My 29 yr old 4x6 saw is dead!

[COMachinist]

Probably need to machine the blade support surfaces of the pulleys back parallel to the axles..

Chucked up the wheels in the 4 jaw on mandrel with live center, man what a scary out of round, wobbly. I plan to put new bearings on both wheels, and new 6000 ZZ blade guide bearings. Thought about machining eccentric guide shafts so the bearings can be alined better on the blade. Not sure that would do any thing.
CH

 

[Flyinfool]

Hmmmm
My blade guide bearings are already on eccentrics so that you can adjust them to the blade. It is the 6 blade guide bearings are the only thing I have needed to replace on my 4x6. If the blade guide bearings or not set correct they will pop off the blade. The blade guide bearing are in a very harsh environment and wear out quickly since they are not in housings and use the outer race as a wear surface, and then all the metal chips trying to get inside of them.
I am not even sure how old mine is, I bought it before there was a HF, but it still look like the same castings that all the current saws use.

 

[Ken from ontario]

Chucked up the wheels in the 4 jaw on mandrel with live center, man what a scary out of round, wobbly. I plan to put new bearings on both wheels, and new 6000 ZZ blade guide bearings. Thought about machining eccentric guide shafts so the bearings can be alined better on the blade. Not sure that would do any thing.
CH

If the wheels are that wobbly, I would also do what you're planning to do which is to replace the worn bearings and see if it makes a significant difference, I'm thinking the drive wheel with so much wobble might be gradually pushing the blade off the wheel, please let us know .

 

[RJSakowski]

Our 35 year old saw has been modified and tweaked to the point where the blade stays on and doesn't usually break prematurely. We shimmed the upper wheel and lengthened the adjustable support arm to get the bearings closer to the work when cutting small stuff.

View attachment 382554

My saw is around 45 y.o. but essentially the same as the HF saw. I used to use a shim as you did in the first pix but in reading the manual discovered the correct way to set blade tracking. Edit: In step 3, loosen but keep snug.

 

[cwilliamrose]

It has been decades ago but I seem to recall running out of adjustment and resorting to shims. Ours was running hard against the shoulder and destroying the blade from the back edge. Once we got it to a good place we left it alone.

 

[markba633csi]

You can also do the same procedure without the blade, the setscrew adjustment just a hair past where the wheels are in the same plane- just over center so to speak, by a degree or so
That's how I did mine several years ago
-Mark

 

[COMachinist]

It is back alive. Got all the saw bearings replaced some lathe and mill work, before I start service on the 932 and the head of the 12x36t lathe for the winter. I have cut a few things with gold results. It is better than it has been in a long long time. It has not thrown the blade yet, it could use some more tweaking but it is usable. With the cold cut saw I have I’m in good shape. I put a new Diablo D1472CF 14-inch Steel Demon on when I started the saw rebuild, and mod’s.
Thanks again to all who helped and contributed.
CH.

 

[NC Rick]

Thanks word police, we are safe from terminology fail and yes the tilt has been adjusted.
CH

I may well be really stupid but I was thrown off by the tire coming off also. @C-Bag was trying to be helpful so I don’t think he deserved your reply. I make more spelling and word errors than most people but still appreciate people trying to be helpful. My own 4x6 Taiwanese Delta saw is really similar and 30 years old. I would be sad if it failed and would also want to fix it. If it was gone, I would be looking for a nicer saw that was a tad bigger. FWIW