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Post by connrock on Apr 24, 2005 12:06:48 GMT -5
Hi gang, I've been real busy working on my slab saw,(that's why I haven't posted much lately),and thought I would show you my progress so far. I have almost 200 hrs in just cleaning and disassembly but i'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! Here's a few photo's of my progress. The first photo is the complete saw before I started the project.  This is what it looked like about a week ago before I finished removing all the paint from the outside and underside.  This photo is of the entire feed screw assembly before cleaning.  This photo is a close up of the feed screw where it engages into the screw itself.Note the hardened much here which is typical of the entire saw!  This is the feed screw assembly all cleaned and ready to go back on the saw.Note all the new stainless steel bolts and other fasteners. Don't tell my wife I used one of her hand made pillow cases for a back drop for the photo!!  The main frame/tank assembly is out being sand blasted and powder coated so I won't see it for a couple of weeks. I still have a lot to do with the parts that are here so i'll be busy at it again. Tom |
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Post by Cher on Apr 24, 2005 12:28:31 GMT -5
WoW that's going to be like a brand new one when your done. Anything done good takes some time ... good for you.
Cher
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Post by rockyraccoon on Apr 24, 2005 13:05:33 GMT -5
do doubt you are going to be pleased when you are through tom. you are doing a really thorough job. are you going to repaint it at the end or leave it without paint?
kim
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Post by Debra on Apr 24, 2005 15:04:50 GMT -5
Your doing a great job!  It looks very much like the saw I purchased. Mine says Ideal Lapidary Mohave Industries. What brand is your saw? The outside of mine is very dark blue tho...My hubby has been working on cleaning it up and now has it working. |
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Post by Debra on Apr 24, 2005 15:06:08 GMT -5
Another question please...
What did you use to clean it up and the parts? Your parts look like brand new!!! Better yet, can you tell me how you went about cleaning it up? Thanks much in advance for the help!
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Post by BearCreekLapidary on Apr 24, 2005 15:15:19 GMT -5
Hey Tom,
That saw is coming along just great! I have to agree ... any job worth doing is worth doing right ... and sometimes ... that just takes time!
You are going to be setting in high cotton when you get it finished ...
Thanks for the update,
John
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deepsouth
fully equipped rock polisher
He who rocks last rocks best
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,256
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Post by deepsouth on Apr 24, 2005 15:28:46 GMT -5
Wow , Tom , That is a big project you have taken on.
I know you will be ever so happy once the cutting of the rock starts. I still enjoy my saw every day.
Not that I am cutting every day though haha, for there wouldn't be a rock left whole in the entire district haha.
thanks for the update
Jack
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Post by connrock on Apr 24, 2005 16:12:12 GMT -5
Cher,
Thanks,,,,I hope it does look and run like new after all this work.
Kim,
Thanks,,,,,I have it out at a local shop right now to be sand blasted and powder coated (a type of paint job).
It will all be a powder blue except for the stainless steel cover.The working parts,carriage,vice,etc will be left as they are as in photo #5.
Debra,
Thanks,,,,My saw is a Highland Park.They're out of business but I think it's Diamond Star or Diamond Pacific who carries a saw with just about the same rugged design.
LOL....What did I use to clean it up".
I tried all sorts of cleaners such as Simple Green,404,Fantastic,Turpentine,Mineral spirits,alcohol,Acetone and most of the "super" cleaners that boast they will clean anything.Ha!!Even break cleaner wouldn't touch it!
The only way I could clean it was with several wire brushes,scrapers (both steel and carbide),emery clothand a WHOLE lot of elbow grease!Did I mention all the dental picks I used??Or how many tubes of Ben Gay?
It's NOT an easy or fast job if you want it to be right!
Bear John,
Thanks,,,,High cotton will be just fine with me John,,,,,If I live long enough! LOL
Jack,
Thanks,,,,Yes it is quite a long and painful project but as you said I will be very happy with it when it's finished.
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Post by sandsman1 on Apr 24, 2005 16:27:14 GMT -5
dam tom thats saws lookin good man i know your gonna be smilin when you pour the first gallon of clean oil in that monster hahaha,, and just think your gonna have the only (new) Highland Park slab saw left hahaha
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Post by Alice on Apr 24, 2005 17:23:22 GMT -5
Wow that's some project you have set for yourself. Can't wait to see some slabbed rocks! Did you take you wife's curtains down for the last picture? |
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Post by krazydiamond on Apr 24, 2005 18:08:36 GMT -5
Holy Crow, Tom, talk about a labor of love!! no wonder we haven't seen you posting lately. that is a helluva job to take on but it appears you are doing just fine. how much is it running you to have that baby powder coated??
is the motor still good or do you have to replace that too? what is the size of the blade?
anyway, great shots, good work! keep us posted!
KD
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Post by connrock on Apr 24, 2005 19:43:14 GMT -5
Sand John,
I don't know if I should pour oil in it and run it or put it behind glass and put it in a museum!! LOLMaybe I should be put in a museum!! LOLThanks
Alice,
Thanks,,,,I can't wait to see it cutting slabs either.God nows I have plenty to cut.
That being said,I ordered another $100.00 worth yesterday!!
Those aren't her curtains they're one of a set of pillow cases she made!! Shhhhhhhh !!
KD,
Thanks,,,,,It's an 18" Highland Park and it's 30+ years old and very tired!!
