Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: huntnut on July 20, 2007, 04:46:00 PM

Title: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: huntnut on July 20, 2007, 04:46:00 PM
I went to Harbor Freight today and picked up one of there mini chop saws and some 3" fiber disk, man does this work great for cutting down carbon arrows. Its well worth the $23.99 for the saw.  :clapper:
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Golden Hawk on July 20, 2007, 10:16:00 PM
I love mine! Best $23 I ever spent.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Otto on July 20, 2007, 10:36:00 PM
I second that.  Mine is an arrow cuttin demon.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: bm22 on July 20, 2007, 11:01:00 PM
i guess i third that, great little saw.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Tim Fishell on July 20, 2007, 11:23:00 PM
I will 4th it.  It will cut anything I need it to.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: dachba on July 20, 2007, 11:28:00 PM
Handy little boogers, aren't they.  I've had mine for several years and used it for all kinds of arrows and a bunch of other stuff.

Dave in Ft. Collins, CO
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Jwilliam on July 21, 2007, 12:23:00 AM
Great working saw !!!
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Traxx on July 21, 2007, 01:32:00 AM
I just bought a bunch of Gordon Glass shafts,and got one of these little saws to cut em.What a slick little tool.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: TaterHill Archer on July 21, 2007, 01:47:00 AM
Is this the mini cut-off saw for $23.99 on their website?  It says it uses 2" blades.  Will the 3" blades fit?
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: snag on July 21, 2007, 12:16:00 PM
I was wondering the same thing Roknjs. I bought the saw but am curious now how easy it will be to get more blades...?
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Traxx on July 21, 2007, 01:55:00 PM
Im not sure,about the 3" blades,but HF,sells a Package of replacement blades for this saw.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: huntnut on July 21, 2007, 05:17:00 PM
The only 2" blades they had are for wood, I put on a 3" fiber blade for my carbons, you have to take the safty sheild off but they bolt   right on.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Hot Hap on July 21, 2007, 05:42:00 PM
I would be a little shy to use it without a guard on it. I think I saw some 2 1/2" fiber wheels at Lowe's. They might allow use of the guard. Hap
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Yankee Bill on July 21, 2007, 08:06:00 PM
Hi Huntnut,

The specs on the saw state for use with 2" blades. Most folks seem to be using these blades from this Guy. I ordered some a few day's ago and just got them in the mail today. Supposed to be great for carbon and aluminums.
  http://cgi.****.com/Abrasive-Cut-Off-Wheel-Arrow-Saw-Blade-Qty-5_W0QQitemZ170132969494QQihZ007QQcategoryZ36097QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem  

Well, looks like that link ain't gonna work... you can go to the auction site and do a search for the seller " phhoth " he only has a few items listed so the wheels are easy to find. He's out of Friendswood, TX.

Hope this might be of some help.

YB
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: DAS Kinetic on July 21, 2007, 08:17:00 PM
Guys,
 I have one and it works great, but the wheels you use make all the differnce.  The cheap wheels that come from HF are junk.  Here is a link to a quality wheel:
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=3227514&PMT4NO=26115749

  3" wheels are a bad idea because the saw does not have the torque to drive them, and the guard has to come off.  The wheels I linked to last twice as long as the cheap ones and cut cleaner and faster.  I use this saw for carbons and aluminum all the time.

David
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: jlnft on July 21, 2007, 08:25:00 PM
I have the same Mini Cut-off saw. You can get the 2" abrasive cut-off wheels at Sears. That's where I normally get them.

Joe
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Yankee Bill on July 21, 2007, 08:43:00 PM
Thanks for the info David & Joe. Heck, I waited a week to get mine in the mail...and got a Sears 3 minutes from the house... never even crossed my mind to look there.

YB
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: DAS Kinetic on July 22, 2007, 09:49:00 AM
Bill,
 You're welcome.  I haven't tried the sears blades but I know the Nortons are top notch. At very least, make sure you get 1/32" (.035) thick blades.  They do make 1/16" for heavier duty work on die grinders, but these little saws don't have the poop to drive them.  Just as a side note, there are a couple guys on **** selling aluminum bases for these saws that have measurement scales and arrow supports on them.  One of them, especially, looks really nice.  I made a simple one out of an oak board and a yardstick that works fine for me.  My arrows are pretty much the same length anyway.  I cut my carbons with it, and I also cut the little pieces of aluminum shafting that I use for footing on the business end of the arrow.  It's a good little tool for home use.

David
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Yankee Bill on July 22, 2007, 01:30:00 PM
Thanks again for the info Dave,

funny you should mention those aluminum tables for the HF saw, I've got one enroute from a seller in WA. as we speak. Found the Item on **** while searching for blades after I had aldeady bought my saw and worked out a deal with him for the jig...minus the saw. Would have been more cost effective to buy the complete jig from him (saw included), but still wasn't that bad a price.

It only cost me about $15 bucks more this way, but still saved me the aggrivation of having to fabricate something... money well spent IMHO.

YB
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Hawkeye on July 22, 2007, 05:07:00 PM
Dave,

Is it the white-based or all aluminum version that appealed the most to your "engineer's eye"?  Both look like would do a decent job, but I wondered what it looked like to you.

Thanks,

Daryl
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: DAS Kinetic on July 22, 2007, 07:09:00 PM
Daryl,
   I haven't actually seen or used either so I'm basing this on the pictures they have.  I prefer the one with the mid-span arrow support because that helps keep the arrow square to the blade.  You can adjust the vise to get the other direction set, but the up and down direction needs a level guide to feed the arrow in.

David
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Hawkeye on July 23, 2007, 01:19:00 AM
David,
Thanks.  That makes great sense.  These are a neat idea!

Daryl
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: L.I.Hunter on July 23, 2007, 11:45:00 AM
I'm having a hard time finding the saw with an aluminum base on ****.Any help would be appreciated,Thanks Greg.
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: Hawkeye on July 23, 2007, 01:37:00 PM
Greg,

I sent you an e-mail with one possibility.  Hopes it helps.

Daryl
Title: Re: Harbor freight mini chop saw
Post by: L.I.Hunter on July 23, 2007, 02:56:00 PM
Daryl that did the trick I put a bid on one,Thank You Greg.