Very solid machine and very well packaged. This is my first bandsaw purchase so I was a bit apprehensive about adjusting, and setting up the machine. As I went through the operating manual, some steps were a bit vague. For example, the blade installation/removal steps made no mention about removing the upper and lower blade guards. Perhaps they assumed the purchaser would have already know this. In the end, no worries!! I figured it out and got it installed and adjusted just right.
Sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves and jump in! I'd definitely recommend this machine.
The G-800 is a beast on dust. My only complaint (to myself) is that I didn't buy it sooner. The purchase, shipping, delivery and setup were all straightforward and I was quickly at work with the machine. I didn't even realize how clean and smooth my saws, planer, and jointer could function with high powered suction. Love this thing. Yes, pricey, but I figured it's been an investment in the life of my tools and my health.
Made my first cuts on my new 4hp 52 inch table. Absolute perfect cuts with the factory blade. The saw is a beast. Can't wait to use it all summer.
Fit-n-finish and attention to detail top to bottom. Packaging is above and beyond allowing me to receive my table saw without a scratch on it.
Absolutely industrial quality where it's needed and then some. When I ripped 2 inch thick piece of red oak the saw easily cut through, no noticeable change in rpm. After completely setting up the saw, about 4 hours in all, I performed a 5 sided cut using a 24"×24"×.75" piece of plywood to check accuracy. On the 5th and final cut, I cut off a 1" strip and measured with a micrometer for equal thickness end to end. It stayed within. 001" thickness throughout. I would buy again.
Let’s call a blade a blade and acknowledge what this miter gauge truly is… fantastic. That’s what.
I’m a cinematographer. And while that doesn’t make me a terrific woodworker, it does make me someone who is obsessed with accuracy. To inaccurate tools, I give no quarter… inch.
The elephant in the shop for anyone considering this product is, at this point, the negative video reviews. And I will admit those reviews made me nervous about ordering such an expensive tool, but when the coupon code rolled up into my inbox, I took a chance. I’m glad I did.
I watched a video that showed a large gap between the angle dial and the indicator. However, mine is tighter than a spaceship’s airlock. The same video showed play and inaccuracy in the preset notches for 90º, 45º, etc. However, mine locks down perfectly and accurately, every time… I made sure of it. A different video showed play at the rear of the gauge from it lacking a rear adjustment dial. But mine has a dial located there, and thus, it doesn’t play around.
The gauge is accurate. The gauge is well made with high quality materials. The gauge is fully adjustable and pairs well with my table saw. The gauge comes in such elegant packaging that I have yet to throw the box away, simply because it feels criminal to do so.
I will also note that I have before called Harvey, and they were very kind on the phone. The salesman answered all of my questions with great patience. And although I was unable to afford their G700 dust collection system, I was able to afford the Compass miter gauge. It has since exceeded my high expectations and laid all of my concerns about it and the quality of Harvey products to rest.
So, were the problems there to begin? I don’t know. What I do know is that there are no problems with it now. And if there were problems to begin with but no problems exist now, that means Harvey did the greatest thing a company can do: They listened to their customers.
That’s good enough for me, and the exceptional Compass miter gauge is good enough for anyone who cares about accuracy as much as I do.
Works as it should. Fits just like the standard knife that comes with the saw. I love using thin kerf blades and now I can do it safely.
Originally purchased the RG-1 to use along with the roller guides installed on my table saw. Loved the product so much I purchased the RG-2 to use on my bandsaw, especially when re-sawing.
The product is so well made. You can just tell Harvey cares about quality materials and craftsmanship. I would not hesitate to purchase more Harvey tools and equipment again in the future.
I was very pleased with my purchase of 4 Harvey machines. Everything arrived without a scratch, the packaging is well engineered. All the assembly was straightforward and the quality of the parts, assemblies and accessories is first rate. I configured the tablesaw the way I wanted with an overhead guard and dust system (the shark), sliding table and rear table. I was pleasantly surprised to see that all the mounting holes were already there for my accessories. Even the fence rails came drilled for my choice of configuration. No drilling required. The miter gauge is the best I've ever owned. The bandsaw works great, even resawing thin strips from 5" stock. The shaper is a great buy as well, all accessories included for shaper cutters, router bits, etc. The fence and the guards are easy to precisely adjust and my G700 dust processor is amazing. No more all day clean-ups! I'm picking up my lumber to start my boatbuilding project next week. Can't wait to get started!
Bandsaw seems well built. Like the coated. Table adj screws are a bit of a pain as levers can't rotate 360,knobs might be better choice. Time will tell after getting setup. Customer service has been great. No long hold and you talk to a person.
Over all, this is truly a fine saw. Solid as a rock and powerful. Two issues that have risen. There is no place on the saw to store the wonderful crosscut tool. It is large and very well made but I am going to have to make a storage rack for it on my wall. Additionally, the attachment with the line to establish rip width won't lock and keeps moving. I am sure this can be replaced by the company although I haven't called them yet. So far their customer service has been excellent so I expect this will be solved rapidly with minimal stress.
this is an excellent dust system! Much better fit and finish than expected.
I’m very satisfied with the performance. Two improvements would make this outstanding. Put the power switch on the same side as the controls and make the remote able to adjust the fan speed.
Thanks for a fine product.
