Advice needed on Rapidor Saw

I have a small Rapidor (16" hole-centres blade). It cuts on the push and the blade is maintained in constant tension by a thumb knob at the outer end of the cast frame, the adjusters then being tightened from the side. Your book is simply incorrect. hth

Mine is the slightly smaller one with an extra weight above the end of the hacksaw frame, but I am pretty sure it is the same as Roly's machine in terms of directional cut, but can go and have a look if you want a positive answer.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email Address: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web Pages for Engine Preservation:

Gents, Whilst there may well be a preferred or correct way to put a blade into a particular powered hacksaw, the blade is always being pulled. The load on the teeth pull against the end fixing. Thus the end fixing pulls the blade. So the blade is not in compression. Having insufficient tension no doubt has all sorts of unwelcome effects though.

Occasionally the pedant in me shows!

Henry

Thanks (to both of you). Cutting on the push stroke did seem to make sense from the geometry of the machine, but I just wanted to check that I hadn't missed something.

Mike

Mike

Henry the Dragon writes.............

Absolutely correct ! Well said.

Since the blade is effectively in tension in a frame between two pins it must be drawn by the leading one. There will be a clearance, however small, between the trailing pin and the hole in the blade, which prevents the blade being pushed from behind.

There is of course the argument that the blade is being pushed by the front pin!

Am I going too fast? :)

pin 'a' pushing the front of the blade pin 'b' merely maintaining tension

____________________________________________________________ ( < O>) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ pin 'a' pin 'b'

There is no Mechanical way to "pull" anytrhing as far as I know. Everything is "pushed" if you think about it!

Don't tell my winch that, I have enough problems as it is.

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

I don't think I can be bothered......

Perhaps a better diagram ...............

pin 'a' pushing the front of the blade pin 'b' merely maintaining tension

___________________________________________ ( < O>) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ pin 'a' pin 'b'

Chris R said very succinctly ...............

Yep! Agree with that.

Your blade is blunt

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

Thanks mike :-) but we do all know what is meant by "pulling" lol

Chris R writes ...............

So you have heard the rumours about the village tug-o-war team then!?

John Stevenson accused me .............

That's because I've been cutting up trolls. :)

Mike

In message , Chris R writes

When did you last see a Victorian china bog chain handle with "Push" writ large upon it?

HTH, HAND, TTFN :^)

Pete

The direction of the crank rotation can influence the action of the saw bow..

Tom

Peter Scales writes ........

'Have a nice day' (thanks; you too), 'Tata for now', but WTBH is HTH.

I am sure I shall regret asking this question. :)

By the way it is the fingers which push down on the china handle, and the top link of the chain which pushes down on the cistern lever. Get it?

Cheers

Mike

Hope This Helps, but YMMV.