Johnson Model J

682bear

H-M Supporter - Gold Member
H-M Supporter Gold Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2016
Messages
2,293
I picked up this saw a couple of weeks ago... cheap. It was advertised as being solid, but needing work to get it running. It was missing the gear that mounts to the output shaft from the gearbox and mates with the ring gear on the driven wheel. The hydraulic downfeed cylinder didn't work, and the half nut in the vise mechanisn was worn pretty badly.

I repaired the hydraulic cylinder first, there was a 1/8 NPT elbow on the bottom between the cylinder and control valve that was broke off in the cylinder. I removed the end of the elbow with an easy out and replaced it with a brass elbow from Home Depot. Also, the hydraulic return line was damaged, so I replaced it with a piece of tube from an icemaker install kit, along with both compression fittings. The cylinder works like new now...

I ordered a new gear and bronze half nut from Dake (they still carry pretty much every part of this saw). The vise/ half nut was an easy replacement and works very good.

I had to remove the gearbox to install the new gear. While I had the box out I removed the cover to check the condition of the internal gears. They were in 'as new' condition with no visible wear at all. The gear oil was clean and there was practically no sludge at all.

The wheel bearings and guides all turn smoothly with no play.

I built a 'dolly' to mount the saw on out of steel left over from another job and mounted Home Depot/ Everlast casters on it.

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With a new blade installed, I made a test cut on a piece of 2 inch by 1/4 angle... it cut very smooth and square... and a lot faster than my MSC 4x6 does.

For less than $400, I think I've got a pretty good saw...

-Bear
 
i had one given to me last year and although knowing better i rebuilt/refinished it with the exception of mounting the motor. sold my shop. no room in the new one. advertised on craigslist and ending up selling for scrap. mine was on wheels too and had the sheet metals for the coolant
good saws but take up a lot of room
 
I have the smaller R model, They work very well, Yours looks like it has the shields for having a fluid system on it. Mine does not
Have fun with it.
 
i had one given to me last year and although knowing better i rebuilt/refinished it with the exception of mounting the motor. sold my shop. no room in the new one. advertised on craigslist and ending up selling for scrap. mine was on wheels too and had the sheet metals for the coolant
good saws but take up a lot of room
Too bad there is not a don't like button... I don't like.
 
no one wanted it. couldn't take it with me or leave it. more than that wound up in scrap like a perfectly running 15hp delivbis air compressor, belt sanders, drill press, bench grinders with stands, transmission jack - nobody wanted them. zero response on orlando craigslist - maybe i should have listed them in spanish
 
2 two ton cranes, 3-455 old engines, many toronado final drives and transmissions. 12 olds 455 crankshafts. called crankshaft rebuilders (they had no cores} - they didn't want to pay for them (???)and i wasn't delivering for good will... the list goes on. sad but had to move on
 
Hard to imagine no one wants a "Big Johnson". The bragging rights alone would be worth the price of admission. Maybe try down at the beauty shop. :boxing: Mike
 
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