plate would line up to the face plate. And it wasn't operator error. Some people might have to do that. But so far so good. Thanks again man great video!!!
Excellent video! I'm planning to get one when the weather warms up again, and this gives me a lot of confidence that I can get it done.
Thanks for doing the video. Couldn't have done it without it...Thanks!
Just bought this saw and your video saved me....couldn't have done it with the instruction booklet alone. Thanks!
Joe Vasquez C.Ped. Excellent! so glad to here this video helped you out! Thanks for watching and we hope your saw works for you. im happy to answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability. thanks again!
There were a couple of areas in the instruction manual that were unclear to me. Your video was a life saver. Thank you for putting in the time to make it. Oh, and give your boy a cookie for me. He looked like he could really use one.
SK Perkins excellent! That's what it's for and it's great to hear it's worked out for you and a few other viewers! Thanks for watching.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Its a great help. I just bought one and will put together tomorrow. Thanks
Thanks Matthew, that must be the best review of the HF Band Saw and with humor too, excellent mate, convinced me to get one.
Just finished putting mine together, this video was a huge help. Thanks
Great instructions, thank you very much for that i assembled it today in 3 hours, the manual has some faults, this machine works very well!
Gueorgui Nikolov Popov Karadjov thank you very much! Get yourself some decent blades and I think you’ll really enjoy that machine. Thank you for watching!
Thank you for your video. I was able to finish assembling my bandsaw.. The instructions manual was horrible. I would not have been able to accomplish this without a lot of help.
Thanks for helping me put my bandsaw together. Blessings to you brother
I’ve had one of these for over ten years, I used to have a Delta (was stolen from me) and this is pretty much the same saw, sure they cut corners but not where it matters. I have used and abused it a lot and it’s never failed me.
"We have a piece of metal with a bolt and nut through it. I don't know what that is." LOL, great video. Lots of laughs.
Also, my presale finally came in and we used your guide to help put it together. We all died.
But seriously, thanks for the video -- was a huge help.
best instructions i have ever saw thank you very much
Excellent video, I definitely appreciate you taking the time to do this!
Just bought one this weekend with HFs 25% off coupon and put it together this AM. I was pretty sure I had it right but sure appreciate your putting this video together to confirm I did it the same way. Blade tensioning was the technique I was ultimately looking for so I appreciate your take on that as well.
Wow, I didn't think the 25% off would work on it. Good tip!
wdh375xen I’m about to get mine. Yes, thanks for this video. Very informative and entertaining altogether. Was that Oscar Peterson, your background music. Very good uprights music.
I so glad to hear this "little" video helped! With that 25% off coupon you really can't go wrong...unless you hit a snag during assembly i suppose. Well thank you so much for watching. I have a few more videos in the pipeline so hopefully I can keep thing relevant to fellow makers out there and maybe entertain a bit too.
Oh my! Loved the detailed instructions but stayed for the dry humor! Just subscribed so I hope you'll start churning out more awesome videos!
Great sense of humor. Funny stuff. Oh yea, and the instructions were good also. Thanks for the video.
"Hold your knob and lock down that nut"!
Sounds like great advice😂😂😂
every time i hear that piano music i feel like im watching food wishes with chef john. great video!
and as always....enjoy
Get this man a cookie! Thanks 4R
I just bought this saw and was hoping that someone posted a video of the assembly. Thank you!!!
P.S. My nut sack was missing a couple washers, but I got it all together with some extras I had laying around.
Great job, looking forward to the next vid.
Right on! I hope this little video (1 hour long title!) was helpful. Hope you enjoy and thanks for watching!
When he opened the box, in fast mode, PRICELESS!!
What can I say, I was more than a little excited! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for an excellent video. I think I got every instruction clearly except maybe the positioning of the blade vs. the guides underneath. Mostly because I couldn't see really well. But I am so happy you did this. I am without help, and yes I'm a girl but I think I can do all of it except taking it out of my car to the yard. I appreciate this video so much. I saved it and subscribed.
