Boice Crane restoration/conversion

Yeah, am open to ideas for a fix. Have added a few photos. I have literally been sitting here for the past hour, just staring at this thing, trying to figure out a work around. I have never attempted welding aluminum, and my mediocre welding skills, will keep me from attempting that route..20181224_171025.jpg20181224_170945.jpg20181224_171050.jpg
 
Perhaps glue it back together and re cast it in aluminum? Mill a new part if you have a mill?
 
That's not a large area for any kind of glue to hold on to. But you might want to try JB Weld to start with, then drill & tap across the joint. I can't tell exactly how large the area is, but maybe there'd be room for two 10-32 screws. The screws will hold the parts against each other, and the rough surface of the broken area will keep them from shifting sideways against each other.

PS - just noticed in your second picture that there's what appears to be a setscrew on the broken-off part. That might have been what caused the stress and produced the break in the first place. You'd probably want to find an alternate way to secure the guide to whatever it setscrews against, to avoid a repeat of the failure.

Alternatively, you could simply saw off the C-shaped section of the guide (including the mount for what looks like a height adjuster), machine a replacement out of aluminum or steel and screw/pin it on to the end of the remaining assembly.
 
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I might have thought of a fix, will keep you all posted. However, it will have to be after Christmas. Will be putting my minimal milling skills to the test, but hey guess there's no better reason to bone up on some of my lesser skills.
 
hman said:
That's not a large area for any kind of glue to hold on to. But you might want to try JB Weld to start with, then drill & tap across the joint. I can't tell exactly how large the area is, but maybe there'd be room for two 10-32 screws. The screws will hold the parts against each other, and the rough surface of the broken area will keep them from shifting sideways against each other.

PS - just noticed in your second picture that there's what appears to be a setscrew on the broken-off part. That might have been what caused the stress and produced the break in the first place. You'd probably want to find an alternate way to secure the guide to whatever it setscrews against, to avoid a repeat of the failure.

Alternatively, you could simply saw off the C-shaped section of the guide (including the mount for what looks like a height adjuster), machine a replacement out of aluminum or steel and screw/pin it on to the end of the remaining assembly.
Click to expand...
Your alternate suggestion is basically what I had in mind.
 
Well currently rigged up, to take more test cuts, and easily cut 1" 1144! Great news! At 20hz, it's running at about 200 fpm, with great torque, and zero issues. At 60hz, about 625 fpm,Turns out to be a great metal cutting bandsaw! Not able to count the rpm at any faster speed by eye, will have to get my tach mounted first.Just need to get this blade guide assembly problem behind me, and should be good to go!
 
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