Post by oregon on Aug 28, 2015 1:50:46 GMT -5
Thanks for the help rehabing my LS-12 saw. Doesn't seem like the sturdiest vice, but I'm pleased, and it keeps the oil contained unlike my previous drop saw.
Pretty new to the real rockhounding bit. Been picking up curious rocks for years, but when the teenager asks for a rockhounding excursion for a b-day gift instead of some shiny trinket - nothing to do but pack up the van and head out. We did a couple days out around Prineville in Oregon. Didn't do much homework, just took the library's copy of the gem trails and stopped by the chamber of commerce. Came home with a few lbs of rocks from the public areas and incentive to finish rebuilding the saw. Some pics below, Too much fun cutting these different things open! Might have to learn how to polish something soon.
Saw rebuild wasn't too bad. The old LS-12 (has the detachable hood, and green color) needed a new arbor and bearings. The old arbor had two pressed steel flanges. The new arbor has one machined and I needed both to be able to tighten the nut down far enough - but that made for a 1/4" shoulder and put the blade further from the vise. So I chucked a thick enough washer in the lathe and cut the shoulder down to allow it to get a little closer. Imagine I should have ordered a new machined flange as well...
My auto feed bar had a strange flat spot in it - still can't figure how that happened, but I made a split nut, chased the threads slowing applying pressure and it seems barely noticeable now. The autofeed motor was not working - the grease inside had hardened to cement, so cleaned and redid the Brevel motor, put it together and it ran backwards the first time! It's pretty close to 3rpm, slow but I guess that makes for a smoother cut if one's not in a hurry. Main motor wouldn't reach the plug in the front box and while looking at the connections in the motor I saw a bit I didn't like - good thing, that connection was on it's way out. Pulled another motor off the shelf and replaced it. Of course that one ran in the wrong direction as well when I hooked it up. Reversed the starting coil connections and got it spinning in the right direction. Blade had a bit of a bend, but looked nice and red like an old MK? blade, so I put it on spindle with and indicator and kept working things slowly back to true- Not perfect, but not bad. Fired it up and cut a brick and then had to decide what to cut first! Would like to see how Lortone hinges the new lids, but holds the oil pretty well when it's running.
Addictive to keep cutting new stuff open - May have to do some homework and find some not so popular collecting sites for our next trip over ...
As if there isn't enough fun stuff to do in Oregon all summer!
cheers, Rick
(sorry the google drive direct links seem to only quasi work for pics...)
Pretty new to the real rockhounding bit. Been picking up curious rocks for years, but when the teenager asks for a rockhounding excursion for a b-day gift instead of some shiny trinket - nothing to do but pack up the van and head out. We did a couple days out around Prineville in Oregon. Didn't do much homework, just took the library's copy of the gem trails and stopped by the chamber of commerce. Came home with a few lbs of rocks from the public areas and incentive to finish rebuilding the saw. Some pics below, Too much fun cutting these different things open! Might have to learn how to polish something soon.
Saw rebuild wasn't too bad. The old LS-12 (has the detachable hood, and green color) needed a new arbor and bearings. The old arbor had two pressed steel flanges. The new arbor has one machined and I needed both to be able to tighten the nut down far enough - but that made for a 1/4" shoulder and put the blade further from the vise. So I chucked a thick enough washer in the lathe and cut the shoulder down to allow it to get a little closer. Imagine I should have ordered a new machined flange as well...
My auto feed bar had a strange flat spot in it - still can't figure how that happened, but I made a split nut, chased the threads slowing applying pressure and it seems barely noticeable now. The autofeed motor was not working - the grease inside had hardened to cement, so cleaned and redid the Brevel motor, put it together and it ran backwards the first time! It's pretty close to 3rpm, slow but I guess that makes for a smoother cut if one's not in a hurry. Main motor wouldn't reach the plug in the front box and while looking at the connections in the motor I saw a bit I didn't like - good thing, that connection was on it's way out. Pulled another motor off the shelf and replaced it. Of course that one ran in the wrong direction as well when I hooked it up. Reversed the starting coil connections and got it spinning in the right direction. Blade had a bit of a bend, but looked nice and red like an old MK? blade, so I put it on spindle with and indicator and kept working things slowly back to true- Not perfect, but not bad. Fired it up and cut a brick and then had to decide what to cut first! Would like to see how Lortone hinges the new lids, but holds the oil pretty well when it's running.
Addictive to keep cutting new stuff open - May have to do some homework and find some not so popular collecting sites for our next trip over ...
As if there isn't enough fun stuff to do in Oregon all summer!
cheers, Rick
(sorry the google drive direct links seem to only quasi work for pics...)