I don't even own this bandsaw but I enjoyed watching it in case I ever pick this tool up
OMG, think I'll spring for the Grizzly! this looks like you are building a tool from scratch! That's nuts!
the cheapest 14" band saw by Grizzly that I saw was almost twice the price
Nice review!! The humor kept me listening.
Your right we do tend to create our own problems. Holes not lining up is usually a result of an earlier mistake. Great job keep the videos coming.
Very nice video. Great detail and humor.
Reggie Smith well right on! Thank you for watching. I’m really happy people are still finding this video useful.
Thank you. My gosh you saved me so much frustration! Loved your video, was easy to follow and enjoyed your humor! Keep up the hard work and again, thank you!
Shenanigans Woodworking well right on right on! So glad this silly video was a help. I hope the Saw works out for you. Thank you so much for watching! If you have any issues with blade tracking or drift etc. there's an excellent video on TH-cam from Carter, I think it's called bandsaw clinic, something like that. It's a longer video and worth every second.
Just found your video. Thank you for the details. The blade guards positoning esp helped! I read and reread parts of the instructions and had some "oh sh**" moments! You are very right, it's usually the buyer and not the instructions that mess up! I'm a prime example.
The music reminds me of Charlie Brown for some reason. Great video, thanks for doing the build and review.
Guitars & Ammo and thank you for watching! Hope it was helpful. Now go build stuff!
Guitars & Ammo and thank you for watching! Hope it was helpful. Now go build stuff!
Bought one today. Took me the afternoon to assemble it. The stand was the hardest part in my opinion. I put it together (finger tight) as best I could according to the instructions. When that obviously wasn't going to work, I just re-arranged it until it looked like it would work. The instructions are just not real clear at times with their drawings.
Some parts of mine were pre-assembled. The motor pulley was already installed. That was nice. Lining up the pulleys was a little tricky, but not bad. My upper pulley was out just a tiny bit too far and it would rub against the door when it was closed. Fortunately, it was small enough that I was able to just readjust the pulley cover a little and that was enough to take care or it.
All in all, a nice saw and well worth the money, especially with the coupon. Putting it together is a bit of work, but the benefit is that I know exactly how it all works now. I think I will be enjoying this saw for many years to come.
You just made my frikkin year. Cheers, man - glad you're doing your thing out there in our here solar system.
Bhodi well thank you so kindly! as long as it was helpful was the purpose and if its entertaining in the least, well thats just a bonus i guess! Thanks you so much for watching!
I have the older green model which was made in the same factory in Taiwan as the standard models for Jet, Powermatic, and Grizzly. I upgraded the motor to 1 1/2 horsepower, swapped out all the blade-guide assemblies for Carter's, added a Carter blade tensioner, added a Kreg fence, added a Grizzly 6" riser block, and upgraded the belts to the red link-belts. All of this was done as I could afford to do so. The only thing that I wish that I could still do is get cast iron wheels. Your video is great! I think that Harbor Freight should put a link to it on their website!
Michael Gross haha! Wow! Well thank you so much I really appreciate that! Harbor Freight actually follows my Instagram account. They’re really great folks over there and it’s amazing that they’ve found a way to lower the barrier to entrance for anyone interested in a broad range of skilled trade! They make no bones that their machines may but be “industrial grade” but damnit! Who cares at their price point on a huge selection of tools and machines! It’s like I always say, 9 times out of 10 it’s operator error and the tool is just fine. 😂👍🏽 thanks for watching!
I really want to take a moment to thank you for this great video! I had been thinking of getting one for a long time..and looked at loads of craigslist used machines. I purchased one yesterday---and your assembly should be the official video for this product. I'm always amazed that people care enough to take the time and energy to help others with videos that obviously were hard work. One day we will look back at this time as the golden age of learning---after everything is monetized to the nth degree. Anyway--one observation I'd make that you left out---this saw is better than Delta in that the slowest speed really is about right for aluminum and mild steel cutting. Most saws never get below 1000 fps. Really a great product--
Your video was very precise! I found your advice on assembly to be "spot-on"! Thank you!
