SHOP FOX W1715 3/4 HP Metal Cutting Bandsaw

I liked it so much I bought a second one. Not a high end saw but it works good. This has its place in a small shop or home garage. I've cut hundreds of hardened steel rods and had no issues. Just ran the blade slow.

I've had this saw about a year now and am very pleased with it. It has worked perfectly for what I need it for. I did a lot of research before buying it so I felt like I knew the pros and cons. I am a metal hobbyist working with everything from 1/8" to an inch solid steel and up to 3" tubing. I've had no issues cutting anything I needed. I do a lot of pattern work so stacking 1/4" steal rods to do bulk cuts is not an issue (see picture). Of course, if I had all the room and money in the world, I'd own something different (and it would be way overkill). This saw has saved me a lot of time compared to hand cutting everything...not just due to bulk cutting but also cleanup work. I feel the price was a tad bit high but I'm having so much fun with it that it doesnt bother me any more. This is NOT a harbor freight quality item. I feel it is much better...but if you are not a hobbyist, need it to cut a ton of thick metals, require machine-precision cuts then this is not the saw for you and you will need to pay the $$$$ to get the higher quality saws. A few reviews have said the legs are wobbly but I dont find that the case at all. However, the stand could be longer to counter balance the saw better when it is lifted vertically (opened). Still, this doesnt both me...I just dont bang the saw upright fast. It hasn't come close to falling over or anything even if I forget.

Buyer beware of this boat anchor! Very displeased with it. The knob for the blade tension broke within the first two months. To change out the sawblade, you have to remove 4 screws of different sizes. Motor mount vibrates horribly making top speed impossible if you don’t want to shred your belts. Top speed was also impossible because the safety box for the belt pulleys didn’t have enough space for top gear to be used. I had to grind the opening out to do so. Additional, it’s horribly slow at cutting, but if you speed it up it cuts out of square. This saw replaced a Central Machine bandsaw I had for 20+ years (harbor freight special) and I never thought I would miss it. Save your money. Buy a hacksaw. They’re pretty much on par.

I haven't received this saw yet, but it's pretty much the same as the old one I am replacing. The old one was purchased at an estate sale for 100 bucks. I was only able to cut six (6) 3-inch aluminum discs before the Tiwanese motor decided to burn up and quit working. It was built in 1983, so no telling how many hours are on it. (I wish I had that 100 bucks back now!). I went to WW Graingers to get a new motor, expecting about $125 for a replacement. Well, electric motors have taken a flying leap in cost as the replacement motor was a whopping $275!! I could not in all conscience put such an expensive motor on such an old and worthless bandsaw. So I decided to put that $275 towards this little Shop Fox, partly because it had a 3/4HP motor vs. the 1/2HP of all the rest. (I really wanted the next model up with the nicer stand and even the ones with coolant flow). But for as little as I need to cut stock, this should do fine for a very long time...let's hope. In regards to the stand, let's face it, all of them at this price level are pretty cruddy and flimsy, and I fully expect to build a better rolling frame out of 1" square steel tubing (and have the saw a bit higher too). I had purchased a couple of the Olsen saw blades for my old unit, and they worked pretty well, at least up until the motor died. I don't expect to be cutting much steel anyway. (I also invested in a set of new guide bearings for the old saw, but their quality wasn't that great). One important thing to pass along is the set up of the blade in the guide bearings. You absolutely MUST have at least a .001 clearance between the bearings for the blade, and the only way to get accurrate with this is with feeler guages before you install the blade. On my first attempt at this, I did not have this clearance and the saw didn't run very well. (DUH!). Also, remember that the thickness of the blades vary with each manufacturer, so if you remove the blade that comes stock with this unit and replace it with an Olsen, be sure to put a micrometer or caliper on the old and the new and make any adjustments. At the very least, simply make sure the new blade passes easily between the guide bearings. One other very important point when ordering this saw is to check your "basket" before submitting to pay. If you are being charged shipping charges...and in the case of this saw....over $100, then don't do it. If you buy "straight" from Amazon, they will charge shipping. But if you do a bit of hunting, you will find other companies that will ship this for free....even under the Amazon banner! (I am not a member of their "Super Saver" program, which I assume allows free shipping). So, important that you check this before committing to the purchase. I would not be concerned about the "negative" response from the guy with the old Sears unit. You won't need "special" blades. But for sure, the ones that come on the new Shop Fox won't be very good. A couple of the $10 Olsen "Hardbacks" will be a good investment. In the "for what its worth" department, my "old" bandsaw that just burned up was cutting through the 3" aluminum just fine, and amazingly, (at least to me), there was only a .007 (seven thousandths) difference between where it started to cut and the bottom of the cut. That's pretty good to me!! In regards to blade tension, I simply hand-tightened the adjustment wheel as tight as I could manually do it....don't put a set of Channel locks on the wheel to get it any tighter. It is also good practice to vacuum out the inside where the wheels are as you don't want those metal flakes coming between the blade and the bearings. Just take care of it and it should take care of you. Perhaps if things get better economically, I can get one of these with the swivel head and coolant system. I run a little prototype shop out of my garage so I don't have a lot of room for big stuff. I would also like to get one of the ShopFox Vertical Milling machines with the feed servo. The Bridgeports are simply too big for me. Growing up, my Dad had one of those nice Rockwell vertical mills, which again, are the perfect size. But its getting very hard to find those units in good condition, and, you can't buy parts (that's the main thing for me). If I ever need something large made, then I'll leave that for my friends at the CNC machine shop. I already have a nice-enough lathe...a vintage South Bend Type A, and a cool Atlas metal shaper. I made a couple of very nice and VERY professional high-definition short videos that you should watch sometime. The lathe video is on Vimeo, and the Atlas Shaper is on YouTube. I'll include some links here, but Amazon usually doesn't allow them (I don't think). [...] [...] So anyway, that's my input....let the chips fly!!

