4x6 Import Bandsaw Upgrade & Tune-up

For technical tips, questions etc. on all subjects except Engines and Boilers.
Post Reply
User avatar
cyberbadger
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1123
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:16 pm
Boat Name: SL Nyitra
Location: Northeast Ohio, USA

4x6 Import Bandsaw Upgrade & Tune-up

Post by cyberbadger » Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:59 pm

Harbor freight sells these 4x6 bandsaws, and they are sold by a fewer other companies, they are all from the same factory in China.

Most agree that they are very useful, even though they have several flaws.

This gentleman has made a set of videos detailing how to tuneup your 4x6 bandsaw, and he just started selling a lasercut steel plate to improve your 4x6 bandsaw for $29.50.

I am not associated with this gentleman, but I have one of these bandsaws and it has been a very worthwhile tool for me, and I am considering buying one of these plates.

Correcting a Common Depth of Cut issue on a 4x6 Import Bandsaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCyeEV6Md34
Buy lasercut Elevating Plate:
https://markq6zlmc.fws.store/Elevating_ ... 23715.aspx

Even if you are not interested in the plate, here are his two videos on how to improve and correct your 4x6 import bandsaw:

"4" x 6" Horizontal Bandsaw Tuneup"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzjqDqpWRCA

"4" x 6" Horizontal Bandsaw - Fixing the depth of cut issue"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GiKBm4gecw

-CB
User avatar
marinesteam
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 309
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:51 am
Boat Name: TBD
Location: Colorado USA

Re: 4x6 Import Bandsaw Upgrade & Tune-up

Post by marinesteam » Thu Mar 11, 2021 4:22 am

cyberbadger wrote:
Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:59 pm
Harbor freight sells these 4x6 bandsaws, and they are sold by a fewer other companies, they are all from the same factory in China.
Thanks for sharing the video, I was baffled by the need for the plate however. That should have been correctable using the height stop and tweaking the bit of sheet metal that actuates the switch.

Just as a point of reference

There is a common misconception that because they are from the same factory the quality is the same. It's clearly not the case. My Grizzly has a crossbraced base, longer blade adjustment (with knob) and adjustable blade guides which the HF unit does not. Most importantly, the Grizzly cut straight, clean & true right out of the box with the only change I made being throwing out the supplied blade and changing to a quality one (the one fix that all 4x6 saws need). For me, not needing to fiddle with the saw to get it to cut properly was worth the extra $60 over the cost of the HF saw.

Cheers

Ken
Post Reply