Stormcrow Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Here's a cheap new addition to my shop that has made life easier. I took a Harbor Freight portaband and converted it to serve as a bench bandsaw for cutting out handle profiles and trimming blade profiles. Works a lot faster and with more control than an abrasive cutoff wheel in an angle grinder. I built it to clamp in my vice. I took off the carrying handle and laid out the holes on a piece of angle iron, ground some clearance for the handle, and bolted it back together. Clamp it up in the vice and it's at a nice working height. Since it's built to be hand held, it didn't come with a cutting table, just a little stop to butt up against the piece you're cutting. I took a small piece of plate and used the saw itself to cut out a square. I then detached the stop, laid out the holes on a piece of angle iron, welded it on the plate, and cut the notch for the blade with my chop saw. Nothing is modified on the saw itself and everything can be taken off easily to take the saw back if it burns out (yes, I got the warranty). It works well and was darn cheap. I run it at full speed ever since trying low speed and letting some of the smoke that motors run on leak out. :D An example of its work: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McCarthy Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yep. I have that exact set up except my table isn't as big. has worked good for 2 years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 what I have found with power tools in the last 3 years. They are all made outside of the USA and do not hold up so better to have the exchange warranty for 20 bucks for 2 years and just bring it back to the store and get a new one for an other 20 bucks I used an old table saw to make my base Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin11045 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old South Creations Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Nice job Stormcrow. I may have to 'borrow' your idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal Dave Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Great idea. It will take the place of my horizontal band saw that I rarely use. But, I'm not clear on how you attached the table and how it's kept stationary, level and securely attached. I'm a picture guy so if you could take a few photos that would help. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 I have been thinking about buying one for this very purpose. I have a 20% off coupon in my pocket right now. Glad to hear from others it seems to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old South Creations Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 I just modified mine...works great! Thanks for the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 I bought one Friday, did the same except a smaller table, don't see how I managed with out it now. It works great in my post vise, but I think I may make a base for it so I don't have to take it in and out of the vise. Or this could be an excuse to get another vise : ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosox Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Nice bandsaw set up. The sample cuts look great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 One thing I found out about the HF warranty though is it's a one shot exchange. So if you exercise the option to exchange something the new item no longer carries that same warranty unless you buy the same warranty again, which they give you the option to do so. I found this out when I returned a DC inverter welder when it began action strangely. That and if you decided before your 90 days are up you want to return the item, whatever money the warranty cost you are out of. I like the profile of your knives btw, might have to do some like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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