Cheap Bandsaw First Impressions // Hafco BS-4A Bandsaw

Howdy!
Today we are taking a look at the Hafco BS-4A Metal Bandsaw, Ill be assembling the bandsaw and going through what it can do out of the box.
Thanks for watching, Leave any questions in the comments!
UPDATE: Thanks to some comments below, the vice just needed tightening up and it now holds everything good enough.
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[@JamesMayer125]

UPDATE: Thanks to some comments below, the vice just needed tightening up and it now holds everything good enough.

[@adhawk5632]

Nice one mate, I've had the BS-5V for a few years, it's been a good little saw, this should do what you need👍👌🇦🇺( I think not a machinist channel just got a BS-6V too recently)

[@Gumbatron01]

I picked up what is effectively the same unit from a garage sale, it was a Herless RF-114 (the model number paying homage to the original Taiwanese RongFu 114) which was manufactured in Taiwan in the early 90s (so >30 years old when I got it). My garage sale find was $60, which I knew was an absolute bargain (I would have been happy to pay $200). I was going to buy one that came up at an auction, but the price got over $500, so I figured it was probably better off at that point to buy new. So, you can probably safely assume that this tool holds its value quite well.
Despite being 30 years old, it was still in excellent order and after a little TLC, a new blade and some fiddling with the blade guides it was running pretty well.
There are heaps of mods you can make to them. Depending on what tools you have available, I'd recommend:
- a custom nut for the bottom of the fixed jaw angle adjustment, so you don't need to be reaching under the machine with a spanner to adjust the angle.
- a stop bolt for the angle adjust to easily return it to a precise 90degree cut
- Replacing the standard bolts for tightening the angle adjust with more accurately fitted bolts with handles for easy tightening
- Squaring up the vice jaws (mine were significantly out of square with the lower face of the fixed jaw having a shallow spot at the pivot end). For this, you'll need a milling machine though, or an adventurous lathe setup (mount a fly cutter or lathe tool in the chuck and the work piece on the cross slide to create a makeshift milling machine).
- Take a file or flap wheel to all the rough edges on the castings.
Your issues with the moving jaw flapping about look to be that the bolt holding the vice jaw to the nut is very loose. There should only be a small amount of play in the moving jaw, less than a millimeter. This bolt can also be replaced with a better fitting one that has a handle for quick adjustment.

[@JamesMayer125]

Thanks for all the info! I’ll definitely look into these!