Post by herb on Apr 5, 2020 18:32:50 GMT -5
Keeping this thread alive... I successfully managed to replace the carriage drive belt and also replaced the worn out inner bearing (I replaced both bearings actually just so I don't have to do this again any time soon). As I was making sure the blade was properly aligned to the sled, I noticed that the sled had some play to it.
Here is an overall shot for orientation:
IMG_0119 by Shiny Objects, on Flickr
Here is a front on shot to illustrate the problem:
IMG_0117 by Shiny Objects, on Flickr
If I lift up on the sled, the front left corner (marked with green arrow) and the back right corner move up and down. There is no up and down play the other direction (front right to back left corners).
This picture shows the amount of play as measured with a digital calipers:
IMG_0118 by Shiny Objects, on Flickr
Close to where the sled is attached to the rail, the play is .016 inches. At the very front of the sled, the amount of play is .023 inches.
That doesn't sound like alot but it looks like more movement when looking at the clamped rock relative to the blade. There are set screws on the sides of the sled by the rails that allow you to adjust the play of the sled left and right. But there does not seem to be any adjustments to control the up and down movement. The amount of play is the same when the sled is all the way to the front of the saw or all the way to the back of the saw, so I don't think the issue is that the rails are worn. I think the issue is that the holes on the sled that the rails go thru have worn and are elongated.
So my questions are, first is the amount of play something I should be worried about, and second, how to fix it. I assume I would have to take the whole rail and sled assembly apart and replace the pieces where the rails go thru. I don't even know if replacement parts are available.
Last fall I was having issues with the blade getting bound up and the motor slowing way down. Back then I noticed that when I grabbed the nut holding the blade to the arbor and pulled up and down the arbor had visible movement. That is what made me realize it was time for new bearings. Now that the bearings are replaced, there is no movement on the arbor but I don't know if I'll be back in business or if the play in the sled is still going to cause problems.
Here is an overall shot for orientation:
IMG_0119 by Shiny Objects, on FlickrHere is a front on shot to illustrate the problem:
IMG_0117 by Shiny Objects, on FlickrIf I lift up on the sled, the front left corner (marked with green arrow) and the back right corner move up and down. There is no up and down play the other direction (front right to back left corners).
This picture shows the amount of play as measured with a digital calipers:
IMG_0118 by Shiny Objects, on FlickrClose to where the sled is attached to the rail, the play is .016 inches. At the very front of the sled, the amount of play is .023 inches.
That doesn't sound like alot but it looks like more movement when looking at the clamped rock relative to the blade. There are set screws on the sides of the sled by the rails that allow you to adjust the play of the sled left and right. But there does not seem to be any adjustments to control the up and down movement. The amount of play is the same when the sled is all the way to the front of the saw or all the way to the back of the saw, so I don't think the issue is that the rails are worn. I think the issue is that the holes on the sled that the rails go thru have worn and are elongated.
So my questions are, first is the amount of play something I should be worried about, and second, how to fix it. I assume I would have to take the whole rail and sled assembly apart and replace the pieces where the rails go thru. I don't even know if replacement parts are available.
Last fall I was having issues with the blade getting bound up and the motor slowing way down. Back then I noticed that when I grabbed the nut holding the blade to the arbor and pulled up and down the arbor had visible movement. That is what made me realize it was time for new bearings. Now that the bearings are replaced, there is no movement on the arbor but I don't know if I'll be back in business or if the play in the sled is still going to cause problems.
