Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Ford850]

Got mine about 15 tears ago for 150 bucks. I've cut a ton (actually many tons) of structural steel and stainless rod with mine, hundreds of pieces.

Couple things of note...

1. The motors suck big time. You'll eventually let the smoke out, it's 100% pure Chineseum rice paper insulation and it will eventually stink. Goo news is a good Marathon or GE NEMA 56 frame is a bolt on. I have a Marathon on mine now. Mine stunk up the shop....

2. The upper bandwheel will eventually expire. It has a bronze bush in it and it's under constant tension. if you want it to last at all, remove the bandwheel and drill and tap it for a grease fitting and grease it. I didn't and had to machine the bandwheel for a real roller bearing.

3. The angle graduations on the vise base plate are wacky. I don't use them. I see you have a rafter square. use that. Much better.

4. Forget the cheap HF loops. Go to MSC online and order up some Lennox or Starrett pre welded 0.025 bi metal loops, you'll be glad you did. They last 10 times as long as the Chinese carbon steel loops HF sells.

Other than those quirks, mine has run fine for years. The biggest improvement next to the motor was the bi-metal loops. I hardly ever use an lubricant, just let it cut. usually the teeth on the loop will get dull before they break.

Still a heck of a buy at 200 clams. Yes it lacks a hydraulic downfeed and lacks a wet lube system but for 200 bucks, you cannot beat it. Mine is grey, not pizmuckle pink.:laughing:

Almost forgot..... I removed the cover where the input shaft from the belt drive goes into the saw and discovered it was filled with fish oil...lol I got that out and filled it full of high quality EP grease. been that way for years, no issue.

Gonna copy your base. I still drag mine around by the handle.

They made several improvements over the years.
1. They have a better motors on them compared to the originals. The bar was pretty low, but better with fewer failures reported.
2. They have a pair of ball bearings in the wheels now.
3. Agreed, I never trust the graduations on the saw and use a square or the 45* jig I made as shown by someone else in this thread a couple months ago.
4. The loops that come with them lower quality but they are good for set up and to make some mistakes while learning what the saw can do. I cut a lot on my original blade. HF also sells 'Made in USA' loops too which are much better at a reasonable price.

 

[John_Mc]

Lift Capacity (@ Pivot Pin) (lbs.): 966

So you got a couple hundred to spare!

Well, maybe if he takes his bucket off. Isn't the lift capacity at the pins usually rated without anything on the loader?

 

[hunt4570]

Well, maybe if he takes his bucket off. Isn't the lift capacity at the pins usually rated without anything on the loader?

That's a good question.. All loaders are not easily removeable though so I'm not sure.

 

[rScotty]

Well, maybe if he takes his bucket off. Isn't the lift capacity at the pins usually rated without anything on the loader?

I've seen it both ways.... Stress and load calculations are typically done with all the normal pieces attached. When picking materials and dimensions for anything to do with a loader design you have to have the only variable be the distance from a single point.
So for engineering specs it would be typical to leave the bucket on for calculations. Otherwise you don't end up with the true forces on the pins or anywhere on loader. Since those published numbers are going to be used by other people too, they have to be real.

Now having said that, I have also seen advertising literature where the lift was given as calculated without the bucket. After all, buckets can vary a lot. But every time it is done that way there is a specific note attached right there in the specs next to the measurement.

You have to read through the specs on each one. Unfortunately.
rScotty

 

[5030]

They made several improvements over the years.
1. They have a better motors on them compared to the originals. The bar was pretty low, but better with fewer failures reported.
2. They have a pair of ball bearings in the wheels now.
3. Agreed, I never trust the graduations on the saw and use a square or the 45* jig I made as shown by someone else in this thread a couple months ago.
4. The loops that come with them lower quality but they are good for set up and to make some mistakes while learning what the saw can do. I cut a lot on my original blade. HF also sells 'Made in USA' loops too which are much better at a reasonable price.

Nice to have real bearings in the bandwheels. I had to machine and press in my own. I see the motor on yours is capacitor start, capacitor run. My original motor wasn't, just cap start. It lasted a year or so and then I had to ventilate the shop it stunk so bad... Never popped a breaker, just smoked like a BBQ grill with cheap hamburger on the grill...

Never tried the HF "made in USA loops. I'll have to check them out someday. Been buying bulk rolls and Tig welding the ends together.

 

[5030]

I see that HF shelves are pretty sparse as of late. I wonder if it has anything to do with China?

 

[stuckmotor]

I see that HF shelves are pretty sparse as of late. I wonder if it has anything to do with China?

I thought the president banned Chinese imports at the start of the virus. Has the ban been lifted?

 

[hunt4570]

I see that HF shelves are pretty sparse as of late. I wonder if it has anything to do with China?

I thought China made good shelves...

 

[Diggin It]

I don't understand why they're low on hammers.

 

[dragoneggs]

I don't understand why they're low on hammers.

Too many people stuck at home becoming DIYers since HD was one of the few stores that remained open as it was deemed essential.