I don't know if the motor works or not.I haven't even looked to see if it's 110 or 220 !!It's a long way down the road before I actually plug it in so I'll worry about it later.
The sand blasting and powder coat will be somewhere around $100.00 - $200.00.I'm keeping trac of every penny I spend on the saw and so far it's not all that bad considering the price of a new 18".
I have another saw sitting here begging to be rebuilt too.It's a 14" but it's going to just sit there until fall,,,,,at least until fall!! LOL
I also have an *' trim saw that I'm always bragging about.I've had it for almost 8 years with the same blade which I cut anything that will fit through it.Well last week I had to stop bragging!A rock jamed and whack goes the blade.The rock took all the diamond off before I could even hit the switch.It also cut a small piece right out of the blade!
Hey,,,,,At least I still have all my fingers!
Tom
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Post by sandsman1 on Apr 24, 2005 19:53:21 GMT -5
hey tom dont put that badboy behind glass filler up and let it eat hahaha,, you just gave that baddy a new heart and soul and now ya gotta feed it hahaha
enjoy man your gonna have a first class saw when all is said a done
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Post by gaetzchamp on Apr 24, 2005 20:03:53 GMT -5
Tom-
Now I can see why you've been so busy. Smart to do the picture thing, very good idea indeed.
Let me know when that bad boy is in tip top shape and I'll send you out some stuff to cut on. Like you probably aren't backlogged enough right?
Gaetz
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Post by connrock on Apr 25, 2005 8:36:44 GMT -5
Sand John,You're right about not putting it behind glass but I bet it was hard for you to dump oil in your brandy dandy new say and hit the switch!!
Now consider that you bought yours and it "was" LOL lookin like a new Caddy.I've been trying to bring this old buzzard back to when it was just an embryo!! LOL
Don't you worry buddy the "ole buzzard" will be cuttin away,,,,,sooner or later.
Gatez,Do I have to answer both of these replies?? LOL
So you thought I was pulling your leg when I told you I was busy! LOL
Being laid off has given me a breather here and there but when I go back to work progress will be back to almost nothing.
Tom
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Post by Tweetiepy on Apr 25, 2005 9:57:32 GMT -5
This may be a stupid question, but those seem to be the only questions I have in my head - so I'm apologizing right off the bat.  Did this saw work before you started cleaning it? I can see the years of dirt & grime, but it seems a shame to spend so many hours cleaning something that will only get really dirty again and not be using that time to actually use it. Now if this thing was so grimy that it wasn't working then I can see why you'd clean it, but if it was working, wouldn't you rather cut rocks than clean? Maybe I should get a clue before asking anything - PS don't let you wife see her pillows being used like that - but at least the parts were clean when you used it as a backdrop |
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Post by connrock on Apr 25, 2005 15:24:26 GMT -5
Tweetie,
The saw did run before I bought it but I don't know when.Before I bought it I checked the runout of the blade and it was within 0.001". It also was perpendicular to the vice to within the same measurement.
I knew the bearings wer shot and all the oilrite bushings as well but it doesn't cost much at all to replace them.
I also knew the feed worm and gear needed replacement and that they would be the most expensive parts to but. $151.00
It also needed a new cover which I am having made out of stainless steel for about 200 bucks.The cover could have been made of steel but "I" wanted stainless.
The powder coating was not needed but "I" wanted it also.
All in all the saw was in pretty good shape considering it's age and the abuse it took.
The reason I bought it is because I can't afford a new one and LOVE to "tinker".
I could have cut my costs by at least $400.00 if I just wanted to clean it up and hit the switch but "I" want it like new when I "do" hit the switch.
Think of it this way.You go out and buy a classic car for 1/10 of it's worth new.It's all dirty and runs so,so.You give it a quick wash job and hit the key.
Whatya got?A real classic that's almost clean and doesn't run all the good!!
Tom
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Post by Tweetiepy on Apr 25, 2005 15:32:51 GMT -5
Okay I understand! But I really HATE cleaning, so I assume that others do too. My dad's like you guys - he likes to tinker, he has an old '73 MG that he's re-building from the inside out - and a 12 foot "model" Hercules that he's been working on for the past 20 years. He also could have built me a tumbler, but it was getting too expensive and I found one to my liking - besides it would have taken him too long to build it and my patience hadn't built up by then
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Post by Debra on Apr 25, 2005 21:42:05 GMT -5
Hi
Just wanted to stop by and tell you something. I was surfing on ebay and saw a saw just like yours. There were several bids on it and the price was up to $1009.99!!! I'm not sure what you had paid for yours, but I got mine and along with the combination slab saw and several grinders and buffer machines for $500. I think we got ourselves a great deal in the end! With a little know how and elbow grease we saved ourselves alot of $$!!! What do you think?
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Post by gaetzchamp on Apr 25, 2005 22:37:23 GMT -5
Tom-
I'm not a tinkerer, I'm too lazy. I'll bet there's a lot of satifaction taking something apart, getting everything cleaned, repaired and put back together. By doing this, you'll have a much greater understanding of how it works, what its limits are and what you can expect. I congratulate you (and envy you) and may you have many trouble-free cuts ahead.
Gaeter
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It looks very much like the saw I purchased. Mine says Ideal Lapidary Mohave Industries. What brand is your saw? The outside of mine is very dark blue tho...My hubby has been working on cleaning it up and now has it working.
