Well, might be the end of an era for my cheapie Harbor Freight 4x6 bandsaw after nearly 7 years of HARD running. The vise nut cracked today. Looking at the geometry of the crack, I don't think an attempt to weld or braze is a great option. Looked into machining a new part myself, but the tooling cost to cut the acme threads would be a non-starter for this. Even buying an acme nut to weld onto a machined part would cost more than a replacement vise nut to my door (about $45 total for the replacement part). $45 doesn't seem so bad but she's starting to show her age in many other areas as well, specifically some slop buildup in the main pivot hinge, so it may just be time for retirement instead of sinking money into bandaids each month.
For what I paid for it new (about $210), she has been an unbelievable workhorse the past 7 years. Definitely one of the best values I've ever gotten from HF. Has even cut through 4" thick 304SS round. Used coolant and it took several hours, but she handled stuff like that without even blinking. Miles of metal passed through her. Gonna miss the old girl.
Oscar wrote:Now it's time to get a new one worthy of SPARTA!!!!! Sorry, just had to!
Ironically, I had already "upgraded" to a larger Grizzly 7x12 gear head to support some of the larger work. Hated it. Couldn't get rid of it fast enough, and sold it a couple weeks ago. Bad timing, I guess.
I have a StartRite band saw at work and I was going to recommend looking up one of those on the used Market. I just did a quick search and I think you're better off buying something else new. Yes I'm sure mine will last until I die but holy mother of pearl are they proud of them.
I think I would fix the saw you've got just out of spite for the thing. LOL. If you need something tapped for an Acme thread, let me know what it is I might have the stuff for that. I have a lot of acne taps.
Have you considered changing that vise bolt to a stud?
You might be able to braze a piece of threaded rod into the partial socket, then braze the broken chunk on the exposed edge of the stud and to the fracture surface? I think all-thread is available in both Gr2 and Gr5, so choose wisely.
Oscar wrote:Now it's time to get a new one worthy of SPARTA!!!!! Sorry, just had to!
Ironically, I had already "upgraded" to a larger Grizzly 7x12 gear head to support some of the larger work. Hated it. Couldn't get rid of it fast enough, and sold it a couple weeks ago. Bad timing, I guess.
I have been talking myself out of buying one of the HF V/H saws for several years now. I would really like to have one but in my case it wouldn't see much work and I am at a terrible deficit for space. we have one at work that we don't use all that often but when you need it you need it and it sure is nice to set the feed rate and go onto another rat killin while it does it's thing.
the heck with the duty cycle on the welder, tell me about the duty cycle on that grinder !!
SusKatCas wrote:Have you considered changing that vise bolt to a stud?
You might be able to braze a piece of threaded rod into the partial socket, then braze the broken chunk on the exposed edge of the stud and to the fracture surface? I think all-thread is available in both Gr2 and Gr5, so choose wisely.
Cheers, Alan
Really, that doesn’t look all that hard to fix judging by the picture .
SusKatCas wrote:Have you considered changing that vise bolt to a stud?
You might be able to braze a piece of threaded rod into the partial socket, then braze the broken chunk on the exposed edge of the stud and to the fracture surface? I think all-thread is available in both Gr2 and Gr5, so choose wisely.
Cheers, Alan
Really, that doesn’t look all that hard to fix judging by the picture .
SusKatCas wrote:Have you considered changing that vise bolt to a stud?
You might be able to braze a piece of threaded rod into the partial socket, then braze the broken chunk on the exposed edge of the stud and to the fracture surface? I think all-thread is available in both Gr2 and Gr5, so choose wisely.
Cheers, Alan
Really, that doesn’t look all that hard to fix judging by the picture .
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It cracked right through the thread, which is also the exact portion of the nut that takes most/all of the vise load, and it's also made out of whatever pot metal the kids were calling cast iron that day in Shanghai. If that seems like an easy thing to fix reliably, then your skills are just better than mine.
BugHunter wrote:How big is the part and what does the rest of it look like?
It's only a few inches, and is literally just an acme threaded nut with something similar to a T-slot casting to guide in that track. The vise block threads into that T-slot casting. I already "repaired" it, though, by flipping it around and drilling/tapping the vise-mount hole to accept a longer bolt. It's a bandaid but has held up. That saw really needs to be scrapped soon anyway. Among other things, the pivot bearings for the saw body are worn out, and just a breath away from no longer allowing a consistent cut. I like it because it's small, though. Great for cutting up small stock.
Looking at getting a Kalamazoo 8x16" to replace the grizzly, and will probably replace that harbor freight gem with another little one from harbor freight.
Spartan wrote:It's only a few inches, and is literally just an acme threaded nut with something similar to a T-slot casting to guide in that track. The vise block threads into that T-slot casting. I already "repaired" it, though, by flipping it around and drilling/tapping the vise-mount hole to accept a longer bolt. It's a bandaid but has held up. That saw really needs to be scrapped soon anyway. Among other things, the pivot bearings for the saw body are worn out, and just a breath away from no longer allowing a consistent cut. I like it because it's small, though. Great for cutting up small stock.
Looking at getting a Kalamazoo 8x16" to replace the grizzly, and will probably replace that harbor freight gem with another little one from harbor freight.
So, no half-nut quick-release vise? Just a full circumference acme threaded part with the additional T slot above and a threaded hole for the vise jaw? Aw that's a slam dunk. You could make that in a few parts and weld it up if you wanted to. If you need a part acme tapped, send it.
I would use this as an opportunity to upgrade to the HF 7x12 saw with hydraulic down feed and built in coolant system. But I have to wait, my HF 4x6 is still going strong, and the Mrs won't let me replace it until it breaks.
