"Roy" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 17:32:14 -0800, "SteveB"
wrote:

===I was googling, and came up with Grizzly and Jet horizontal bandsaws
in the
===two to three hundred dollar price range. Should I opt for one that
is a
===little more, or just go with the HF standard? Anyone have any
experience
===with these brands? Can anyone suggest others in the three hundred
dollar
===range?
===
===TIA
===
===Steve
===

I just can't imagine what a higher priced in the same size catagory
can do that a cheaper HF brand won't There all basically the same.
With a small amouont of time and some tinkering its a fine saw. After
20 years I am still waiting for my HF saw to give up the ghost, so I
can go to the larger model saw HF sells as a lot of times I sure
wished I could have a bit more capacity. So if I was to go out in my
shop now and have my HF bandsaw die on me, I would be really bummed
out, but not ****ed off, as it has served me well and soes what I ask
of it to do and then some.

There was always the talk about Jet having better quality control than
Grizzly, etc etc and they all basically come out of the same few
factories in China / Taiwan, and that Jet gets first dibs on the
better machines, and Grizzley gets the next, etc etc, but I don;t buy
that bull$hit after buying a brand new lathe and seeing other items
JET has made. Its all a crap shoot when buying anything today and the
cheap HF is no better or worse than a JET or other brand is.

For three hundred bucks I would buy 2 harbor freights or spring an
extra 100 and buy the larger model they have.

Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wifes,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

I thank you for perhaps the best answer I have seen.

I buy quality stuff. I have done this for a long time. Hell, I spent $240
for a NexGen EQC helmet when I had two regular Jacksons. BUT, I do own some
very cheap Chinese pipe wrenches, hammers, and various tools ala HF. With
some, it don't make five cents of difference where you buy them, other than
the retail price.

My reluctance to buy a HF bandsaw was that I like to research a product, and
then when I buy, I buy knowing that this thing is going to last a very long
time. I am skeptical and cautions of the metals used in these cheaper
products, and as you know, some have very high failure rates or short
lifespans.

However, I have heard it too many times that the HF bandsaws are a GOOD
bandsaw that will stand up to many years of use by a hobbyist. Even with
the minor tweaking, it is not like the bearings or main components are going
to wear out soon.

I am going to buy the better one at HF here soon when I set up my fab
business. I have narrowed my equipment down to specific models, and now
feel that I will buy with confidence. I have selected a Lincoln Squarewave
175 TIG welder, a PowerMax 380 Plasma Cutter, a HF saw, a Victor torch set,
and a HF bender.

Now, if I can just get caught up with the honeydews and remodeling, I can
get on to some of MY projects..............................

Steve