One of the best tutorials on assembly. Funny and the piano jazz was just right for this. For the money this is an OK saw for light re-saw. For a busy shop a better quality saw would be needed. Not a fan of the guides and bearings. Thank you for the entertaining and good instruction.
Dingle Berry well thank you very much! I do agree to an extent: for the money it’s hard to beat. For resaw one would need an appropriate blade. In this saws case a 5/8” 3tpi resaw blade would run just fine. Take your time and let the blade do the work, it’s bandsaw not a table saw. As for the guides and bearings, they’re not the best and I’ve certainly seen worse! Get some decent cool blocks and that’s as much as I’d bother on the guides for this saw and its capabilities. Now, if one is planning on making a living on a bandsaw then you’re right, you may wanna look at other options for which the bottom end would cost 4 times this saw and that would just be a base model saw! For most home owners and hobbyists this saw is worthy addition to the garage or shop. I’m sure you know all these things already but I reply with this in hopes that others that read the comments can glean a little extra info concerning this saw. Thank you for commenting and thanks for watching!
Like others in the comments, I bought this saw today and turned to this video when I was a bit stumped during assembly and needed to take a break. Thanks for posting this! Definitely would have taken me longer to figure things out if you hadn't done it first and documented it so nicely (and entertainingly). :)
Mikey Makey excellent! So glad this little video was a help to you! Thanks for watching!
I have a LOT of HF tools, some of which are pretty expensive (for me), including their small metal bandsaw and their 30" sheet metal shear/brake/roller. LOVE them both. I looked at this bandsaw and seriously considered it, but there is no riser block available for it, and that was the deal breaker for me. I build musical instruments, among other things, and need that 12" resaw height. So I looked around and found the Porter Cable one they sell at Lowes. Not that much more money, though there is never a 20% off coupon to lower it's price. Got the riser block kit for $80 and haven't ever looked back. The thing runs like a sewing machine, it's just wonderful. If the resaw height isn't an issue for you, I see no reason why this saw wouldn't function just fine. It has 2 more speeds than the PC, though that's just not an issue for me, the fastest speed is what I want and where I have the PC set.
Good video, very informative and fun. Now you just have to build yourself a fence and you're really cooking!
Will Morrison yes! Yes to everything you said! It’s definitely a good bang for the buck and I tell everyone, so long as you’re not running industrial applications you’re gonna be just fine! With proper set up and the right blade you really can do a lot on this model and the barrier to entrance for hobbyists is hard to beat especially when they honor their 25% off coupon that comes out 4 or 5 times a year! A simple fence made of 3/4” melamine board and clamped to your table is all you need and it works great! I have a grizzly with the riser block and 1hp motor and because I do larger pieces it was necessary. But this saw is worth every penny. I believe the top of the head can be removed on these and a riser can be made BUT that would take a little more skill and ingenuity than most hobbyists have though most seldom need to resaw above 6”. Either way Right! Thanks for watching.
nice job! i had to figure out the vertical motor mount bracket. it's actually 180 out and upside down!! in the manual. but it is what it is, the saw runs a little rough but it can be smoothed out with some time and research! thanks for making this. it was a big help!! cheers!
Didn't mean anything negative about your vid or the way you had done it. It was just a suggestion. I have watched your vid several times and enjoy it. Sorry you took my comment wrong, keep it going there guy.
Thank you so much for this video it helped me to set up my husband bandsaw.
Great job. Glad you showed folks that the schematic is a great tool. After 5 years do you still have it and use it. I am looking at this to buy for my grandson of 11. Since you have a son close to that age does he have interest to use it, or do you think it is to much for him right now.
Thank you, Mathew! How is it holding up for you?
You have calmed my nervousness on buying this machine. Thanks for the video, and stash your kid some cookie for when momma isn't around.
