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

[pdentrem]

I used saw blade cleaner. Can use Simple Green at full strength.

 

[Janderso]

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.



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.



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.

Say, that’s a good idea.
Heat it up then put it on the arbor press. It wouldn’t budge as is.

 

[Janderso]

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

I don’t think we can buy turpentine in Ca.
At

Say, that’s a good idea.
Heat it up then put it on the arbor press. It wouldn’t budge as is.

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...

I tried the arbor press after heating this morning. No good. I tried to move it by tapping but no movement.
Pressing the pin is a tricky operation. There is a very small flange to hold for the press.

Maybe I can get down to my old employers shop this weekend. They have a very nice press. ( I know, I bought it)

 

[tq60]

I would not press it yet, it could break.

Paint thinner is very thin oil, it wicks in well.

A propane torch will heat well, heat the cast iron, then while hot tap the outside with a small hammer.

If you can clamp in a vice where you can apply heat as will as tapping someplace on the opposite part in the direction it needs to go, you may be able to get it to move.

Fill a quiet oil can with thinner and repeat soaking the interface area.

It will work its way in and the parts will start to move.

TAPS with the hammer...

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[Janderso]

Took it over to a friends house to use his 20 ton press. Easy peasy.
No scoring, looks great.
How about a oil hole with a felt wick to keep it lubricated?
Or, grease?

 

[Eddyde]

Grease is your best bet for that pin, oil will quickly get absorbed by the sawdust. Don't use anything but a dry lube on exposed gears, racks or adjustment screws. I ran a professional wood shop for over 20 years. Lubrication was always an issue. Some of the more expensive machines had a centralized lubrication system and had few problems but the lesser machines always suffered...

 

[chip maker]

Come on now Jeff you have an automotive back round you already know grease will collect saw dust like a magnet. Best bet is to use some type of dry lube as stated before me and you will be better off.

 

[Janderso]

Come on now Jeff you have an automotive back round you already know grease will collect saw dust like a magnet. Best bet is to use some type of dry lube as stated before me and you will be better off.

After seeing how all this works, now that it’s put back together, lubricants are not required.
Everything is smooth and easy to adjust. I guess 70 years of use required a tear down and a good cleaning. Ready for another 70 years.
New bearings too.
These castings are beautiful!

 

[Janderso]

Grease is your best bet for that pin, oil will quickly get absorbed by the sawdust. Don't use anything but a dry lube on exposed gears, racks or adjustment screws. I ran a professional wood shop for over 20 years. Lubrication was always an issue. Some of the more expensive machines had a centralized lubrication system and had few problems but the lesser machines always suffered...

Yeah, I know better.

 

[Janderso]

Come on now Jeff you have an automotive back round you already know grease will collect saw dust like a magnet. Best bet is to use some type of dry lube as stated before me and you will be better off.

Yeah, I know better.