DIY Cold Saw Project Pix

Having a need for a compact metal cutting saw i decided to have some fun building one. Foot print is 8" X 10", cutting capacity is 3" X 6", equiped with a DC motor gives variable speed capability for a variaty of materials. Vise is removable and replaced with a small rotory table for angle cuts. Total cost is about $100.00 using new surplus components purchased on ebay. Construction time is under 8 hours. Pix 4 shows a test cut.
Ideas, sugestions, comments welcome.
http://members.cox.net/azotic/cs1.jpg
http://members.cox.net/azotic/cs2.jpg
http://members.cox.net/azotic/cs3.jpg
http://members.cox.net/azotic/cs4.jpg
http://members.cox.net/azotic/cs5.jpg
Best Regards Tom.

azotic wrote:
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Very nice. That's a pretty precise stop you have in the second pix. :-) ...lew...

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Ummmm... a suds pump?
(I would've said "guards", but good-ole-boys would monster me.)
Nice work, BTW.
-- Jeff R.

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Soon as i run into a 16" frying pan at the flea market its gonna have a blade guard, coolant pump will be determined by whats available at the recycling center on the next trip. In the interum a oil soaked brush is being held against the blade via threaded rod and a magnet.
Best Regards Tom.

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Hehe! Cute!
Do check the heat on the teeth. I keep my Brobo blade flooded when running, just to be safe. Don't want to lose your temper.
JR

Jeff R. wrote:
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Very nice, but I agree with you that some kind of guard to protect people's fingers would make it even nicer. What if a sleeve gets caught on the saw? Might pull the whole arm into the work.
S.

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Agreed a blade gaurd is essential. I did find some suitable sheetmetal today at the scrap yard, so theres gonna be a gaurd over the blade tonight.
Best Regards Tom.

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Slick!

azotic writes:
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How do you set the downfeed pressure?

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Gravity seems to work very well, the motor and speed reducer weight appear to be just right for CRS. Havent tested the saw on stainless yet but i suspect it may need a hydraulic assist when cutting tougher alloys.
Best Regards Tom.

Azotic, very nice, what speed reduced did you use?
i

On Apr 1, 9:01 am, Ignoramus26684 <ignoramus26...@NOSPAM. 26684.invalid> wrote:
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When I was thinking about it I was guessing around 20:1 would be nice. Depending on the exact motor you use (assuming 1725ish) that would put you just under 100rpm. I was working with 60 as the low end and 120 as the high end that you would want to use.

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Boston Gear, 40:1 ratio, C-Face motor mount, hollow bore, it's new old stock (surplus) probobley mfg. in the 60's. I decided on new only, don't want any sloppy bearings that are usually included free with used speed reducers. Hollow bore allows you to make up arbors to accomadate a variety of blades.
Best Regards Tom.

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Nice job. If you're concerned about slop in the bearings, put an indicator on the output shaft and load it in various directions with a bar. There is probably some play in the bearings that you can improve on if it's enough to affect the accuracy you're after.
The tolerance on tapered roller bearings, which that reducer almost certainly uses, is such that if you need to minimize or eliminate play it's necessary to shim or otherwise adjust the bearing stack. The factory probably does this at assembly, but will err on the loose side to maximize bearing life.
Ned Simmons

Great tool, Tom! Really nice return on your investment of 8 hours and a hundred bucks!
Dave

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Very cool job. Just a thought though. What about turning the motor-gearbox 180deg on that mount plate (move vice across) so you have some counter weight, then add a pull down handle and you can adjust the cutting pressure with a manly bicep as you go?? Besides that would put the vice on the left of the blade where it might better suit a right handed person? Unless of course you are a South paw.
I have been thinking about building something like that for about two years when funds permit. I currently have a Porter Cable 8" miter saw with a carbide-tooth metal cutting blade in it and a router speed controller. It lacks good torque at lower speeds with the speed controller.

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I wound not hessitate building another one, beats the pants off any of the PRC horizontal bandsaws i have seen.
Best Regards Tom.
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Very similar to thoughts I was having during the last Cold Saw discussion on here. Glad to see someone had a similar idea and the gumption to prove that it works.
Very good work too. For only 8 hours it looks really well made.

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Most of the time was spent on laying out the bolt holes using a height gauge on a surface plate. The bolt holes are size on size, i did this to keep everything as square to the blade as possible, no wiggle room for things to move during assembly. All the holes register off of 2 parallel sides on the top and bottom plate.
Best Regards Tom.

It works, that's the best part. Too many guys are afraid to actually try ideas.
I'm guessing you got a good deal on the pillow plock bearing units, that's one expensive hinge, otherwise. =)
I need to make a cold saw for a friend of mine. Need to cut a specific wire shape, biggest cross section is about .18", in bronze and stainless steel, mostly. I was leaning towards an up-acting blade, with a screw feed, as the travel distance needed is very short, and the screw would provide a very positive control. Also a micrometer stop for the length of material.
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