[AT] OT - Harbor Freight sliding miter saw update

[Richard Walker]

My thanks (with reservations!) go to whoever alerted the list about the $99 
deal for a 10" sliding compound miter saw deal at Harbor Freight.

I didn't feel comfortable with ordering the saw on-line due to worrying 
about the possibility of finding a fault and then having to eat paying a 
high freight charge to return the 50-pound saw for warrantee.  I checked 
with the manager of my local HF store and he said since they don't stock 
that model, it could NOT be returned to them if ordered on-line and it 
proved to be faulty.  They only handle exchanges/refunds on items bought 
directly though their store, not on catalog purchases.

So instead I bought the saw from a HF store 45 miles from me which did have 
it in stock and would honor the warrantee if returned to them.  I hauled it 
home, unpacked it, plugged it in, and squeezed the switch. It ran for about 
half-a-second, then quit.

OK, figured I would do some simple troubleshooting before returning the 
saw, just in case it was a bad wire connection at the plug or a switch 
malfunction.  Continuity check, voltage check, etc. I'd rather fix it 
myself, even if it took a few minutes, instead of doing a 90-mile round 
trip to return the saw.  I mean, what's so hard about taking a switch out 
of a power tool?  Right.  Took out the four screws which were securing the 
plastic handle half, and as I was removing the half, SPROING!!!  The damn 
thing had Jesus pins inside related to the safety interlocking 
mechanism.  Jesus pins are, in case you don't know, small components that 
spring out of equipment while being disassembled and wind up under the 
workbench, lost in the dirt, out of sight twenty feet away, or otherwise 
gone for good.  You then shout "Jesus!" very loudly.

The wiring checked out fine, the switch checked out fine, the brushes 
checked out fine, the motor windings had continuity, no clue as to the 
problem.  So I buttoned the saw back up (minus the several missing Jesus 
pins!) and will return it soon for another one.  If this next one proves 
bad too, I'll simply request a refund and forget about owning one.

Was wondering how the rest of you who bought these saws like them.  My 
thoughts are that the construction seems typical of most Asian machinery, 
being light (cost-cutting), and somewhat  Mickey Mouse in design, 
especially when you look at things like adjustment procedures, etc.  But at 
1/5 the price of an equivalent Makita or De Walt sliding miter saw, it 
seems to have a place in a shop where it will just get occasional usage.

Provided it runs, that is!


Richard


Richard & Judy Walker
Monrovia, CA

richardwalker @ pobox.com
judywalker @ pobox.com
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