Bucket Case Bandsaw

Jeff Horton

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The Heart of Dixie
Brought the American Wood Working Machines bandsaw home today. Meet the owner and looked at it but had some concerns. Decided I would be in it DIRT Cheap/You Suck price so what the heck. I can make money by parting it out. But I don't think the issues are that serious.

We spent and hour looking at parts trying to decide what was what and where it went and what was missing. Finally realized that one of the shafts was missing. He dug around his basement some more and found it. Then we discovered another major part missing.

He said it was at the parents. Called and just caught one of them walking out the door. He left and I tried to decide how the heck to load this. He came back shortly with the part and we continued to try to place all the part and look for missing parts.

I finally decided everything appeared to be there minus the motor. He trashed the original! :eek: Made me want to cry. I will never be able to replace that! The lower blade guide is missing at least one piece and he thought he knew where it was but couldn't get back in his parents house where the saw was before he moved here. The lower guide looks like it was rigged and not factory so I wasn't to worried about that part. I can make or buy a guide that will work and you won't see it unless you look. Besides it will probably work better! The upper guide is there but missing one piece. Again, I can fab something there. Thats not a deal breaker.

So we loaded her up in buckets. Loaded the castings and I brought her home. This is going to be a big project and will take some time since I have to fab some parts. I guess that is just part of dealing with 1920's machines. :dunno: I know this is going to be a big project.

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I think I may have to put this one together as-is while it's still fresh in my mind where some of this goes. Photograph it and then tear it down and start refinishing.
 
Weld was OK Steve. But that trunnion has a problem. It appears that the dovetails are babbit! They were added to the casting for sure. Some softer metal and not Cast Iron for sure. When you crank the table one direction, even it it's rusted state it works fine. When you try to go the other way the table bracket binds. That's where my concern is. Was it welded crooked or something.

After I go it home I think I found the problem. It has a worm gear setup and the shaft on the adjuster is loose in there. When you crank it the gear moves and appears to bind in the teeth. Will have to tear that part down to see better what is happing. May just mean boring it out and adding a bronze bushing or something like that.
 
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Hmmm. Shaft hole may be worn, letting the gear cock sideways, then binding.

Babbit in the shaft hole?
 
So, soon you will have three piles of ol' iron to work on.
That ought to keep you out of trouble:thumb:
 
Decided that I wanted to account for the part and pieces. So I started putting he saw together last night. Nothing it tight or anywhere near ready to run. But I now know where most everything goes. And figured out what is missing too.

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Kind of looks like a saw now. And helps to understand just how big this sucker is!

Jeff
 
Looks great, but what a big wuss, did not even put the table on that saw :eek:

BTW, hurry up and finish the ceiling in the Lab, those insulation bats are going to fall out! :rofl:
 
Making a little progress on the saw since the Jointer is waiting on the motor which I am working on too but it is 3 phase and I haven't even started on the rotary phase converter yet. <deep breath>

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Huh................? :huh:

You are NOT DONE YET...........??

It has almost been a month!!! :rolleyes:

Just kidding, looks really good, that is going to be one heck of a nice saw! :clap:
 
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