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Need help: Repair old Sears horizontal cut off saw - blade popos off

I have an old '50s vintage Craftsman horizontal 4 x 6 cut off saw - predates the H/V stuff from today but the same general configuration. I bought it in very used but functional condition about 15 years ago. A couple of years ago the blade would not keep from coming off of the wheels. Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within

2 to 3 rotations of the wheel. I put the machine aside as I did not have time to mess with it. Now I am trying to get it working again - not that I have any more time to mess with it now but I am getting quite annoyed at something that occupies space but is non functional.

So far I have: made a new bushing for the non driven wheel to keep it from wobbling - no effect other than the wheel rotates smoothly with out wobbling. I have installed the wheel backwards so that the teeth of the blade ride on the wheel flange - this actually works to keep the blade from walking off of the wheel but wears out the teeth and is chewing up the flange on the wheel. I have replaced the tire - no positive effect. I have tried 2 other blades no improvement. Knowing that belt sanders use crown in the drums to keep the belt aligned, I tried to put a bit of taper on the wheel under the tire. I put a couple of narrow strips of aluminum foil tape (total build up of 0.008 inch) on the edge of the wheel opposite of the flange (heel of the blade) hoping that the cross sectional taper of the wheel would drive the blade down the incline and that the backside (heel) of the blade would ride up against the flange of the wheel - again no luck. I am flat out of ideas. Suggestions please. If you are replying direct, remove the "nospam" in my address. TIA.

Reply to
aribert
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I had the same problem with my saw, a mid-70's Taiwan made unit. I bought it used, it had no tires and I've been using it that way since I got it. The blade stopped it's popping off when I really cranked down on the tension as hard as I could by hand, then just a bit more with a big pair of channellocks. You might try taking the tires off.

Ken Grunke

Reply to
Ken Grunke

What condition are the bearings of the driven wheel? Might the wheels be out-of-plane?

The blade will walk off the wheel if either is canted or if both wheels aren't running in the same plane. If you lay a straight edge across the wheels the problem should be evident.

Reply to
Jim Levie

can you find the tracking adjustment? it tilts the wheel to keep it on

Reply to
HaroldA102

"Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within

2 to 3 rotations of the wheel."

Sounds like 1 or both of the axles are either bent or worn. I would check with a straightedge over the faces of both wheels while they are tightened down with a blade installed.

Reply to
Wwj2110

You didn't give the model #. If it is like most I have seen they require a tire unlike the Asian imports. As some one else said, they have to be very tight. The twisting action from the blade guides might be the cause if it is not tight. I might be able to send you a copy of the manual if you can find the model number. You might still be able to get the tires from Sears. I bought some about 15 years ago.

Chuck P.

Reply to
MOP CAP

There should be a tracking adjustment to tilt the wheel.

Your understanding of the effect of wheel crowning is backward. The blade climbs up the crown, not down. If you want to try crowning, build up at the flange.

John Martin

Reply to
JMartin957

When I was preparing my 4x6 H/V saw for use, I removed the gearbox pulley and installed a tap handle (the kind that has two opposed handles) as a temporary winding handle. This allowed me to run numerous rotations easily while viewing the blade tracking. I could adjust the pitch/tracking adjustment of the freewheeling wheel while checking for the desired blade travel results.

The other recommendations for high blade tension is correct. When you pick the blade with a fingernail, instead of a short sound, the twang should be more of a sustained sound.

WB ................

Reply to
Wild Bill

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