Mike Mahoney is a world-renowned woodturner who knows his way around a lathe. Mike decided to test the T40 for us a few months ago and has gotten the opportunity to review it for Fine Woodworking Magazine. Check out the article below!
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.
