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View Full Version : Yet another project... Power (Arhh arhh) Hack Saw.



Luva65wagon
February 27th, 2021, 11:57 PM
I get bored if I'm not working on something. And not going anywhere these days (much) has prompted me to work on a lot of projects I've had (some of them) for many years. Some I just picked up. As some of you know... I can fix or restore anything. Falcons are the thing I do here, but being a guy who for more than 50 years of my (current) 60, has had his hand on a tool of some sort - I just like it. I have a picture of me at 2 years - looking like I'm trying to disassemble a rotary telephone. Lucky for you (and maybe me) I don't have that picture on this computer.

A couple weeks ago Lila and I drove to an estate sale on the southend side of Tacoma, a horse farm, and though they didn't have much, I saw a pretty cool old power hack saw in the barn. Not that I need one since I have a horizontal band saw, I had to ask what they wanted for it. And dang it, it was too cheap. For $5 they said "Take it. Tomorrow it's going to scrap metal if we don't sell it today." The biggest part of me doesn't want to see cool old tools turned into Fords and Chevy's so I loaded into the van and paid the lady her $5.

It sat for a couple weeks as I worked on other projects and last week I finally pulled it apart. Shoot! The main gear was missing a couple teeth here and there. They still "engaged" a bit, but it wasn't something I would "sell", which is the end-goal here. Sell this when done. So I looked everywhere for a replacement gear for the brand 'as shown on the saw' and nothing, nowhere, nada. Then I found an original ad for the saw I had (attached) and on that page it indicated they sold this same saw through Sears and Roebuck. So I searched for a Sears (Craftsman) Power Hack Saw and - BAMM! - a guy in New York had the gear on eBay... for $50. (Sad face). I hate it when people offer me half-price for things on eBay, so I offered him $40 - and he took it. The gear arrived today and it's like new. Yay! Because I knew a gear was on the way I cleaned, bead blasted, and painted all the other parts and will have it together next week. I had to replace the main shaft and get a new oil-lite bushing for one side, but it's looking good so far. The base (Hand made and heavy) gets cleaned next.

If anyone is looking for a cool old power hack saw... it'll be a cool addition to anyone's shop. And you'll know it was ... lovingly... restored.

Falcongek
February 28th, 2021, 10:17 AM
I love such barnfinds.
These are the moments i hate not having a proper shop.
Good luck with the resto and hope you get a nice price selling it.
Do post some pics of the process

dhbfaster
February 28th, 2021, 01:25 PM
Yep, yep...sounds like a neat find. We're looking for the before and after pics now.

BadBird
February 28th, 2021, 01:49 PM
You should get a lot of lookers for that $44.75 price. Heck, I might even give it a go. Let me know if you will go lower than that. KIDDING!!! Looking forward to pictures. Larry

Luva65wagon
February 28th, 2021, 11:20 PM
And here I forgot to take before pictures! Doh! Didn't think at the time of making a thread on it. But I took some 'today' pictures. And will take some 'after' pictures.

And Larry, I got at least $55 into it now, so will probably have to see about adjusting the Ad price. Let's see, what is $44.75 in 2021 dollars? I just looked... $900.00!!!

:WHATTHE:

BadBird
February 28th, 2021, 11:38 PM
I hate it when that happens. Looking very good and can't wait to see the finished product. Larry

Luva65wagon
March 1st, 2021, 11:55 PM
Almost got it put together today. Needed to drill a new hole for the drive gear into the new shaft... and that was a tedious setup. But I also applied a few of my typical While I'm At Itâ„¢ additions. The red areas are lube points. I also had to order a new oil drip cup for the main saw arm. Shoot, that was $12 by itself. This thing is costing me a fortune!

Falcongek
March 4th, 2021, 01:30 PM
It looks absolutely gorgeous [BOW]
(looks around for a place to put it, so the wife won't notice.... Nah not a chance)

BadBird
March 4th, 2021, 06:13 PM
Roger, does this saw come with the motor??? The ad you showed for $44.75 says without a motor. If yours has the motor then you can charge a lot more without me suing you for false advertising. YOU know I am kidding. The work you are doing with this is just another reminder of not only your abilities but your attention to detail. Beautiful work. [thumb] Larry

Luva65wagon
March 4th, 2021, 11:30 PM
It looks absolutely gorgeous [BOW]
(looks around for a place to put it, so the wife won't notice.... Nah not a chance)

I think it would cost more to ship it to you than it would be to buy it. HA. No worries. :BEER:

Luva65wagon
March 4th, 2021, 11:45 PM
Roger, does this saw come with the motor??? Larry

Indeed it does. Tested it yesterday and then just finished cleaning it up and painting it today.

Will assemble it tomorrow and then work on the stand. The stand is actually pretty decent for a cobbled together thing. They'd welded the motor to the pivot and so I'll fix all that and put my signature on it. Not sure yet what that'll be, but it'll come to me.

Will go get a new cord and belt for it tomorrow too and do the "raise the blade on the forward stroke" adjustment (it's a pull saw) and then, hopefully, call another project - done.

Luva65wagon
March 11th, 2021, 11:27 PM
I know you've all been sitting on the edge of your seat awaiting the completion of this saw. I know I have. It is officially done and works pretty well. It needs a real power hacksaw blade, and they're out there, but it works fine with a regular hacksaw blade.

Thanks for following along and if you know someone who's a vintage tool fanatic, let them know it's available. I'm trying to research whether it has more of a scrap weight value or something more than that.
:WHATTHE:

dkutz
March 12th, 2021, 01:35 PM
That thing is pretty sweet!

SmithKid
March 12th, 2021, 05:56 PM
Are you thinking it may cut faster with the proper blade?

Luva65wagon
March 12th, 2021, 09:54 PM
I made a few runs with it today to actually test it out. I woke up this morning knowing how to adjust the lift part. Funny (at least with me) I apparently dream how to solve things. Anyway, got that lift system working correctly and it cuts fine with a regular saw blade. I think it was designed originally to use them. I actually found the manual for it online and it shows a small-ish blade. I also found where a part on the flywheel was rubbing on the guard and did some clearancing on it. Might get a video of it tomorrow.

Luva65wagon
March 13th, 2021, 06:52 PM
In Action!

https://youtu.be/QdFbinlBhgg

Luva65wagon
March 27th, 2021, 11:06 PM
The saw went to a new home today. A fella who lives on a boat but has a shop up north saw my Craigslist ad and came this morning to get it. Yay.

dhbfaster
March 28th, 2021, 10:51 AM
That was beautiful work as always Roger.
there definitely seems to be some money and fun in antique tools if you know what you?re looking at. Have you seen any of these? https://www.jimbodetools.com/collections/whats-new

https://www.tias.com/tools/

i found that a few of the hand tools I have from my grandfather are becoming antiques now. I have several of those in the second website in my toolbox.

this could easily become yet one more hobby...

Luva65wagon
March 28th, 2021, 11:42 AM
this could easily become yet one more hobby...

Considering my job for years was to build and repair equipment and tools... It's always been a hobby when outside of work. Now it is my work. Not highly profitable yet, but no doubt once I have my shop setup the way I want it I'll be able to crank things out faster. Getting there.

Milling machine now done and I did a full maintenance this weekend on my lathe I can better fix the things needing fixing. I need to get some tooling before I can do much, but making my list now for that.

Those are cool sites too Don. I joined the tool restoration group on FB as well. I have so many collectible tools. Each will get restored and sold at some point, assuming of course I don't decide to use them.