I ended up buying one of those cheapy HF bandsaws. I got mine on sale
for $169 plus $8.95 shipping. I checked the site yesterday and it is
now $209 and the same low shipping. It had (HAD) a even cheaper 1/3 HP
motor on it. My only concern in buying this was the motor. But since
the next cheapest bandsaws were around $200 and $70-$90 shipping, I
figured if the motor went out, I could always just replace it and still
be saving money. Besides, I figured the rest of them probably did not
have a motor much better than HF.
Yesterday (Friday) I finally got it set up. I cut a chunk of 1-1/2"
brass and it seemed to work pretty good. I replaced the blade with a
bi-metal cutting blade too. I started cutting a 3" chunk of brass rod
and the motor ran for about five minutes (if that) and quit. It was
getting somewhat warm to the touch, so I let it cool off for an hour or
so. Went back and tried it and nothing. I went to the local hardware
store and bought a decent 1/2 HP motor for it ($80) and I am in the
process of installing it. I need to go back this morning and get a
pulley for it. I figured I am still ahead even with the motor change.
The bandsaw itself seems to be made well enough. I could tell the motor
wasn't going to last long, but I was sort of surprised it went out on
the second cut.
I thought about contacting HF about it, but I didn't want another of
these piece of sh!t motors again. And I was not going to take apart the
bandsaw and send the whole thing back had it come to that.
One more thing...when I got my bandsaw, the blade was already
installed...backwards.
Mike