installing brass bushings?

[Ryel]

Well I found the problem with my HF 4X6 bandsaw: the pivot shaft has worn the casting so that the blade carrier can move side to side just a little. As the blade cuts into the steel the carrier shifts and cocks the blade which grabs the steel or pinches in the tube, stops and the blade jumps off the drive wheel. I remember seeing one page where the person shows replacing that pivot bar with round stock and brass bushings. I’m going to do a google and see if I can find it again. Anybody out there know how to set up a shaft with bushings? Is that a job for a machinist or can I do it with a regular hand drill. I don’t think I can get the cast iron base up on the drill press.
thanks

[Sandy]

Even without considering the shaft size or the dia. and depth of recever you want to port out for the bushing(s), there is zero precision in anything done with a hand drill.

The installation of bushings where none existed can be tricky and tedious. You can easily go from a sloppy worn out shaft and receiver to a sloppy shaft with new bushings. Sometimes it may be quite snug for a short period then wear quickly and you're right back at the start.

It all depends on whether you want to do a bang up job or just get it back functioning. Budget is also a big consideration.

If you're gonna do it yourself, have the bar stock and bushing material in hand before commencing any cutting and drilling.

[docwilson]

Unless you have a metal lathe and some machine experience, keep a few things in mind when placing bushings with hand tools. First of all don't use brass, use bronze, mild steel or it is OK to sleave it with another piece of cast iron. If you use CI, you will have to have a machinist turn your OD, as you can't buy CI stock with accurate OD dimensions. If this is the case, you might as well have him turn the ID also and save yourself some reaming. You can buy bronze bushings already machined to accurate OD and IDs. Drill the hole in your saw frame slighty undersize and then ream it with the appropriate sized reamer to get a press fit (.0005-.001"). You can then buy cold rolled steel in the correct diameter and drill and ream your bushing to fit the CR steel shaft. By the time you buy the raw materials in the normally supplied lengths and purchase your reamers you will find that it is a lot easier and less expensive to let a machinist ream your casting and make the bushings to fit.

[Ryel]

thanks for the word; sometime knowledge is better than getting experience

[vipermanz]

www.frugalmachinist.com he has good info about the hf saws

[Ryel]

Did you know there is a bushing on the .5 inch shaft between the blade carrier and the base? It's PLASTIC! and deformed...I got a bronze bushing from the hardware store, ground the angle on the grinder and it tightend up the slack very nicly. I missed soo much when I first put that thing together.

[Sandy]

Originally posted by Ryel
Did you know there is a bushing on the .5 inch shaft between the blade carrier and the base? It's PLASTIC! and deformed...I got a bronze bushing from the hardware store, ground the angle on the grinder and it tightend up the slack very nicly. I missed soo much when I first put that thing together.

You know Ryel, I didn't ask and should have--------were you originally talking about a 'carrier' and 'insert' type bushing or were you talking about a 'shim' type bushing? 'Shim' type being like a washer that not only acts as a wear buffer between a spinning surface and a stationary one but can also be used to adjust the end play (back and forth movement) on set-ups like you are talking about here.

The part about "ground the angle" has me confused and I just can't picture it. Maybe this is a tapered insert? Was there one on each end of the shaft carrier?

Anyway, I'm glad you got it AND were able to do it youself. On the road again!!!

[Ryel]

Originally posted by Sandy
<snip>
were you originally talking about a 'carrier' and 'insert' type bushing or were you talking about a 'shim' type bushing? 'Shim' type being like a washer that not only acts as a wear buffer <snip>

the bushing I put in was like a piece of tubing and I angled one end to match the angle of the upper casting.

<snip>