Johnson Model B Band Saw Rebuild.

[kvt]

Ok, Start of a long project. Picked up a old Johnson model B band saw today. Once picked up drove back to home (3 hours due to traffic), Then started the chore of clean and take apart. Sorry did not get pic before initial cleaning. But shortly after. Found the bouncing ride on my little trailer did a lot to loosen some of the bolts, Much more and I would have lost a couple. Got some pics of the tear down have it about 90 percent torn down. Have not taken Motor, Hydraulics, or the gear box apart yet. But know I have to, once the gear box out, Found that the output shaft has about 0.050 play in it, and the hydraulic cylinder has a bunch of play around the shaft and did not do any thing to control the down force of the saw. Lets it drop almost like a rock.

As you can tell still a bit of gunk on it. Will have to figure out what best to clean it off with. Paint and all.

Motor removed first, Will work on it separately.


Gained a little helper in my grandson


He wanted to help so bad.



Finally had to pull out some extra equipment.

It is coming apart piece at a time.




Now the fun, Cleaning it all will have to do some work on rust, Electrolysis on big pieces, and a bit of evaporust on the small stuff like bolts etc. In the mean time finding missing parts, and rebuild of others.
wish me luck.

 

[Bob Korves]

"That's a big Johnson you've got there, mister." 8^)

Nice saw as well. Post some more pics of your progress, looks like a great restoration candidate.

 

[wawoodman]

You dont need a hacksaw, when you've got a big Johnson!

 

[planeflyer21]

What a unique machine! I've never seen a bandsaw constructed from panels like that. Pretty cool.

What's a good helper like that charge these days?

 

[FOMOGO]

Don't recall ever seeing one quite like that. Will look forward to seeing it come back to life, and always good to get the family involved. Mike

What a unique machine! I've never seen a bandsaw constructed from panels like that. Pretty cool.

 

[ch2co]

You've got a great little helper there, how old? Very interesting build on that thing, keep us up to date with pictures as you proceed.

CHuck the grumpy old guy

 

[brino]

Thanks for sharing the project this far.....looking forward to the rest.
I am "watching' the thread.

-brino

 

[kvt]

Ok, have been looking for parts for this and have decided it may be better to take this thing into newer times. How does a Variable speed band saw sound. I got a treadmill motor, and controller for free, it is a 2.65HP, 1.5 continuous. The pulley on gear box is worn and thin, and the one on the motor is not the correct one it is a single vice a triple. Thus If I can find a way to make a new pulley for the gear box. and for treadmill motor it might work, but will have to find someone to help me figure out how to control the speed on the thing. So would it be a good Idea. Need to replace the guide bearings, and looking at what is on it, I can get them almost anywhere. Having trouble finding the seals for the Gear box, have found one of them even listed in the Timken book but everything I find is that no one can located it. The other one I have found but out of stock. Then I need to get the gearbox apart and see what the bearings are. Other than that is rather to order some eccentric bolts for the guides or try to make some eccentric inserts or something. Some were replaced with normal bolts, and another was damaged. Other than that I have to figure something out on the hydraulics, but have not started to take the old one apart yet. Will be away from the shop for the next week but will be looking for parts and trying to figure some things out.

 

[kvt]

Ok, got home this weekend, and was finally able to get the gearbox torn down for inspections, Took a bit of work to get some of the parts apart. The bearing had seized onto the shaft of the gear, and did not want to turn loose, and the other had seized into the other end of the shaft. But finally got it all apart enough to see what is needed. It had been run dry and worn a bit. I did find all the old bronze it was still in the case. Now just to find the gears so It can be rebuilt or a gear box to replace it.

Just a little bit of wear on the gears


and here is where it all went.

You can imagine what it did to the bearings. No wonder they got hot and seized onto the shaft.

 

[kvt]

Well, Got most if it in a molasses soak to get the rust off, WHile cleaning found that it is in fact a Model R not a Model B as was thought. Called DAKE as they are now the ones that own the company that made the saw, they sent me what they had which was a how to adjust it. So Still stuck looking for information on it. Once company said the gear box and some other stuff were the same as for th B and J models. Have found a couple of books on some sites I do not know if I trust for the R model . I will still keep looking and working on it.