Harbor Freight Metal Cut off Saw - Opinions?

[Pooh_Bear]

I was thinking of getting this saw.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44829

What are ya'lls opinion of it.

It's listed in a sales paper here for 49.99

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

 

[JerryG]

I have a friend that has a welding and fabrication shop. About half of their work is exhaust systems. The two of them that work there have more than they can do. He has had two of those saws. They use them mostly for cutting thin wall tubing for exhaust systems. They like them real well for that. He did say that if they were using them for heavier stuff that they would have to get a better saw. The first one that they had lasted about two years. It rattled the whole time. The bearing didn't fit very well. I don't think that they would last very long cutting heavy stuff.

 

[gordon21]

That looks like a fair deal. Can it be bolted to a work bench? That would really make the vise feature worthwhile. The saw itself would be solidly mounted and the vise then holds the item to be cut. Otherwise, you have nothing more than a 2HP skill saw with a metal cutting blade. One hand to operate the saw controls, one hand to hold the piece steady and one hand to steady the saw frame. Ooops, that's 3 hands.

 

[3RRL]

For that price I'd definitely buy it.
You could throw it away after making your cuts if you wanted and be money ahead. (As long as it doesn't break before you finish) I've bought several items from them to take up to my property and they've all worked, but are definitely not top quality. I find their quality of the motors is adequate but the castings and handles (on angle grinder and ½" drill) have broken....sub-standard. Also bought a small bandsaw and dust collector that both needed "tweaking" to get them to operate correctly. That part about their stuff is pretty cheap but good enough for what I do at camp and as my 2nd tool. I'd be leary about purchasing if for my main tool, though.

On the other hand, they will replace them in a heartbeat within the first year and longer if you buy the extra warranty. I had to do this with an air compressor and they switched it no problem. It's been working good and have no troubles with the replacement one.

I've got 2 that size several years old now, but not from HB. They're handier than heck. One I took up to my property with a couple of different blades for it. Wish I knew about this one for that price.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I was thinking of getting this saw.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44829

What are ya'lls opinion of it.

It's listed in a sales paper here for 49.99

Thanks.

Pooh Bear
)</font>

I bought it. Its a piece of junk, but for $49 you get what you pay for. A friend bet me it would not cut through a pencil, but it did /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif when I tested it. If your cutting needs are modest, its OK, but if you are doing a lot of cutting then I would opt for a better grade tool. I've never been too fond of the cheap comunist chinese tools and usually I avoid them, but I needed to make a few cuts and this was priced right. When I brake it I iwon't feel bad about throwing it away.

 

[flusher]

I have one. It's HF junk, especially the clamping arrangement, but it makes cuts OK, if you don't ask too much of it. I cut a bunch of 5/8" anchor bolts to make pins for a grape vine trellis I build a few weeks ago. Also cut some slotted angle to build one of Soundguy's "mudflap" debris shields for my KK brush hog. Worked OK.

 

[Dargo]

I fell for that a couple of years ago. Want mine? Free! Sure they'll replace it everytime it breaks, but you'll spend more in time and gas replacing the hunk of crap than you'd spend buying a decent one to start with. Mine broke each time the first two times I went to use it just trying to cut 1/2" rebar. I'd say a Dremel tool has more power. I gave the 3rd (replacement) to my dad. He tried it once, and gave it back! Junk, junk, junk, junk.

Do you really want to know what I think about them?!

 

[kossetx]

dargo, i don't know what was meaner, giving junk to your dad, or him giving it back. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

i have a jepson, which was off brand way back when. i kinda like it better that my milwuakee. it's easier to move around. still works after many years. i don't think it is chinese though. probably japanese.

 

[JerryG]

A good DeWalt will cost a whole lot more, but will last a whole lot longer. They run smooth, cut straight and have good clamps.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Always buy TWO when the price is 1/3 (or less) the price of a real tool.

I would still be using a HF saw if it hadn't quit in the middle of a project and I didn't buy 2 when they were *$40*. There was no sale when I needed a new one.

I have a Ryobi now. Nice saw. $160 though. A DeWalt was $200. We'll see.

I also bought ONE 4.5" angle grinder once ... failed in the middle of a project. Next time I bought TWO on sale and I'm still money ahead. We'll see.

Cheers!