# Parts Manufactured Incorrectly



## RodNGun (Feb 4, 2012)

Seems like an even handed description of your experience, thanks for sharing it here. From my point of view your rating seems high given the problems you had. Good luck, every shop needs a reliable bandsaw.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

I'm very sorry you had those problems. I have bought start up machines from HF in the past and watch them break far too quickly. In your case, you can't even "start up". Wow. Good luck with the machine. I would invest in the 1 year service contract if you are thinking of using it much during the next year. It may not be too late to buy one.


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

sorry to hear of your experience i've thought about buying a bs from hf before now i'm glad i didn't.thanks for the review.

welcome to lumberjocks!!!!!


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## jumbojack (Mar 20, 2011)

I bought a HF bandsaw about three years ago. Yep it took a little tweeking. The manual (POS) had the motor mounting plate bassakwards. When I got that figured out the rest went pretty good. I did not even try the belt, but got a link belt when I bought the saw.
Yesterday I resawed some 5 7/8" Orange Agate to bookmatch a lid for a heart box I'm building. Fairly new Woodslicer blade…...flawless.
I love my bandsaw!


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Return it for a refund.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I'm guessing this saw has been discontinued since it's not on the website.


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## chadirvin (Oct 25, 2012)

Why would you accept a third bandsaw if the previous two were incorrect regardless of being a floor model?


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

I bought something from harbor freight that required assembly before, (this http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/1951) and was certain that it was not made correctly because I was following the directions. It turned out that the drawings in the directions were so bad they showed the parts being put together backwards, flipped things around and they went together smoothly. Just something to think about. Poor instruction manuals really irk me. I replaced some toilet tank bolts once, following directions I could not get a leak to seal. I talked to a plumber friend of mine and told me the directions on the package were incorrect. I called the toll free number on the package to tell them/yell at them and they told me they already knew about the backwards assembly problem but had no plans on fixing the directions.


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## Grumpymike (Jan 23, 2012)

I looked at the HF bandsaw when I was thinking of upgrading my 20 year old Craftsman … One of the guy's that works there told me that he had a real %^$#

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%$#
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 time putting it together … Later that day I looked at a Laguna and a Rikon. I bought the 14" Rikon … Happy boy.
I still have the old Craftsman, and two bandsaws means fewer blade changes.
You might be happier if you found a used C'man on Craigs List?? Just a thought, giving you time to save up for the really good one.
I feel your frustration and have sympathy. Been there, sorry you are.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

I bought something from Harbor Freight and….....


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## Hawaiilad (Feb 16, 2010)

My back up BS is one I bought from HF about 12 years ago. For the first 7 years it was used allot (only saw I had at that time) Yea it needs new parts installed to up grade it, the doors are spung and a few other small items. But these days it seems like most tools do not last that long…except for my Hegner Scroll Saws.


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## Craftsman70 (Jul 31, 2012)

Do you know if this is the model they just introduced is spring. Their previous bandsaw looked pretty much like a clone of some name brand ones. But is spring my HF replaced it with a much flimsier model… I would have bought he earlier model but this new model looked really bad.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

bummer… hope they make it right…. hard to put a price tag on your time and frustration


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

That must be really frustrating. Return the band saw and demand a full refund.


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## ic3ss (Oct 19, 2010)

HF = Made in China < Quality


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## ken_c (Sep 28, 2009)

You know what they say, "You get what you pay for". So apparently you payed for frustration, disappointment and poop. with very few exceptions anything and everything at HF is junk. When you buy something there don't expect to perform well or survive long. be it a screw driver or a bandsaw, it's MIGHT be a single use tool - Might " because you may not even get a single use out of it. Maybe return the saw - demand a full refund - site the danger - and if need be say the work Attorney general…


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

How did it go Rob? Is there any progress with the problem you're dealing with HF?


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I think I probably would have let my industrial engineer mind kick in and find a way around the misdrilled holes and made it work like the guy in HF did. But that's just me. My Grizzly bandsaw had the wrong instructions for the table assembly, due to them changing the table to a bigger one. The technical guy I talked to sent me another whole table, the old style, wrong table. But the saw came with the new table and I was able to work it out once I put the instructions aside and studied things. So I have an old style table floating around, never used.

As far as HF, lots of people criticize them, but one of the more popular posts here in the last few months was the one where we all talked about the things we have bought from HF and liked.
I have looked at this saw in HF, and personally I would not buy it. And I owned a Reliant for years that worked wonderfully, paid $300 for it new, sold it for $150 when it was twelve years old. On the other hand, my Porter Cable I bought less than two years ago already had to have the top wheel tilt mechanism replaced due to the zinc casting cracking. Luckily the part is readily available at a lot of websites, and only costs about $30.
So you are not alone in bad tools, but I would not write off HF completely due to this saw.


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## Rob98075 (Aug 3, 2013)

Follow-Up from my original post. Thanks everyone for providing your feedback on my post. It is an unfortunate situation. In my opinion, HF has a long way to go, to improve the way they handle their customers. I never received a response from them after e-mailing both their parts department and their customer service department. FYI, e-mail is the only way that you can contact them, other than physically calling or going to a store. I spoke with the store manager today 8/11 and she informed me that I was using the same methods that she would have to use, to address a problem. Since I had no other recourse, I returned the saw today for a full refund (I was within the 30 day window and had also bought the 2 year warranty). I think that they were almost relieved to finally get me out of their hair. They refunded the cost of the product and the warranty. Sears had the 14" craftsman band saw on sale today for $399 and between 6pm and 8pm, they offered an extra 10% off, so I purchased the Craftsman. Of course, I have to start all over putting together another band saw. I guess I'll try my luck with this tomorrow.


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## Brad_Nailor (Jul 26, 2007)

I wouldn't buy power equipment from Harbor Freight..just hand tools, tarps and other stuff I can throw away without getting too upset about it!


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## Purrmaster (Sep 1, 2012)

I was actually considering getting this bandsaw at some point but was waffling. I'm done waffling and won't get the saw now. Thank you so much for the review.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

How did you buy a Central Machinery 32208 new in 2013? That model designation was retired in 2010.

Not all that relevant though. The HF manuals are known to be terrible. Had you done your homework and googled that model you would have found that the manual shows the installation of the brace plate BACKWARDS from how it actually fits. Flipping it over fixes that problem…

I know. I own that saw and succeeded in getting it assembled…


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