2015 POTD Thread Archive

Halligan - I like the look of the oil can, i just may have a go at building one. The cheap and nasty one that came with my lathe does one job very well, that is leaking oil everywhere when it is knocked over and i don't notice it.

You get what you pay for i guess.
 
My vertical bandsaw is one of my favorite tools in the shop. Very versatile.

Dan, what brand and size vertical bandsaw do you have? Any pictures?

I ask because I am in the looking stage to upgrade from my little Wilton metal/wood bandsaw. It has been ok but lacks in the rigidity department and I want something a little more industrial size for my shop.

Mike.
 
Mike, rigid + industrial = DoAll
I have an older 16" DoAll (they can be found for less than $1k if you are patient) and it does not take not take up a bunch of floor space but it will cut whatever you feed it. I don't have any pics of it on this computer but I think I have some on the shop computer that I'll post tomorrow.
 
Roll-In saws are also bad to the bone, cant remember the brand a friend of mine has but its basically a Roll-In, not quite as industrial as that Do-All but is autofeed nonetheless
 
Nice shop.

I'm looking for a vertical bandsaw too, wood saws are a dime a dozen but the metal cutting saws are out of my price range. I HAD a speed reducer that I have, somehow, misplaced. Surface grinders can be gotten for decent money around here, lathes too but my 3 bay gay-raj is fast running out of free space with my '56 truck in one bay and it's rear end and dissasembled spring packs all over another. Luckily I have access to tools I don't have, yet, at work.
 
Thanks for the picture Mac. I have been looking for a DoAll here for almost a year now but like looking for any other machinery/equipment, I pretty much live in a machinery desert. I've been looking at a nice Taiwan made one but the footprint is a bit larger than I would like, although it definitely seems heavy duty. Yesterday I did some measuring in the shop to see if I could juggle a few things around and accomodate that one as well as the horizitontal one I am looking at. I have a smaller Wilton 14" vertical and an older Jet horizontal that I think I have potential buyers for and I have wanted to upgrade for quite a while now as both are a bit on the lighter duty side.

Thanks again.

Mike.
 
Mike,

I have a converted 14" wood saw. I made a reduction pulley setup that mounts under the saw that allows you to set 2 different speeds. I saw the design on a automotive forum, it can be built with no more than a welder and a drillpress which was all I had at the time. It has been working now for 8 to 10 years without issue. Not the power of a DoAll but it is one of the most used tools in the shop. I upgraded the guides to a full roller setup and did have to machine up a new, steel, blade tensioner assembly as the original pot metal one didn't last but that is a known weak part on all of the 14" wood bandsaws. My area is also lacking in used equipment and the only saws similar to the doAll that I've seen typically run over $2000 used so out of my price range. The main drawback with my saw is you have to cut slower. If I really put a lot of pressure on the blade I can stop it, the pulleys slip at that point, but I've never had a blade come off the drive wheels so not a huge issue. Now that I have a lathe and mill I should redo the reduction pulley assembly to tighten up the pulley alignment and take out slop in the system. The only problem with that is it works just fine as is so I just haven't bothered. Maybe someday.

Dan
 
I've been working on a stand for my bench grinder. Docs Shop Projects has a great write up on building a stand so it will look like a factory cast stand so I modeled mine after his. The welding for the main stand is finished and I mounted the grinder up for a test run. I still have to make a bracket for a water pot and do the body and paint work but I like how it's coming out. Doc uses a single adjustable foot to accommodate an uneven floor which works ok but I might convert it to adjustable feet at all 4 corners. I'll use it for awhile before making that decision.

stand1.JPG
base1.JPG
base2.JPG
 
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