I think you'll find this saw will fit most needs. I do order my blades from Olson. get some for small fine work and tight radius' 1/8" and 1/4" blades. and 1/2" - 5/8" 3tpi resaw blades. On resaw take you time and let the blade do the work, its not a table saw. Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Thank you for watching.
4R NORTHWEST I bought it, it's a lot of fun. I bought a 1/2" 3tpi blade for resawing and plan buying different blades for it. Thanks again for taking the time to make this video. Oh, you was right, ever single bolt hole lined up perfect.
already appreciate the fast forward
You are a good dad! And thanks for this video!
This video being shot five years ago is kind of funny to come across as I am assembling the same bandsaw today, that I got for Christmas five years ago and have been tripping over for years.
Want to thank you for the very detailed video. Helped immensely with my assembly of the harbor freight 14 inch band saw.
George Shaw Fantastic! I'm glad to here this video was helpful. I noticed there wasn't really a detailed video on this bandsaw and at their price point I figured it would be a popular item. The only set back was most people not planning on having to do everything short of casting your own parts to get it up and running! Thank you for watching!
Now I would like to figure out how to add a fence to it. :)
George Shaw adding a fence is easy! All you need is a straight board on edge attached at a right angle to another straight board laying flat. Then clamp it to the table your desired distance. Use the miter gauge slot in the table as an "equal distance" guide so the front and back of your makeshift are the same distance from the miter slot. I have a larger Grizzly bandsaw and that what I do as I have yet to order a new fence for it and it's worked well enough to not NEED to order another. Also, if haven't already, watch the Alex Snodgrass bandsaw clinic on TH-cam. It's worth every damn second! Hope that helps and thanks again for watching!
Thank you for the video help me a lot couple questions. The motor plate is on a slant. I hope that’s the way it’s supposed to be. The lower blade guide does not line up properly with the sawblade unless I mount it a little bit crooked. When mounted squarely, the back of the blade will passed by the face of the roller bearing. If you could answer my questions, it would be great thank you.
The last portion of the video where you explain the mechanics of the saw and how it should be calibrated was far more useful I think
Let me say a big thanks for your video. Without it assembly would have been much tougher. Wife thanks you as well. Now I can get it out of her dining room. Great job and very detailed.
Walker Boh Glad to hear this video was of help! Happy to answer anyone's questions the best I can. Thanks for watching! Good luck and have fun. Oh! And order some better blades from Olson on Amazon. Get a 1/4" for smaller work and making turns and at least a 1/2" to 3/4" resaw blade for straight cuts and dimensioning. They're affordable and you'll be glad you did! Trust me.
I read through as many of these comments as I could. I just assembled mine. There is one significant problem. The wheels are not coplanar, and you cannot just plug in some washers to bring the top wheel out. In fact, there can be no compression on the bearing whatsoever. The design out of the box has the nut stopping at the end of the threads on the top wheel shaft. So, if you put a washer behind the wheel to bring it out (so that is coplanar with the lower wheel), then the nut will hit the bearing and press on it. This will cause friction which will quickly destroy the bearing. In addition, the shaft is too short to use a jam nut with the original nut. (FYI the shaft is threaded for a 12mm 1.75 pitch "coarse" threaded nut). My solution: First I made a very narrow 14mm washer (the face is 1 mm wide) to make contact with the inside of the wheel bearing. Then put a 14mm fender washer behind the wheel, then added the ground down 14mm washer, then the wheel, then put a thinner 12mm jam nut on the shaft with Permatex 25210 high strength removable thread locker. The jam nut just TOUCHES the bearing, no pressure on it, it must spin completely free. After doing this, I checked the wheels, they are coplanar, and the blade tracks pretty much in the exact center of both wheels. The cut is almost table-saw smooth with the stock blade. The 25210 is high strength, made for vibration situations, but is removable.
Also, I replaced the dorky hex head bolts with setscrews everywhere on the upper blade guide, and attached a 3mm hex wrench to the machine. It is SO much easier to see the work, now, and it also looks far more professional. Got mine at Harbor Freight, Black Friday, $462.00 out the door including tax.
