"mj" wrote in message
oups.com...
Pete,
I just bought the $170 bandsaw from Harbor Freight. I was on their site
yesterday and now it is priced at $209.
Anyway...I finally got mine set up. It comes with a cheapy 1/3 HP
motor. I cut a brass shaft that was about 1-1/2" in diameter and then I
started on a 3" chunk a few hours later. It ran for about five minutes
and the motor promptly quit, although it did not lock up. I let it cool
off (it was starting to get real warm to the touch), but it was too
late. (Don't look Ethel! LOL). I went to the hardware store and bought
a decent 1/2 HP motor for $80 and I am in the process in installing
that one.
Piece of sh!t motor. The rest seems to be OK. I still feel that I did
OK in buying this. I got it for $169, $8.95 shipping and the $80 motor.
The next cheapest bandsaws were around $200 and shipping was
approximately $70-$90 and I am sure those motors weren't probably much
better.

Did you check inside the gear box to see if there is any casting sand left
in there? Come to think of it, you might also check to see if there is any
oil, too.

Mike