Help with Hyland Park Model U 24" Saw

To get rid of rust, I like to use crc sp-350. it is sold as a rust inhibitor but it really helps remove it also.  real good to spray on and leave it as in storage.  wd 40 is a good cleaner and they are now selling a wd 40 penetrating oil . I have not tried it jet tho. a 50 50 mix of ATF and acetone is about as good a penetrating oil as one can get.
Time your friend. don't get in a rush.

daulton,
I am running two 24" HP saws I have rebuilt including a U, so here's my advice;

Try to avoid purchasing parts from HP Lapidary (importers of Chinese HP knock-offs). Nothing I have purchased from them (for my 24" saws) has fit properly.

Diamond Pacific will make the brass jaws that grip the screw feed if you need them. They fit and work well. I am using them on my saws.

The screw feed shaft runs on brass bushings at each end. Be sure to check these. Replacements are available from W.W. Grainger.

There is a company in Bend, OR called CigarBoxRocks. They restore HP saws and other lapidary equipment. These guys are straight-up and very helpful.

Spend the money and powder coat the top. It's worth the money, and you will be glad you did. It wipes clean very easily. I wouldn't spend the $ coating anything else.

The original shutoff switch is not available. I junked that box/switch and replaced the box with a weatherproof unit. I use the switches from Covington, the ones they use on their bigger saws.

Be sure to replace the bearings on the front of the saw that hold the pinion shaft.

I would not recommend replacing the arbor shaft bearings unless you are sure they are bad. It's a lot of work, and I found the new bearings have the grease fittings on top and the aluminum cast cover will not seat properly. You have to grease the bearings, then remove the Zirks and replace them with Allen set screws.

Unless you get lucky, you will have to remove the ways (things vice slides on) and the end brackets they rest on to replace the brass feed screw bushings.. Here's a trick I used, maybe unnecessarily, to put the support brackets back in exactly the same factory position. Before disassembly, drill two 1/8" holes through the case of the saw and through the aluminum brackets at each end of the saw. Disassemble saw and clean, etc. When you reassemble, use a couple of 1/8 drill bits to properly position the brackets, then tighten the 3 bolts holding each bracket, and you will have preserved the exact factory set-up.

I would do everything I could to try and save the original feed screw. If you can't, Diamond Pacific will make one for you, about $250. Not all 24's used the same shaft size. Most were 3/4" but not all. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT try to purchase this part from any other source.

Do not be dismayed if the ways are rust pitted. The saw will run perfectly well on pitted ways- just be sure to sand all protrusions down. I used a belt sander.

You might take the crusted pieces to an auto shop and see if they can degrease them. Then have them glass-beaded. There is a great penetrant on the market called PB Blaster, available at most auto parts stores. I have saved a lot of stuck pieces with this stuff over the years that I thought were goners. The parts, not the years.

Thank you all for your replies and comments. In particular mikeinsjc's experience with his saws are very helpful because I had to use a car jack and a jig to remove the vice base off of the ways a couple of hours ago. The ways were pitted and I smoothed the pits with my 4" hand grinder using a mostly used wheel, which didn't leave a lot scratches. Thanks for the word "ways" because I didn't know what to call them.
I guess the saw is fairly simple and I don't need a stinking manual.
We have met the owner of Diamond Pacific and have been to his business in Barstow. That information about the feed screw will come in handy if my repair doesn't work. I did use a file to carefully try to repair the corrosion. I do need new copper bearing on both ends of the pinion shaft.
I am confused about the aluminum brackets at each end of the saw. Mine are cast steel and I just broke one tonight. I'll have to try to weld it back together after I consult my local welding shop. I have visited the welding forums.

Yes I misspelled Highland park with Hyland Park. Probably because I used to work at a hospital called Hyland. Thank you Jean for the Highland Park website information. I did visit their site and did post a message there, as well as downloading the manual, and the directions for the auto shut off. The new saws do not use the ways. I noticed that the questions don't seem to get much response and that is why I came here.
Earlier this week I went to our local Ace hard ware store and was advised that PB Blaster was the best penetrating product to use. My son says so also. I also picked up some Evapo-Rust to soak my threaded parts in. I'm going back tomorrow for a larger container. It takes the rust off and leaves the metal very shiny. It's reusable, water soluble and environmentally friendly. But it didn't loosen the bolt even after all the tricks like heating and putting paraffin in the threads. I let it soak for a week before I tried the heat. I guess I will be taping it out.
Thank you for the suggestion about powder coating. There is a local person I used for my tractor. I'll throw the top in the truck and see how much he will charge to do it. I wondered if I should coat the vice since it was so rusty. It's clean now but what a mess.
Thank you all again for your time and for sharing your knowledge with me.
Have a good tomorrow.
Daulton

Yes... I "troll" Craigslist almost every night. I almost always go to the "all" category and put "lapidary" in the search box. But this one night I put "rock" into the search box and the saw came up a couple of pages down. It had been listed for over 20 days. It took another couple of days to get a response from the seller because he didn't list a phone number. The seller has a gift store in Oakhurst and made book ends with it as well as cutting rock for carving. The saw originally belonged to his father who passed away in the 90s. Anyway I finally got a response and we arranged a meeting. My rock hound cousin went along with me and helped load and unload it.
When I look at Craigslist I often look from Oregon clear down to San Diego and East to Mojave also. I have been looking for another cheap tumbler.

This saw rose from the ashes despite the rust. Its now been running for 5 years or so with lots of elbow grease and a new blade as the only major enhancements (did I forget work on top, belt guards, vice wood, and automatic shutoff. Don't let rust discourage you.

Just wanted to send out a thank you to mikeinsjc for putting out a good word for us out here at cigarboxrock Bend Oregon.We invite all inquiries at www.cigarboxrock.com