NOOOOO! No no no no. These machines, actually all 14” and larger bandsaws are set at the factory and do NOT require wheel alignment. Coplanar is NOT an issue for bandsaws. The blade rides where it rides. If you follow the bandsaw wizard Alex Snodgrass he explains everything. All that matters is blade gullet position on the top tire. Never mess with the wheel alignment on a bandsaw. I also worried about this when first getting a 14” but after some reading found that this is a common misconception and not an issue in design or function.
I've been wanting a bandsaw for some time and have thought about getting one of these Horrible Fright bandsaws. Your video and a couple of others convinced me that one of these guys will do everything I need. Thanks.
I had to go back and watch the unboxing again.😆
Smedleydog1 unless you plan on making a living with out upgrades WITH that saw I think you’ll more than get your money’s worth out of it. Get a few good blades for different tasks and you’ll be set! Thank you for watching.
I think you made a good job of the video, and a good philosophical point about what value the new knockoff from HF might have to the buyer vs. the shopworn, but original quality model from Craigslist might have. In the end, the path to fun and satisfaction is sticktoitivness in patiently learning the art and science of the band saw and making adjustments to your machine, one at a time, until you have mastery.
I know you've been thanked a many time for your video tutorial on this assembly but thank you again sir. It surprises me you don't have a huge following, I can only surmise you elect not to for you seem to be far...FAR ...better at this than many that do.
Take care,
R.
1 shootist well thank you so much! You’re right, I’ve gotten quite a few “thank you”s on this video and it hasn’t gotten old yet! I’m really happy that so many have found this video to be helpful. So thank you again! Thank you for watching and maybe I’ll keep them coming if people are interested in seeing me do it my way.😋👍🏽
Bought one of these 2 years ago. Enjoyed your vid. Brought back memories, assembling mine. I noticed
not much profanity during your build. My sheet of institutions included places where you should inject profanity, without that l couldn't have completed it. Thanks.
Well thank you for watching! I had no idea so many would appreciate the video really. I just figured there wasn't one on this particular tool yet so what the hell, wish someone had made it for me when I bought the damn thing. Glad you enjoyed and thanks again.
I'll be putting some cool jazz piano on while I assemble mine today. Thanks.
Purchased today w/25% off, total including tax was 298.xx. Looking forward to using your video to ease the assembly. Thanks.
Thanks for this video! Well done and Incredibly informative. Literally just got one of these in great shape at an auction and this video helped a ton.
thank You for the Video Im going to pick one up and decided to look it up first and found you,,,,,, thanks it was enjoyable to watch ...... awesome job, must have been a pain to do the video but quality work.
Man, I wish I had watched this before I put my saw together. I had some missing parts and the toll free number was a joke. However, the folks at the Harbor Freight store were very helpful and had great customer service. The written directions were also a joke. This video would have made things much easier! Great video!
Don Young well im glad you got things figured out. if you have any questions ill be happy to answer the best i can. thank you for watching!
Great instructions, I plan on purchasing one this weekend.
Good looks, man, thank you. If it wasn't for this video id have taken longer to put it together. Hope you're enjoying your Christmas holiday. Iron cast band saw, whoa...I actually own one now.
sTu 3pldeuce thank you and a happy Christmas to you as well! I’m happy this video was a help to you. You can’t go wrong for the money! People complain about coupon exclusions on brands at HF lately but I still find 20% off coupons withOUT the exclusions on Central Machinery tools! Even so, there are too many good things at HF to complain about the things that don’t hold up. Thank you for watching and enjoy your bandsaw! It’s a tool that can do a thousand things.
@@4rnorthwest I agree, HF is the go-to place for great deals. I belong in this culture just like you do and thousands of others. To borrow that "Mandalorian" phrase that use with my kids whenever I buy them low-end practical priced stuff, "this is the way, I have spoken".
