Rather than high jack David's Craiglist thread any further I figure I'd start my own. There are a few bucket list machines I always keep an eye out for. A power hack saw is one of them. Most that pop up on the trader website are too large and/or carry what I consider a crazy price tag for an antiquated machine tool. Evening though I think they're really cool... So anyways, I drove a little over an hour down into the heart of Toronto, which for any unfamiliar is just as bad if not worse than every other major metropolis in North America. ...and especially annoying when you prefer to avoid those types of areas as a choice of life style...lol. Nice older couple were selling off the husband's small collection of machine tools. The power hacksaw I was there for was in great shape, and a working tool before he decided to unload it. The for sale ad is now dead so rather than bloat this post any further I'll just post the short vid I took last night of it screwed down to my bench and making a cut... It didn't do so well starting out. However it ends up that was just because the previous owner had installed the blade backwards...lol. Once I sorted that out, it made short work of the stock. Normally when I get a "new to me" tool, I like to strip it down and clean it up. That normally leads to me repainting everything, and having yet another, otherwise working tool, sitting in baggies waiting to be reassembled. However, this isn't going to happen to this one...., I swear..., lol
I need one of those to whack up my fat ass bronze ingots. Set it and walk away. Doesn't take up much space, I like that!
Watching that thing would put me to sleep in a minute. Kinda like chirpys shaper. It's memorizing. click.... click.... click..... lights out. ZZZzzzzzzzzz
Don't kid yourself... I did watch a few, and have made everyone that has come to my home since the purchase watch it as well...lol So far the only one that doesn't put it in the "totally cool" column is my wife...
LOL yea, I admit I have sat and watched mine for way way longer than I should have too... I also enjoy watching the shaper do its ting
I'll admit that I've been keeping a passive eye out for a modest sized shaper as well. It wouldn't be my first choice for a lot of things, but it does do some stuff better than conventional mill/lathe can. Unfortunately there's only one listed on my local trader website and the seller wants a cool $1500 for a 7" SouthBend. That simply isn't going to happen... https://www.kijiji.ca/v-power-tool/...er/1330864887?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Nice power hacksaw. I've never used one. I have a little '60s Wells band saw that I rebuilt. That was a great deal on a SB Shaper. I found one from an estate for $250, all rebuilt and then packed away in a crate. Still worth the 6 hour round trip drive. There are deals out there, but you have to pounce quick. That being said, I do not use it much at all. Glad I did not pay big money. I do have some plans to make a gear cutting mechanism for it this year ... I hope.
Sexy. I wouldn't mind having one of those myself. Though the machine I'd most like to find is a die filler.
Didn't Clickspring over on Youtube have one made from a castings kit? Here it is: http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/MLA-18.html
Nice score JV, I like the idea of a more compact benchtop size saw like that. LOL, I probably could not stop watching it cut and just "walk away" either. Speaking of Chirpy/Cae2100 and power hacksaws, he just got through rebuilding and restoring a big old one on his YT channel, if anyone missed that. (He's in the midst of a die filer build too as it happens.) Jeff
I was just watching one of Mr Pete's YouTube videos on making a drillpress vice from readymade castings. He was showing a video of a power hacksaw that was outfitted with such a vice and indicated that the blade was on wrong; that the saw was designed to cut on the back stroke. That got me to thinking about your saw and the backwards blade. This manual may be for a newer style than yours, but appears at least to be a descendant. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/power-hacksaw-blade-direction-195739/ On looking at some practical machinist posts the consensus is that the correct direction of the blade depends on the saw. I noticed on your vid that the gear is turning contrary to the arrow direction. Maybe the guy had it right? Pete
hmmm... interesting. I'm not 100% sure what direction the main gear is spinning. I'm generally the type to notice that kind of thing. I looked at the pics I have access to and can't determine if I screwed that up or not....lol All I can say is that the saw cut better on forward cutting stroke than a backward one. Of course if I do have the saw spinning backward that could have something to do with that... The notion of it cutting on back stroke does make sense considering the the vise design. The back fixed jaw is wider than the front adjustable one. I notice material flexing when I used it to slice up some key stock during the weekend. Now that said, .250" key stock is likely to flex anyway, so it didn't raise much of a flag for me. I'll have to check when I get home...
J. it looks like it is reversed. The spring from the frame to the arm provides some down pressure through half the throw and releases it through the other half. Your blade direction is correct for the rotation of your motor, but by reversing it the cut stroke will be towards the fixed portion of the vise. Nice little machine.
Hey guess what... ...it's running backwards...lol. I was walking passed the saw the other day and stopped. Pondered about what I was supposed to remember to do regarding the saw for a few minutes then realized it was a rotation check... So ya, it's currently step up to run backwards on rotation and blade orientation. I'll have to correct that before I use it the next time. Thanks for the head's up
