Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on May 9, 2011 15:38:06 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Just got off the phone with Brian, the tech guy at Covington regarding the feed problem I've been having with my new 10" saw. I actually had my clutch cut out yesterday while running the blade in my dressing stone which is pretty ridiculous, and after discussing this with Brian we are both beginning to wonder if the power feed cutting out is the result of an overheating problem in the power feed motor. Mine cuts out but when allowed to cool will start right up again. Saws for sale in Europe are apparently supplied with fan cooled motors but US models are not. Anyway, Brian wanted me to ask all you other Covington 10" saw users if you are having clutch/power feed cut out problems with your saws too and if you think your problem might be associated with power feed overheating or if you think your issue is simply with rock hardness causing the clutch to cut out. Thanks for your replies and I'll get with Brian to discuss the results of this survey......Mel
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on May 9, 2011 17:23:49 GMT -5
can't comment on the clutch problem, but I've been following your threads and it sounds like to me Covington needs to take their saw design back to the drawing board!
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Post by frane on May 9, 2011 20:16:36 GMT -5
I normally only cut a few slabs at a time because it seems to cut so slowly. I did have it cut out once and that was after running it for nearly 3 hours with breaks in between each slab as I removed the slab and readjusted to start another so they were not long breaks. I was cutting a Brazilian agate so I am not sure if the hardness of the stone was the problem or overheating. This is the first real lapidary saw I have had so it is all new to me. Fran
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Post by gr on May 9, 2011 20:53:10 GMT -5
Mel, I was talking with another member here and he was having a problem with his 18" saw cutting out. I talked to a guy I know about this problem who rewinds motors. He said that there is a starter switch internally in the motor and has contacts that are adjustable (on most). Just because it's new doesn't mean it's right. ANY THING can go wrong with electrical stuff and if Murphy is around, it usually will. Ask Brian about that internal starter switch. It's worth a shot
gr
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Post by Rockoonz on May 9, 2011 23:16:21 GMT -5
The small gear motors used for power feeds don't need starter circuits so they don't have switches.
Lee
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Post by paulshiroma on May 9, 2011 23:22:09 GMT -5
As soon as I get mine running, I'll let you know. That sounds worse than it is - mine is a give-away item and needs to be refurbished. Sounds like Brian is a good guy to work with. I'll be calling him tomorrow to see if I can get a copy of the parts list for my model.
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fanatic
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2007
Posts: 233
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Post by fanatic on May 10, 2011 3:23:56 GMT -5
I've had the same issue with my 16" Covington. tried a lot of different things but no luck. I had it stall cutting through fire brick
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on May 10, 2011 14:09:24 GMT -5
My power feed motor ran very warm when I had the original Gold blade. With the new 303 blade, runs cool as a cucumber. I run my saw all day long and cutting very hard jasper & agates, generally max size for the vise.
Larry
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on May 10, 2011 15:52:12 GMT -5
Larry, That's interesting to know. I changed my original blade out for a 303 too and my power feed motor gets hot but not too hot to touch. Brian at Covington did a test at my request and ran his power feed overnight and his also got hot but not too hot too touch just like mine. Now I'm wondering why yours seems to stay cool *L*. I bought me a 12 gauge cord as suggested and I'll see if that makes a difference.....Mel
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Post by jakesrocks on May 10, 2011 15:58:52 GMT -5
Just put the new 303S on my 16" Covington today. What a difference. I've been slabbing an 8 + lb piece of tiffany jasper. It stalled the saw with the Covington gold blade. Cuts like butter with the 303S. One thing for the owners of the 16" Covington who live in a cold climate like I do. For winter cutting, remove the cover screws on your power feed in the winter. The metal cover shrinks a little in freezing weather, and stops the power feed motor. I solved the problem by slotting the screw holes in the cover, so I can loosen it in the winter. Covington is aware of the problem, but don't know if they've done anything to correct it. Don
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meta99
has rocks in the head
Ohio Flint Ridge flint
Member since October 2010
Posts: 540
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Post by meta99 on May 10, 2011 17:25:19 GMT -5
I'm so excited...I just ordered a new 10" (true lapidary) blade from John (jsgems) and can't wait to see how it does on my Frantom combo....I refuse to cut my decent stuff until it gets here! I've got some special flint and the slavic I got from you as well as all the extra goodies...
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on May 10, 2011 20:08:17 GMT -5
Mel, remember that wonderful foam packing? Trash bag stuffed in the box and then filled with foam, smashing our 10" slab saw into a 4" trim saw? Anything that could bend, was bent? Check the alignment of the feed motor to the threaded rod. Mine was way off, motor bracket was bent back. Since I run water/Lube Cool, I squirt everything down with silicone spray before starting and make sure the vice parts and everything slides fine. I use just a 16 gauge extension cord. Interesting to read about the motor cover. I'll keep an eye on that. I did not like how the factory just slapped some white grease on the moving parts. I hate that stuff. Wonder what they used inside the motor drive gears?
