Called Harbor Freight today and was told the bandsaw riser block they used to carry has been discontinued. I knew I should have ordered it before going to Iraq. I did a search through Google Groups and found several references to using other brands. However, nobody really said if it had worked out or not. Anyone that has used a different brand I would appreciate some feedback.
Thanks!!!
Ken Gunter
CH-47D Chinook Pilot
They told me the same thing at the local HF, but upon calling the main number and finding someone who new what they were talking about...the story changed. If by chance they really have discontinued it lately, the riser from Rigid BS that Home Depot sells is supposed to work. I think you might have to ream the bolt hole i tiny bit or something, but several have used this of the HF units. Seems they got tired of waiting also.
BTW, Thanks for your service to our country. You probably don't hear it enough.
Digger
I pasted my comments from a previous message sent a while ago. In the middle you can see what I had to do the Rigid riser to get it to work.
I have the HF bandsaw. I have completely disassembled it down to the castings. Cleaned and filed all pertinent edges and surfaces. Added my own handmade tension crank extended above the top. If I was to do this again, I would spend the time to find fine pitch thread. The coarse thread works good and fast but maybe too coarse. I've added hinges to both covers and removed the bolt and nut closest to the hinge, so I have only one knob to secure the cover. I moved the motor from the flimsy support in the stand to behind the saw on a base. Much more secure now. I added a link belt on both pulleys (motor to stepped pulley and stepped pulley to lower wheel). Added a Ridgid 6" riser kit from HD. Had to drill out the upper blade guide hole on the casting because the Ridgid diameter rod is larger (IIRC by
1/8"). No big deal since the hole is already there to guide the drill bit. And painted all the individual components prior to reassembly. Oh yea, added cool blocks and sanded the table face with my ROS then polished. Here's the link to a picture.-- Tim
-------- See my page @
Thu, Jul 31, 2003, 3:03pm snipped-for-privacy@ch47.org (47Driver) wants to know: Called Harbor Freight today and was told the bandsaw riser block they used to carry has been discontinued.
Never been to Iraq, but had a stop in Theran years ago. Weird.
I don't use one, but looking at the pictures here, looks like nothing major to making one. Or, sweet talk one of the mechanics to do it for you.
JOAT Everything happens for a reason, except possibly football.
- Lu-Tze
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT Web Page Update 23 Jul 2003. Some tunes I like.
Yes I called that number...the lady was even kind enough to supposedly go check with numerous supervisors. The discontinuation started last week. They said to wait 5 or 6 months and they might bring it back. I went ahead and got the Ridgid one.
Thanks to everyone for their help and comments.
Ken Gunter
CH-47D Chinook Pilot
I made one for my "clone" (Tiwan) out of a block of aluminum on a milling machine. drilled a 3/4 in hole and made a bolt out of a peice of rod, threaded on both ends and "lock nuts" on each end. Been using it for a couple of years now. Made a pair of steel plates to act as washers under the nuts about 1/4 in thick. No big deal if you have a mill and lathe available or a friend with one. ...lew...
Incidentally that web address dosent work with Netscape 4.7n. It stops with about 20% downloaded. I was curious about it . ...lew...
I have tried it with multiple versions of IE and Netscape with no problems. I have not gone as far back as Netscape 4.7 though. I would suggest upgrading if at all possible. Sorry!!!
Ken Gunter
CH-47D Chinook Pilot
I also used the Home Depot riser for Ridgid but I made a guide holder rather than drill the casting (to chicken) I bought a ¾ ? piece of rod and sanded a flat ridge on it by drilling a hole in it and fastening it to a
2x4 and running it past the belt sander a couple times works great.tim
That's a good idea. I didn't think about making a new rod. I'm sure the steel is not anything special. I also thought that I would never go back to the 6" height once I put the riser kit on.
-- Tim
-------- See my page @
Can anyone give me the part number for the Rigid riser kit at HD. The local HD says they don't carry it, and I would like to call a few others in the area and see if they might have one. I am picking up a new HF 14" bandsaw tomorrow for $219, and want to put the riser in. Thanks
Digger
Go to
Ken Gunter
CH-47D Chinook Pilot
I ordered the Grizzly G1127 riser kit today for $39.95. It looks like the pics from the harbor freight website that I DL'd before they stopped carrying them. Should be hear before the weekend, and we'll see what has to be done to get it to work. I paid $219 for the saw, so I am not out too much if I have to get another riser kit. The Rigid kit AC5005 will work with some mods, but it is $59 and according to them 3 weeks for delivery. I also bought four TimberWolf blades at 105" so that I haveto make this work.
I have a couple of logs sitting in my yard that have been down, wet, and dirty for about two and a half years, and look to be good spalted material, so I wanna cut it up.
Digger
Jst to let you know the latest HF catalog has #09645-oaba riser block kit for $49.00 on 8/5/3 I just ordered it and it was in stock.
Picked up a Ridgid riser block today from the local HD for $15. The only thing it's missing is the blade and I wasn't planning on using theirs anyway. I will let you all know how it turns out tomorrow.
Ken Gunter
CH-47D Chinook Pilot
You, are a lucky dog.
Exceptionally easy. As posted before, I had to drill out the upper blade guide rod hole an extra 1/8", no big deal. Big fan of it, especially for $15.
Ken Gunter
CH-47D Chinook Pilot
"47Driver" wrote in news:xWgZa.6819$ snipped-for-privacy@fe04.atl.webusenet.com:
Much easier and cheaper to buy a piece of ¾ rod and cut to length you need and sand a side flat IMHOP
Tim
So Tim, you are saying that his deal for the entire riser kit, and the need for drilling one hole, is somehow a worse deal than something you have found? Please elaborate.
Digger
I don't think that was what TIm was saying at all. He suggested replacing one part of the kit -- the upper blade guide rod -- with one that ends up fitting better in a stock machine. I agree with Tim on the grounds that it is very difficult to precisely drill out the blade guide hole than to find a precisely sized 3/4" steel rod and adapt it. If you screw up on drilling out the hole, it affects the blade to guide distance as you adjust the height of the guide above the table (i.e. you end up not being parallel to the blade).
As an aside, I bought the Ridgid riser kit and adapted it to my Taiwanese no-name bandsaw (Grizzly clone) without problems. The only snag was the upper blade guide rod again. In my case, the hole to accept the mount on the guide was too small and had to be drilled out. I took the guide to a machine shop and paid them the equivalent of a couple dollars to precisely ream out the hole on a milling machine because I lacked the necessary tools at home. It was money well spent.
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