My HF portaband setup

Atlas Knife Company

Atlas Knife Company

Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
3,668
I just got a HF bandsaw. After looking for pics of other peoples setups, I couldn't find any. So, I had to do it from scratch without any descriptions to work from. I decided to make a tabletop base for it. I used a piece of 10" x 10" x 3/4" steel for the base and 1"x1" angle for the posts. The base weighs about 20 lbs. Now, I just need to work on the cutting table surface.

bandsaw1.jpg

bandsaw2.jpg
 
I was planning on mounting a switch on the base since HF triggers have a tendency to die long before the tool does. I don't thing the shown base will work with the HF saw. But, the bolts through the handle and the blade cover mounting holes provide a nice 3-pt mounting.

As far as the scrap, they only get 3¢-4¢ per lb. for scrap, so they sold it to me for $1 and made a profit. Biggest problem is, I am having a hell of a time trying to weld to it. My welder is a cheap HF 80amp and I can't balance between the1/8" angle and the 3/4" base. Only two of the welds held. The third weld by the handle didn't hold so I am going to take it in and have a pro weld it.
 
zaph1 said:
I was planning on mounting a switch on the base since HF triggers have a tendency to die long before the tool does. I don't thing the shown base will work with the HF saw. But, the bolts through the handle and the blade cover mounting holes provide a nice 3-pt mounting.

As far as the scrap, they only get 3¢-4¢ per lb. for scrap, so they sold it to me for $1 and made a profit. Biggest problem is, I am having a hell of a time trying to weld to it. My welder is a cheap HF 80amp and I can't balance between the1/8" angle and the 3/4" base. Only two of the welds held. The third weld by the handle didn't hold so I am going to take it in and have a pro weld it.
Click to expand...

Nice use of existing holes in a 3 point stance.

I'm no welding expert, but I have always had much better results when I use my angle grinder to clean up the weld areas to clean steel first.
 
Right. Clean up the edges and bevel them slightly to give you a little "ditch" to fill with weld. Then, weld a slow bead on just the thick plate. Then, adjust your wire speed and weld the bead to the beveled edge of the angle iron. This way, you're not trying to penetrate a thick steel good enough while also trying not to burn through the thin stuff. Your first bead has already penetrated and anchored to the base.

Make sure you turn the amperage up when welding the thick plate only, that way you get good depth on your weld.
 
Hit both the edges of the angle stock and the base plate with a grinder till you get nice shiny metal. You using flux core or shielding gas for your welding?
 
That thick plate is acting as a heat sync. It's absorbing the heat making it tough to weld. Try to "direct" the heat down into the thick plate and just let the weld puddle creep up to the thinner angle so you don't burn it through (as Grizzly mentioned). The tough part is you only have 80amp. Even with my 200 amp, that would be a tricky weld.
 
Excellent. This is the same saw I bought and I've been looking for an idea of how to mount it.

Now I just need a welder.
 
Thanks, but the people keep showing Dewalt portaband threads, and they are so different that they don't relate. The mounting spots are completely different and don't relate to the HF.

Welding issues aside, I think this is about the best way to mount the HF bandsaw. Sure, you could use thinner metal and bolt that to a nice large wooden base to resolve the welding issue. However, this is a nice 3-pt stand, very sturdy and portable with a fraction of the welding required to make a stand for a Dewalt.

The nice location where the bracket attaches to is not available on a HF portaband. I wish it were.
3446021689_417cab8761_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Tryppyr: You will need a longer bolt to go through the handle. It's 5x.8 metric, you will need one about 1 1/2" to work. I used an 8x32 1 1/2" machine screw and filed the nut to fit in the handle. The bolts that hold the blade cover on are plenty long to go through the posts and still hit all the threads in the metal case. All you need to build this is a 10"x10" plate and 3 - 4" long 1x1 angles 1/8" thick.
 
zaph1 said:
Thanks, but the people keep showing Dewalt portaband threads, and they are so different that they don't relate. The mounting spots are completely different and don't relate to the HF.

Welding issues aside, I think this is about the best way to mount the HF bandsaw. Sure, you could use thinner metal and bolt that to a nice large wooden base to resolve the welding issue. However, this is a nice 3-pt stand, very sturdy and portable with a fraction of the welding required to make a stand for a Dewalt.

The nice location where the bracket attaches to is not available on a HF portaband. I wish it were.
3446021689_417cab8761_o.jpg
Click to expand...


You see I save all these old posts because there is a lot of good info especially for someone who needs info getting started on a project, but sometimes it just doesn't jump out at you, somtimes you will have to look for the answer.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634110






Page1 of that thread, post#8, open that link and scew down to post#5 and there is a HF. This thread has about every conciveable mount for many different kinds of portable bandsaws!


Follow the link and it has pics, this is the text from the HF mount.

Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,986

Here's my mount for the vise (sorry, nice pic of it IN a vise, you'll just have to take my word that it works great):

The whole frame is bed frame, I even threw in a closeup of my junk welding. The 90 degree bar is just a support for side pressure, it has a neoprene pad on it to protect the saw case - this could be done in a way that doesn't require welding (like a screwed in 90* support), or could be omitted if you felt the screwed-in supports were enough. I drilled and tapped three 10-24 holes in the saw to attach the frame and used the existing holes on the handle to mount a 90 degree support. Since there was no cast-in support on my holes, I thought I should also attach it to existing supported holes. The spacer is corian, they are 1/4-20 bolts through it. The wood is just a piece of cut down stake to clamp into the vise.

I cut an S30V blade blank on it minutes after I finished building it. I borrowed a friends advice (and welder) while putting it together, but the design is mine.

This is all stuff I sent to a friend but since the question came up I put the info here. It's not a Dewalt, but maybe you can use the idea.
 
Last edited:
Ah, yes! Now I see it. I thread linked to another thread, linked to a mystery wrapped in an enigma surrounded by cotton candy. . .

I do see how he did it. I thought of something similar at first, but when my neighbor suggested this simple setup(and you must admit it is VERY simple) I decided to try it first. Given the simplicity of it, I'm surprised no one has stamped these out and sold them on here.

I really do need to work on a table next week for it, the little 3" stub just barely works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top