Blade walk is my biggest gripe with the portaband/SWAG setup. It would be cool if someone made a guide block for it.
CK5
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Got any cool tools lately?
- Thread starter nvrenuf
- Start date
I had a discussion with Troy, the owner of SWAG. He said they tried to come up with a guide under the table, but room on the saw was an issue.
I'd be afraid to use it like that, the material won't go in flat and it would want to bind up on that clamp and pinch the blade. Plus, I have a big foot switch to shut off my 120V saw, if something happens on that one how will you shut it off?
I only cut straight with it mostly. If you cut curves the leverage of the work piece spreads the bearings out and then the blade goes crooked. You can replace the bearing/guide assembly from Milwaukee and then its pretty straight again, but not perfect.
It’s being used to rip small square tubing longways into little channels. The material doesn’t hit the clamp.
The problem is the lack of blade support with the 5” opening. I’m rarely cutting anything over a 1” therefore a secondary adjustable guide would be useful. I still use the horizontal bandsaw more often, it’s too easy to set it and walkway.
$50.00 on CL
chinese, I know. Wish they were American made. I priced them new at anywhere from $150.00-$300.00
chinese, I know. Wish they were American made. I priced them new at anywhere from $150.00-$300.00
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a hard time cutting anything straight. I feel like the blade walks or twists on me and I get garbage cuts if I use the miter as a guide. If I free hand it I can adjust the work piece as the blade shifts and get decent results. Either way still cleaner and quieter than a chop saw.
Found one of these in the stash.
Lots of good discussion on the chopsaw. That's gonna go away.
Still undecided on the big lathe. Would need Motorcycle to go away. Not sure I can ride anyhow after breaking my arm last summer. But it'll prob get more use at this point.
Still undecided on the big lathe. Would need Motorcycle to go away. Not sure I can ride anyhow after breaking my arm last summer. But it'll prob get more use at this point.
This uncle was the one that gave me the 'Monkey Paw' - my build below. We called him that because he had the propensity to bend/break just about anything. Was going through a bin of 1" sockets - and found a 1-7/8 socket that he managed to crack.
Power Kraft, Montgomery Wards Store brand
In all my years of working on junk, I have never had control arm bushings fight me so much! I knocked the old ones out, like nothing!
But using a socket and hammer….
Just wasn’t working!!
Got a “control arm bushing installer”
Boom! Done!!!!
Never underestimate the power of the right tool!
But using a socket and hammer….
Just wasn’t working!!
Got a “control arm bushing installer”
Boom! Done!!!!
Never underestimate the power of the right tool!
Before I got my lathe, I found this for cheap, I was told it just needed electricity to work.
So I hauled it home with help from my brother and my father and his skid loader....
Then came the problems after I hooked a VFD up and turned it on.
The motor base was cracked and bent, and the upper support bearing for the spindle was gone, and I don't mean wore out, it was literally gone, as in not even there!
So I hauled it home with help from my brother and my father and his skid loader....
Then came the problems after I hooked a VFD up and turned it on.
The motor base was cracked and bent, and the upper support bearing for the spindle was gone, and I don't mean wore out, it was literally gone, as in not even there!
How much to fix that?
Martin
Martin
I found a used motor plate from a parts source for $125, and got new bearings in it, was easier than I thought. A 3 PH induction motor has no brushes or wear items, so it was as good as new after I blasted and painted the exterior case, then I sold that rebuilt motor for quite a bit, and bought a bigger 2HP motor that needed rebuilt and did it again.
So I tore it apart, as in, all the way apart, as far as you could, and rebuilt the entire thing. New bearings, new belts, new lead screws, new bronze lead screw nuts, any wear item got replaced. I learned a lot in the processs, I now know everything that moves inside that mill when I use it for my business. I would not do it again, I would just buy a better one. But I am glad I did it once I guess.
Some before/during pics...
I made a fixture to support the head while I repaired things.
I cleaned, rebuilt, and repainted everything with 3M industrial paint. New oiling system parts...
I also added a 4 axis DRO, so it even has a DRO on the quill...that took some mill work just to mount it all with a custom switch panel to control the VFD.
Had to mill some flat stock and T channel after milling mounting counterbores and threads into the quill stop thingy...
Was almost done, shortly after I sold that vice and bought a new Kurt vice....
I added power feeds on the knee (Z) and the table (X)...
I also added a 4 axis DRO, so it even has a DRO on the quill...that took some mill work just to mount it all with a custom switch panel to control the VFD.
Had to mill some flat stock and T channel after milling mounting counterbores and threads into the quill stop thingy...
Was almost done, shortly after I sold that vice and bought a new Kurt vice....
I added power feeds on the knee (Z) and the table (X)...
You could have made a "build" thread just for that.
Martin
Martin
Speaking of dro, anyone used the touchdro, that's run off android tablet?
TouchDRO - Touchscreen Digital Readout (DRO) for Lathes and Milling Machines
TouchDRO is a touchscreen digital readout for manual mills and lathes. Designed, assembled, tested, and shipped from Portland, Oregon, it supports most common DRO scales and has been trusted by machinists since 2012.
www.touchdro.com
If people are interested I could, I learned a lot, but it was a lot of work, over 100 hours. I have more pictures but didn't sort through them all.
Now I use it for all sorts of things, I made a fixture to add the volcano interface to intake manifolds, I make custom fuel rails, EFI conversions, etc.
The fuel rails I can also put in the lathe and remove more material for some higher end builds.
Now I use it for all sorts of things, I made a fixture to add the volcano interface to intake manifolds, I make custom fuel rails, EFI conversions, etc.
The fuel rails I can also put in the lathe and remove more material for some higher end builds.
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