Travis Johnson
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It was a busy weekend with 90% of my weekend enduring sheep related stuff, but I did find a few hours of free time Saturday to improve my woodworking shop. Over that past few weeks I have managed to get a permanent ceiling in it, and get one wall sided in, but some of my go-too woodworking machines were down.
The first was my bandsaw, an old 12 inch Craftsman unit from the 80's. It spun a bearing so I got that replaced, only to find out the motor had burned out which most likely was caused by the bearing failure. So I stuck the only spare motor I had on it, but its a two stage, high speed motor. The saw sounds like its going to the moon when it hits the second stage, but doesn't it saw wood!
Then I began working on my stationary belt sander; again a 1980's vintage Craftsman Unit. This one had spun a woodruff key out and dinged up the shaft. A little surgery on that with a file, an assortment of pulleys, a change of motors and that was making sawdust again.
So with those two machines back in the running again, I turned my attention to my 1950's Craftsman tablesaw. That one was making strange sounds that sounded just like a bearing. No big deal, I have done it before so off came the top, the trunnions, and finally the motor and the problem was evident. That too had spun a woodruff key. More surgery with a grinder and file, another trip to the assortment of pulleys I had, and it was fixed.
Figuring the past hour or so had accomplished a lot, I figured I would push my luck with an old Rockwell 8¼ tablesaw someone had given me years ago. I had kept it, but never did anything with it, so I figured being in great shape I should use it for something. It is just the right size for the model making woodworking I do. But as I said earlier, my spare motor collection was all used up. Spying my lathe, (an unused woodworking tool) it had a stepped pulley driving it. So I bolted the small tablesaw to the bench the lathe was bolted too and tag-teamed off the lathe pulley/motor. Another trip to my pulley assortment got the ratios I needed. I slapped a new 8¼ cross cut blade I had kicking around and gave it a test. It could turn a bit faster granted, butit worked well enough as is. I really do like the extra height the saw bolted to the bench gives me. Its at optimum height for dealing with small model parts.
All in all it was a busy afternoon, but I'm grinning now. With the exception of my Giliom Bandsaw, and 18 inch jointer; every tool in my shop is up and running! Now I can actually make something!
The first was my bandsaw, an old 12 inch Craftsman unit from the 80's. It spun a bearing so I got that replaced, only to find out the motor had burned out which most likely was caused by the bearing failure. So I stuck the only spare motor I had on it, but its a two stage, high speed motor. The saw sounds like its going to the moon when it hits the second stage, but doesn't it saw wood!
Then I began working on my stationary belt sander; again a 1980's vintage Craftsman Unit. This one had spun a woodruff key out and dinged up the shaft. A little surgery on that with a file, an assortment of pulleys, a change of motors and that was making sawdust again.
So with those two machines back in the running again, I turned my attention to my 1950's Craftsman tablesaw. That one was making strange sounds that sounded just like a bearing. No big deal, I have done it before so off came the top, the trunnions, and finally the motor and the problem was evident. That too had spun a woodruff key. More surgery with a grinder and file, another trip to the assortment of pulleys I had, and it was fixed.
Figuring the past hour or so had accomplished a lot, I figured I would push my luck with an old Rockwell 8¼ tablesaw someone had given me years ago. I had kept it, but never did anything with it, so I figured being in great shape I should use it for something. It is just the right size for the model making woodworking I do. But as I said earlier, my spare motor collection was all used up. Spying my lathe, (an unused woodworking tool) it had a stepped pulley driving it. So I bolted the small tablesaw to the bench the lathe was bolted too and tag-teamed off the lathe pulley/motor. Another trip to my pulley assortment got the ratios I needed. I slapped a new 8¼ cross cut blade I had kicking around and gave it a test. It could turn a bit faster granted, butit worked well enough as is. I really do like the extra height the saw bolted to the bench gives me. Its at optimum height for dealing with small model parts.
All in all it was a busy afternoon, but I'm grinning now. With the exception of my Giliom Bandsaw, and 18 inch jointer; every tool in my shop is up and running! Now I can actually make something!
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