I read all reviews and took care to evaluate my needs. I’m work in light ornamental steel manufacturing, so I make a lot of railings, guard rails, gates etc. and this is perfect for me. I spent time setting up the angles that I use a lot and marked them on the table and that’s been helpful to speed things up. I wish changing the angle was a quicker process, but I might fab up some type of quick release bolts so I don’t have to use a socket and wrench to change it every time. The stand is pretty low and cheapo so I built a riser for it to get it to my preferred work height. I cut on the fastest speed and the blade has held up well to over 500 plus cuts- most through solid stock. I made a little outfeed table for it, and I use 4 roller stands to hold the 20’ pieces of steel to help break down material. I have not used the saw upright , the table looks like junk to be honest, but I could care less. I love that I can set the cut, and walk away and work on other things and the saw shuts off when it’s done. This is my favorite new shop tool.

The plastic knob that tightens the cutting band is very fragile; it broke the first time I adjusted it. The small screw that tightens the handle that grips the metal when cutting stripped the cast iron thread. I had to make a few adjustments to get it working. So far, it's been fine. That's why I give it a 3.

I bought this saw thinking that I was getting one of those “solid” American brands. In truth this is another sellout company. This saw was developed a number of years ago, they outsourced production to China and now there are Chinese companies you could buy the same saw from for far less money. You might as well buy the saw from them. There are many details on this saw that lack refinement. It is pretty much a motor, a blade and some clamps put together. It does work, but takes some time to dial in. The instructions really aren’t super clear so you have to figure it out on your own. I would suggest someone get the Chinese counterpart that is far cheaper, with this saw all your are paying extra for is a name.

I've had this for 5 years of frequent use and it's been solid and reliable. I've gone through about a dozen blades. The saw's accurate but it takes some care getting getting it right: one should measure angles carefully and make sure the moving vice jaw doesn't creep out of angle when tightening the bolt. The stand: It's functional but I find it ungainly to roll forward. This is because the saw has to be tilted fairly high to get the small wheels on the ground and is heavily weighted on the motor end. So if you have to push it forward, keep one hand on the cutting handle and the other on the moving handle -- otherwise if the little wheels catch on something it's going to flip over onto the motor. (from experience lol)