"DoN. Nichols" wrote:

John Doe wrote:

Or maybe DeWalt's small bandsaw (DCS371) is a crap tool. Maybe they are
in disfavor with the Chinese Communist Party and their tool quality is
going downhill as a result of that. Or maybe I got a lemon.

In any case, it sucks. No twisting. Cutting a straight line. DeWalt
blades (shipped and sold by Amazon) still crack after minimal use.

Maybe *you* are not twisting the blade, but the design causes the blade
to be twisted (about 45 degrees -- I don't have one here to measure) as
it spools off one wheel, is twisted by the guides to orient the blade
vertical to the workpiece, and then untwisting it just before it spools
onto the second wheel. The disance between the wheels and the blade
guides is pretty small on that little bandsaw, so it likely stresses the
steel more than the larger one. (Try measuring the distance from
exiting the wheel until it enters the guide. I'll bet that it is
significantly smaller on the smaller saw -- thus more flexing of the
blade back and forth. The import horizontal/vertical 4x6" saws are
bigger, and with the adjustable blade guides, are usually a greater
distance from the wheel.

Hopefully my bigger DeWalt portable bandsaw (DCS374B) works better.

I would expect it -- just because it does not twist the blade in as
short a distance from wheel to guide.

But it has apparent signs of being at least partly designed in China
(besides being manufactured there). Will be wary if I purchase anymore
of theirs.

Isn't everything manufactured there these days?

Apparently some manufacturers are being ripped off more than others.
Depends on what the Chinese Communist Party wants. One would think their
goal is to eventually consume and/or control everything.

They have also developed that stupid practice of practically welding
their drill chucks to the spindle.

Reversible spindle? If so, it should have a left-hand screw in the
center of the chuck and threaded into the spindle. *NOTE* -- I said
left-hand screw. This is so the chuck does not unscrew from the spindle
when running in reverse.

They stopped using a screw. Now they use a press fit. It's impossible to
remove without cutting through the chuck. I'm not into using a torch, but
maybe that would work.