- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 2,486
There's nothing that bugs me more than a tool that ceases to function properly due to cost cutting during it's manufacture.
My old Craftsman 10 inch table saw fence is a perfect example of this. I have used it a bit so really have gotten my
investment out of it(to it's credit) long ago. Anyway, the problem was on the distant end of the fence where there is this
cheap plastic roller. It had to be made with sloppy tolerances on the inside of the wheel so the roller would pass over
the threads on the handle end. Over time it wears even more sloppy and finally it ceases to roll making the saw pretty
much a frustrating piece of machinery. To use the saw, the fence had to be removed from its moorings and set to where
it was needed. Then one would have to tap on it and finally get it where it is needed to make a saw cut.
Taking matters into my own hands, I found a bearing with a 5/16 hole in the center(turned out to be too sloppy!) and machined a
piece of DOM(drawn over mandrel ) boring out the hole for a tight fit on the bearing and machining the outside of it to the proper diameter.
Basically it looks like a ring that was press fitted to the bearing(see photo). The threads on the end of the rod are 5/16 inch so that is
why I used a bearing with a 5/16 hole. Well it's sloppy loose on the end of the rod and no way to install a bushing inside the bearing.
I had to resort to what could be construed as making a REDNECK REPAIR.
I found a brass rifle shell that I was able to get over the 5/16
threads and then force(shrink) the brass sleeve into the bearing hole. The brass shell was forced over the threads and the necked end
was cut off with a small disc grinding leaving the sleeve past the threads.
So now the fence is affixed with a ball bearing wheel at the distal end of the fence and working quite nicely. If you have one of these
saws and have a fence that doesn't slide back and forth very well it is likely the plastic roller wearing out. There are millions of these
saws out there all with the same construction so if you have one, you might take a look at it, maybe even restore it to functionality.
Left photo: Ball bearing with ring press fitted on
Middle photo: Bearing installed(sloppy fit) and plastic roller in the foreground
Right photo: Brass bushing slipped over the rod and press fitted into the bearing center for a good fit finally!
My old Craftsman 10 inch table saw fence is a perfect example of this. I have used it a bit so really have gotten my
investment out of it(to it's credit) long ago. Anyway, the problem was on the distant end of the fence where there is this
cheap plastic roller. It had to be made with sloppy tolerances on the inside of the wheel so the roller would pass over
the threads on the handle end. Over time it wears even more sloppy and finally it ceases to roll making the saw pretty
much a frustrating piece of machinery. To use the saw, the fence had to be removed from its moorings and set to where
it was needed. Then one would have to tap on it and finally get it where it is needed to make a saw cut.
Taking matters into my own hands, I found a bearing with a 5/16 hole in the center(turned out to be too sloppy!) and machined a
piece of DOM(drawn over mandrel ) boring out the hole for a tight fit on the bearing and machining the outside of it to the proper diameter.
Basically it looks like a ring that was press fitted to the bearing(see photo). The threads on the end of the rod are 5/16 inch so that is
why I used a bearing with a 5/16 hole. Well it's sloppy loose on the end of the rod and no way to install a bushing inside the bearing.
I had to resort to what could be construed as making a REDNECK REPAIR.
I found a brass rifle shell that I was able to get over the 5/16threads and then force(shrink) the brass sleeve into the bearing hole. The brass shell was forced over the threads and the necked end
was cut off with a small disc grinding leaving the sleeve past the threads.
So now the fence is affixed with a ball bearing wheel at the distal end of the fence and working quite nicely. If you have one of these
saws and have a fence that doesn't slide back and forth very well it is likely the plastic roller wearing out. There are millions of these
saws out there all with the same construction so if you have one, you might take a look at it, maybe even restore it to functionality.
Left photo: Ball bearing with ring press fitted on
Middle photo: Bearing installed(sloppy fit) and plastic roller in the foreground
Right photo: Brass bushing slipped over the rod and press fitted into the bearing center for a good fit finally!
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