-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2013
- Messages
- 590
I have virtually the same Vectrax saw, but with a mitering head. The guide roller parts are machined very sloppy. But, once it is set correctly, produces a beautiful, straight cut that looks like it was machined.
It looks like you are using an unnecessarily narrow blade.
It looks like you are using an unnecessarily narrow blade.
G
gapi
Forum Guest
Register Today
I think you are right. I don't have the book on the saw but I took her apart again yesterday and the teeth just touch the side bearings when I try to get the top edge of the blade close to the top roller bearing. So I will go up a size.
What I found is the ways that hold the blade guides are wider than the guides. They can shift or tilt if they take a hit. I am new to this saw setup thing so tell me if its for a reason? See between the arrows below.
So, I left them a little loose and eyeballed them to match each other with the blade looking 90°to the table and locked them down. Its cuts MUCH better. A little tapping with a hammer with these and then locking them down is how I did it.
The outside bearing shafts are elliptical and I dialed them in to take the blade install only if you have the blade just right to slip in.
Before all this the cut would end up almost 1/2" inwards from where it started at the top.
One of my co-workers must have hit them inserting a piece into the vice.
Should the ways fit the guides better?
What I found is the ways that hold the blade guides are wider than the guides. They can shift or tilt if they take a hit. I am new to this saw setup thing so tell me if its for a reason? See between the arrows below.
So, I left them a little loose and eyeballed them to match each other with the blade looking 90°to the table and locked them down. Its cuts MUCH better. A little tapping with a hammer with these and then locking them down is how I did it.
The outside bearing shafts are elliptical and I dialed them in to take the blade install only if you have the blade just right to slip in.
Before all this the cut would end up almost 1/2" inwards from where it started at the top.
One of my co-workers must have hit them inserting a piece into the vice.
Should the ways fit the guides better?
G
Gerritt
Forum Guest
Register Today
The 'slop' is there to help you adjust the guides so the blade cuts vertically.
The adjustments interact somewhat, e.g. the gap between bearings should be 0.002-3 bigger than blade thickness.
Then adjust blade vertical at both guides, check with test cuts in hardwood.
Then adjust vise perpendicular to blade.
There are further details in the document referred to earlier in the thread.
Better, i.e. machined instead of stamped, washer under those SHCS might help prevent movement in future. If the threads in casting are stripped you should be able to go up one size.
The adjustments interact somewhat, e.g. the gap between bearings should be 0.002-3 bigger than blade thickness.
Then adjust blade vertical at both guides, check with test cuts in hardwood.
Then adjust vise perpendicular to blade.
There are further details in the document referred to earlier in the thread.
Better, i.e. machined instead of stamped, washer under those SHCS might help prevent movement in future. If the threads in casting are stripped you should be able to go up one size.
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2014
- Messages
- 634
The guides should be set closer than "eyeball".
Use a square and light behind it to get them as close to vertical as possible.
The vice should also be set by squaring it to the blade. Some vices have a removable dowel at that position but they often are abused and unusable.
If its moved to cut a angle, use the square to reset it so it doesn't mess others up.
This is a standard shop practice which everyone should learn. Yea, there's always one or two who don't care and trying to educate an entire shop seems impossible.
There should be a roller in each guide to keep the blade from rising vertically when cutting.
These aren't cam'd . If they have a groove cut in them the blade can sit high.
If the blade sits offset from the bearing center, not likely, you might just turn them around. Otherwise replace them.
It's always good to see someone who wants to care for and adjust the equipment.
Jim
Use a square and light behind it to get them as close to vertical as possible.
The vice should also be set by squaring it to the blade. Some vices have a removable dowel at that position but they often are abused and unusable.
If its moved to cut a angle, use the square to reset it so it doesn't mess others up.
This is a standard shop practice which everyone should learn. Yea, there's always one or two who don't care and trying to educate an entire shop seems impossible.
There should be a roller in each guide to keep the blade from rising vertically when cutting.
These aren't cam'd . If they have a groove cut in them the blade can sit high.
If the blade sits offset from the bearing center, not likely, you might just turn them around. Otherwise replace them.
It's always good to see someone who wants to care for and adjust the equipment.
Jim
4
4GSR
Forum Guest
Register Today
When I adjust the cam rollers to the blade, I do the adjustment with the blade off of the wheels. I make them just snug enough that you can barely pull the blade thru by hand with the roller held stationary.
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2014
- Messages
- 160
I have a 15 year old 4 x 6 saw that Took a lot of work to get it to cut square. After adjusting the roller guides as much as possible and still off 1/4" in 5" of height ,I decided to check out the pivot itself. I found the casting was rough , I loosened the bolt and shimmed it.Now I got within 1/16" which would have been enough if I could get it on the money by adjusting the roller guides.I had run out of play with that adjustment so I removed the saw from the pivot. I then placed the pivot casting on the mill. I removed about 1/4" to 0" where the saw meets the casting . Reinstalled everything and now had room to adjust the guides.
The saw cuts square. Once in a while it needs readjusting , simple turn of the roller guides with an 18" adjustable wrench. If I knew the problem right away this would have been a 3 hr job. Took me more like 4 days.Mostly trying to figure out what was wrong.
mike
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2016
- Messages
- 3,852
Most saws have an elliptical adjustment on the pivot toe help with blade tracking. Adjusting it so it will cut outwards, not inwards may help. One other possible source is that the blade is duller on one side I once fixed my saw by putting in a new blade...
I have almost the same saw. When I lay a square (standing up) on the clamping area and then raise the saw, it gradually pivots away from a vertical line and when fully raises to cut a 6" is tilts about 1/4" (the arc) I have done all kinds playing with it, new blade, rollers bearings. Finally determined that it is in the pivot and there is no way to adjust that. It was probably cast crooked. Any suggestions.