Wayne
As usual the Harvey Woodworking equipment is well thought out, well made and priced to sell. The features and function of this miter guage are far above any other miter guage available. Stock guages from Powermatic, Jet or others are far below the quality, utility and function of Harvey Woodworking tools. Across the board.
This tool is of supreme quality. All parts are manufactured well and of very heavy grade materials. Above and beyond the likes of powermatic, jet, laguna etc. I have a full compliment of excellent equipment from those makers and the Harvey brand stands out among them as being above and beyond. Next stop- Harvey Alpha tablesaws ...
The SHARK S-12S is a sturdy and impressive tool that effectively reduces dust accumulation. Its swiveling feature and movable guard unit make it user-friendly, although the frame and wheel may limit visibility under the dust shroud. However, this is not a deal-breaker, as you can adjust to viewing from the side of the transparent shield. Speaking of the shield, it has saved me during one of my projects when a kickback occurred while cutting maple. The Shark S-12S took the brunt of it, and I wasn't injured. Upon close inspection, there was no noticeable damage to the Shark S-12S from the kickback.
I have an older 2hp dust collector that efficiently handles the dust produced by my table saw. However, I hope to upgrade to the Harvey GYRO AIR G-700 someday to complement the Shark S-12S system.
I also own a Harvey Alpha Table Saw equipped with a 32" INCRA TS-LS Rip Fence System. To mount the Shark S-12S onto the fence, I had to devise a secure and functional mounting solution that did not require drilling into the Incra. Fortunately, I found an alternative solution that did not compromise the integrity of the Incra.
Despite its limitations, the Shark S-12S is an excellent investment that outperforms the original dust guard. It reduces the amount of dust in the air and protects against kickbacks, making it a worthwhile purchase.
The slide saw attachment works amazing. It makes your table saw so much more versatile. Well worth the price. Just wish I bought it sooner.
The table saw is a most welcome upgrade and I wish I'd done it sooner. Some particular features I like is this effortless nature of the motor, cutting through oak and walnut with no strain. The fence - for me - is an exceptionally important part of any table saw and the ability to adjust it, and to be certain it isn't moving under the stress of forces is critical. This saw was clearly made with delicate as well thick lumber in mind. The fence moves back also to allow for larger pieces and it has a view finder measurement for the fence in the high or low position which is exquisite. Having a machine that allows calibration every now and then on almost all aspects from the fence to the riving knife is very welcome. Precision means saving time and not wasting material. For the work I do precision is critical and this saw saves me wasted material and gives precision cuts the first time. I'll probably buy another one next year. When dealing with materials in excess of 8 feet, only precision is acceptable.
After doing a lot of research and saving, I decided to go with Harvey. I waited for a sale and have no regrets. This saw has power, is accurate, and has a great fence. Super easy to set up. Thanks for a great product!
Great machine. Delivered well packaged and protected. Set up was very easy and quick. Cuts are accurate and the saw has plenty of power. The feature I like the best is the power off switch on the foot pedal, as well as the blade stop brake on continued pressure of the pedal. Great safety feature! Only negative I can see so far is that the dust collection is marginal.
Very well made and easy to use. I highly recommend it as it changes one's entire table saw experience. The miter gage is also extremely good. Note that one needs to take a goodly amount of time setting this up. FYI, it fits on a Shop Fox W1851 without any modifications.
Found out about Harvey through Youtube and I am very satisfied with the quality of this bandsaw.
At first, I was concerned about the delivery, but I am happy to say that everything went well. Communication with freight and Harvey was excellent.
I've had this saw for about 6 months so far, and it works great. I think what made this saw stand out for me was the ease of setting up the blade. The bearings are easy to access and intuitive to adjust. There are viewing windows conveniently placed to make blade tracking adjustments very quick.
Overall, this is a bandsaw that will do what you need and last over a lifetime.
The Ambassador C14 bandsaw is a great bandsaw at a good price. The tool-less blade guides are simple and reliable. Excellent power. Nice size table. The fit and finish is much better than the Rikon, Jet and Laguna bandsaws that I was considering. I wish the fence was taller for ripping, but everything else is top notch.
I ordered and received the MG36 and it was spot on in every way. Didn't experience any of the slop issue described. I left the response below on the "other" channel just to recount my experience, just posting for the details of the unit I received
I watched this and did a bunch of follow up investigating for supporting opinions, didn't find much to support your findings. I took the leap and just bought the Harvey. No gap issue .010, no deflection in the stop, works perfect, also you can flip the extension arm to the other side if you don't like the angle end. As such can cut down to 2", way to close to the blade IMHO. Was 100% perfect 90 degrees. The slot adjustment were not fussy at all. They looked a bit different than the ones in your video,.and there were 5 of them, the bar is longer and has one behind the miter lock button. Feel like you reviewed a completely different product. The one I received is off the charts top notch.
I love the band saw! That being said I do have a few comments on it’s use ability. The table is too low. I’m blocking up the saw in the carriage to have a more comfortable work height. Also you should offer a medium height rip fence for work that is not resaw. I know you can flip it on it’s side but you loose ripping width and the edge is quite low. If I rip something 3”” high the guild has to be above the rip fence an not close to the work. A fence 3”in height would be a great option purchase.
Superbly made, accurate and fun to use. Only problem is explaining to my woodworking associates why I need this. I don't. I just wanted it.