I don't know why I took too long to purchase a band saw. Maybe just eager to push limits on what I can do with fret and coping saw. Served me well there on terms of adaptability and creativity, and they're still my main shaping tools maybe just for the romance of it and what not. But this band saw is gorgeous enough for me not to fall in love with it. I'm fixing to build a fence on its table see it could help guide re-saw endeavors.
Hey man it's a blessing to find folks like you on here who have compassion to share and help out. It's almost like hanging w you w the jokes and stuff.
Be cool be safe always.
sTu 3pldeuce well again, thank you so much for the positivity. I get comments across the spectrum on this video from, “thank you for putting this together” to “you’re a smart ass I hate you!”😂 But hey, you can’t please everyone right! I suppose some took my wise assert seriously? Either way if you can take this video for what it’s worth, then I’m happy I took the time. Thanks again!
When I saw you remove the two panels to access the blade area I knew right there I made a better choice buying a WEN bandsaw and I do spend a lot of time at Harbor Freight, I have three of them here all within 15 minutes.
Just put this together with the help from your video. Much appreciated!
I love watching videos for something so specific as to the assembly of this particular model band saw which I also purchased on Independence Day 2017. I learned things watching this video that were not clear on the instruction manual. Not all heroes wear capes. Hat tip to this guy. P.S. A+ for information but D- screenplay. He needs a professional presentation guy.
He'll get better as time goes on all good youtubers do.
Well I hope the video was helpful and slightly entertaining! I'm not a "professional presentation guy" which is a good thing because it means I'm in no position to bullshit anyone watching! I am not payed nor am I sponsored by anyone to do this. This is just me, my time and money to do this. There wasn't a decent video on this machine with details, so, I made one! hope you enjoyed and thanks for watching!
Thank you for the support. The guy meant well and I don't take offense to much especially constructive criticism. You're right, we all start somewhere! If someone wants "professionalism" go watch TV! and all the bias payed for bullshit that goes along with it! Or, see real people do the real thing. thats REAL entertainment! Thanks for watching!
Good video man... I’m buying one on Wednesday. Nice to actually see what I’m going to buy... How it operates... and how it’s put together very detailed. I give this video 2 thumbs up because I’m only human lol
NattyDread Andrè Right on! Hope this "little" video was helpful and comes in handy after your purchase. My first recommendation for this saw is going online to Amazon and ordering at least 2 different bandsaw blades, (I like Olson) get a 1/4" and at least a 1/2" resaw blade. I prefer a 3/4" 3tpi resaw blade for cutting taller sock on edge for making strips or veneers or general dimensioning and straight cuts. I have a Grizzly 14" with a 6" riser block and can resaw to nearly 13" tall! The motor on that machine is only another 1/4hp stronger than the HF unit. If you ever feel underpowered down the road just upgrade the motor. But unless you're making a living off that saw you should be fine. Thank you for watching!
Finally I brought it just now. Now to put it together... Thanks for the video again... I caught it on sale for $295 with a %20 discount today
Another tip is get rid of the plastic guide blocks that come with the saw, they wear out very quickly. I cut some blocks out of hardwood blocks and soaked them in oil for a couple days, they’ve been in the saw for years and still no wear.
Your level of sarcastic enthusiasm is on point.
Vic Terraglia So glad you enjoyed my take on something that i think would be an otherwise boring watch! I hope it was helpful and thank you so much for watching!
Greetings from England
Just a quick comment to anyone carrying out assembly on one of these:
Please make sure the earthing (grounding) wires are in contact with the metal...and not just the paint/powder coat...
Very important to achieve a good, reliable R2 (earth path)
Glenn
GLMelectrical
Glenn Moreland An excellent point! thank you for your feedback! thats what makes this community work. thank you for watching.
Thinking HF die grinder would help lol
I'm a little late to the show, but great video. Was thinking of this and with the Easter coupon can't walk away. Thanks
It’s a bang for the buck machine! Set up properly you can’t go wrong for the money and it’s capable of more than you may think. Thanks for watching!