Larry
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Post by chad on May 21, 2011 9:49:58 GMT -5
covington is such a great company. i'm working on restoring a 16" saw from the 40's or 50's, and they've been nothing but helpful. even dug out some (old old old) catalogs from their closet and sent them to me so I could find the saw I had and see some pictures of how it looked new. has been very helpful. now if only I could afford their equipment new
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Post by paulshiroma on May 21, 2011 10:16:56 GMT -5
Larry, thanks for the info. Mine came with an old Gold blade and I was going to order the same part. Will order a 303 instead.
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Post by jakesrocks on May 21, 2011 12:34:19 GMT -5
I thought these might be of interest to those of you who have, or are buying a newer 10" Covington. Please excuse the dirty saw and clutter around it. This is a Covington 10" from the 80's, or possibly earlier. The power drive motor has a heavy cast aluminum cover, and the left side rail isn't cut away, like on the newer saws. With the exception of the blade and 1/3 HP motor, these are all original parts that came with the saw. Everything still works great. Don
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Post by Rockoonz on Jun 7, 2011 19:52:34 GMT -5
Mel, any updates on this?
Lee
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jun 7, 2011 20:17:23 GMT -5
Lee: I finally got the clutch adjusted so I've had four cutting sessions without the dang thing cutting off and now two new problems are cropping up. The first involves the vice hold down mechanism that prevents the viced rock from climbing the blade. The dang thing has about 1/4 inch of up and down play in it which allows the viced workpiece to vibrate up and down and sometimes climb the blade when it's not supposed to. In short, the hold down does not appear to work properly. The second problem involves the vice too. When I run it forward to vice up a new workpiece it sometimes freezes up and will no longer slide rearward as it's supposed to. Have got to phone Covington on both these problems as they are really starting to annoy me *L*.....Mel
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spicer m
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 337
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Post by spicer m on Jun 9, 2011 1:11:24 GMT -5
Mel their is a sheet metal tab that goes down trough the saw blade slot. It hooks under the bottom of table. it gets bent. You have to open saw table and bend it back. Yes it is a pain in you know what. On the clutch problem; I came to the conclusion that the cast iron tab that is on the feed screw is the problem with the iradic clutch problem. I modified mine and use a aligator clip nut now. I will take some pics of the mods I made and post in this thread. Mike
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spicer m
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2008
Posts: 337
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Post by spicer m on Jun 10, 2011 22:57:13 GMT -5
Mel and everyone first let Me correct myself on my above post; I always used a alligator clip, I did away with cast iron tab on screw feed. I bolted a alum angle to top of carriage. Mel was Your feed motor not turning or was clutch slipping some times? My Motor was OK But clutch was erratic. I felt this tab was binding. I do not have problems with clutch any more. Alum angle bolted to carriage, could be JB welded (epoxy) New support alum angle Mel I think 2 things can cause vise to raise up. One is the sheet metal tab that goes under saw table to keep vise from lifting up. It gets bent. You have to take table top off and bend it back. (the other thing is down a couple of pics) As Don pointed out On the left side top of the table Covington has removed the liquid retaining lip. I assume this for cutting a long piece of rock by hand using water. When using oil it will end up running and splashing over the grove they have in the top of table. It will end up on Your bench. I took a piece of alum strip, and made a new lip for the left side. I used JB weld (available at auto parts stores) to glue it to the outside of the left side. You will have to clamp it till it dries. I also epoxied in Plexiglas to cover holes and added cabinet hinges for cover. This is the second thing that will cause vice to raise. Over time the plastic wing nut that is the split lock on rod for cross feed will gunk up. You have to remove wing nut and clean split. shown to right of rock clamp. Another big problem I had was the pulleys coming loose on motor and saw shaft. I think they should be checked every month. It would help to drill a dimple in the shaft where the set screw sets, with a drill bit a little bigger than set screw. Also had problem with belts slipping. after my pulleys went bad I replaced them with timing type belts and pulleys. Also there is no real belt adjustment; I took a house door hinge and bolted it to base and motor. (can see hinge at bottom of pic)I used a bolt and nut for pusher bolt at the top of motor base. could use a spring to pull motor back
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mgrets
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2011
Posts: 321
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Post by mgrets on Jun 13, 2011 21:26:21 GMT -5
I bought a 10 inch Covington less than a year ago, and from the start had problems with the rock climbing the blade. Adjusting the clutch helped, but it would still not cut a hard agate well. Now the power feed motor has burned out completely and a new one is $157. Like the other notes above, my saw also arrived damaged from the foam packing.
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