10” Tilt Arbor table saw (contractor’s saw-Craftsman) blade adjustment issue

[Janderso]

Hey all,
My son asked me to help him with his table saw problems.
The blade adjustment just will not work. I tore it down to find the pivot pin is not allowing for movement.
After cleaning it up I have been applying acetone/atf to try to free it up a bit.

Any body else have this issue?
I’m thinking to press the pin out, bore out the casting and install a delrin bushing. It’s cool to have a machine shop in your garage while I’m at it. I’ll replace the bearings for the blade.

 

[Martin W]

I think maybe try PB Blaster or Kroil to free it up. Once you get it moving clean up the threads with scotchbrite. Spray some brake clean and then apply some dry film lubricant .Parrafin wax works good also
Martin

 

[chip maker]

You may already have but don't over think this and do what Martin W suggested. Its maybe just a buildup of sap creeping in and locking things up. Just clean up and relube as needed.

 

[Eddyde]

Yep, burnt sap residue can penetrate into and foul up woodworking machine parts, very well. Orange cleaner, full strength, is good for removing the residue. Oven cleaner also works but will also remove some paints and has caustic fumes. Petroleum based cleaners and solvents don't usually work well on it.

 

[Jake M]

My Craftsman saw has quite similar guts to that. It ran a LOT of pine boards back when it had a real job. Everything was stuck when I got it. Frozen solid. I figured out after the first "press apart" episode that it wasn't rotted or rusted, it was pine pitch glued. I put that whole assembly in the oven at 150 degrees overnight (Cleaned it up good first), and everything moved until it cooled off. After I got it apart and cleaned, over the years, I've never had the whole thing lock up again, but I swear that more pitch keeps working out of the pours in the metal or something, as one place or other will get stiff, I wrestle it apart, that's all it is, and all it needs is a cleaning. The clearances are still tight when it goes back together.

Of course your specimin wouldn't be the first to be actually rusted in place. I'm not saying it has to be that. But pay attention as you go. It might need that bushing, or it might not...

 

[Janderso]

My Craftsman saw has quite similar guts to that. It ran a LOT of pine boards back when it had a real job. Everything was stuck when I got it. Frozen solid. I figured out after the first "press apart" episode that it wasn't rotted or rusted, it was pine pitch glued. I put that whole assembly in the oven at 150 degrees overnight (Cleaned it up good first), and everything moved until it cooled off. After I got it apart and cleaned, over the years, I've never had the whole thing lock up again, but I swear that more pitch keeps working out of the pours in the metal or something, as one place or other will get stiff, I wrestle it apart, that's all it is, and all it needs is a cleaning. The clearances are still tight when it goes back together.

Of course your specimin wouldn't be the first to be actually rusted in place. I'm not saying it has to be that. But pay attention as you go. It might need that bushing, or it might not...

Pine pitch!
I had no idea.
Considering this saw is probably 70 years old, I can see why I’m having this problem.

 

[Janderso]

My Craftsman saw has quite similar guts to that. It ran a LOT of pine boards back when it had a real job. Everything was stuck when I got it. Frozen solid. I figured out after the first "press apart" episode that it wasn't rotted or rusted, it was pine pitch glued. I put that whole assembly in the oven at 150 degrees overnight (Cleaned it up good first), and everything moved until it cooled off. After I got it apart and cleaned, over the years, I've never had the whole thing lock up again, but I swear that more pitch keeps working out of the pours in the metal or something, as one place or other will get stiff, I wrestle it apart, that's all it is, and all it needs is a cleaning. The clearances are still tight when it goes back together.

Of course your specimin wouldn't be the first to be actually rusted in place. I'm not saying it has to be that. But pay attention as you go. It might need that bushing, or it might not...

When you pressed it apart, what did you find ? I’m able to move it a 1/4” at a time tapping on it with a dead blow.
There is no way to lubricate the pivot pin. Maybe I’ll drill and tap for 1/8” pipe and add a zert fitting. Add some distribution grooves.
Do you think if properly supported I could press it out with my 3 ton arbor press?

 

[Manual Mac]

I’ll agree with your son’s saw just needing a good cleaning & lube.
With a heavy heart I just sold mine, a Craftsman/king Seeley from ‘54-‘56.
I don’t need anymore barns or sheds, so my smaller Hitachi will do now.
As we like photos this is (was) mine.
I already regret selling it……

 

[cathead]

I'm thinking some degree of disassembly along with the application of turpentine.

 

[Jake M]

When you pressed it apart, what did you find ?

It's strange stuff if you've never seen it before. You'll know it if you find it. Not a lot, there's enough to be gluey in an essentially zero clearance fit. You can usually tell by dragging (not pushing) a utility knife blade across it. There's always some rust in with the pitch, but it feels different. Or some solvent. There's no miracle solvent for it, but most solvents do "something" to it, then you'd know you're on the right track. Turpentine is allegedly very good, but I've never kept that. WD40 is kinda half way effective at it, so keroseney stuff, or zippo fluid, or kingsford lighter fluid maybe... I suspect gasoline might do OK, but it'd be kinda dangerous for you to find out. For certain, it doesn't clean up "easily", but if you've got any non abrasive kitchen grade scotch brite (the sheets, or attached to the back of a dish sponge) kind of agitate the solvent into the pitch.

I’m able to move it a 1/4” at a time tapping on it with a dead blow.

That's about how my press apart episode went. That was shortly after I moved in here. There were no proper presses The only press around here was a giant box containing most of 400 elm dowels that nobody else wanted, and the number one tool. (the swing press?) I got it loosened up in a very mild oven, and just kept working at it.

Do you think if properly supported I could press it out with my 3 ton arbor press?

I think if I had had a three ton arbor press, and a way to fixture that thing, that I'd have probably tried it. I can't picture how that'd work, but you tend to get really good feedback from an arbor press. Dried pitch is not nearly as "hard" as genuinely "frozen" parts that have rusted in place.

As for oiling it... I've got mixed feelings. I never did anything to mine, even though it's been through several "taking aparts". At first I was gonna, then I wondered about attracting dust, then I thought about the fact that this trunion/plunge design was first discovered in an archialogical dig amongst a collection of archaeopteryx bones, there was no oil, and the pins weren't worn out. On the other hand, because something stuck, obviously something changed. I don't have a good answer for that one, I've just coated with 3 in 1 oil before I put mine back together.