Thread: Kamro FKS table saw

Hi Stan,
I don't know were you can get the parts you are after, but I'm pretty sure that the "Kamro" saws were actually made by Altendorf and rebadged as a Kamro (I have also found other makes that look exactly like the Altendorfs and Kamros - I've got a Kamro FK).

I would try http://www.altendorf.com.au/ and take it from there.

Thanks for that ..I've sent 'em an email, I'll see what happens.
If they help me , or help me get the bits, you'll be invited to our next major party..
Stan

Hi Stan,
Let us know either way how you get on. Although I'm not in need of any parts at the moment, I'd be interested to know where I could get them if I ever do need them.

Hi Stan

Without knowing what it all looks like:

Can you replace the tracks with aluminium extrusion?

You might find some wheels that you could adapt in your local Bunnings/hardware in the sliding door section (or local glazier). There are many sizes and fittings available which have nylon wheels with ballraces.

Altendorf can't help...they suggested talking to a technician, which I did, he was helpful and I learnt some things...
1.I am the first person in a very long time, maybe the first actually to ask him about manufacturning track rails.
He (technician) said, it's maybe impossible to make new tracks, and even if you could, re alignment on the machine to the thousandth of an inch or accurately,(whatever that actually means) would be impossible.
He went on to say, after manufactured & installed track rails were fitted, the whole tracking base assembly would have to be fitted to a milling machine & the 4 track rails actually milled on the bed.
My bed measures 3.2 mtrs long....so
I don't know....

2.
I do know the 8 wheels are / will be very easy , the bearings should be an over the counter item and the wheels should be a walk in the park for any good engineer.
Trouble is, the smoothness and ease & accuracy is (I think) directly attributed to the track rails....
The machine itself is a fantastic peice of engeering, strong, robust, very powerful...able to leap buildings in a single bound....
What a ???? that it has all come down to this....
The make up of this machine says to me it should go forever .......

I was once before told something was impossible (a friends Fordson major tractor rolled into the dam...stayed there a week or so, I was asked to pull it out..my 1942 ford army blitz and some skill pulled it out easy..my mate gave me the tractor as a thankyou...???
It wouldnt go.. I discovered that the fuel delivery pump...the thing before the injector lines...was faulty...
I rang the diesel specialists, they said $1,800.00 to service it...I said no way, I'd do it myself...they explained it was a critical job, done in fact, in a airconditioned room where no dust particles were present...tolerances of a thousandth of an inch...
I drew some pictures, made some marks for fuel timing , pulled it apart, found some real weird bearings were absolutely shot, ordered new ones, when they arrove, I used a 4" angle grinder with a power wire brush and proceeded to clean all rust off the pumps crankshaft, pistons and anything else rusted...or that moved or rotated.
When I was finished with the clean up and re assembly, I submersed the pump in Kero and rotated the pump and 4 "spouts" kept shooting out the top of the kero...they were all pumping...(the 4 pistons and delivery for the 4 injectors...
I put it back together, It took about 2 acres of paddock to clutch start the tractor, but it started & ran....but it was weak on 1 cylinder....The guy at the (very reputable) diesel service told me it was impossible for a normal person to service one of these & if I suceeded he'd give me a job there..
I rang him up & told him what I had done and also advised him I enjoyed shingle splitting & woodwork too much to consider working with them......

SO...
Maybe these track rails may be a job on the cards after the Brisbane wood show.

I don't know about luck or miricles, but it'd be very nice to find an easy way to fix 'em.
Touuble is...we could use this machine fixed real soon...a BIG job to do......

That's a shame Stan. I had heard from a mate, that if the sliding tables need major servicing, they normally get sent back to the factory - I though it was a bit over the top, but maybe not.

Maybe give Floobyduster suggestion a go and see if you can find something "off the shelf" that you can use as a replacement.

Let us know how you get on.

If the saw has runners like one im familiar with they are made from a grade of Tufnol, a kind of reinforced phenolic material. Tufnol comes in many different grades and with many different reinforcments.

I considered making a router jig and use a chamfering bit or such, or even get one ground, to resurface the origional ones in the saw but decided against it, as all though they looked quite worn the sliding table was still able to be adjusted and worked fine.

I got some Tufnol from a marine place in Adelaide recently for a high voltage project, they were HEAPS cheaper than the useuall bearing suppliers, cant remember the place, just google search it...

Personally, unless they are totally stuffed i'd leave well enough alone.

Thanks for that, I keep dreaming I open this forum & somebody says...you can get em new at.....
or these people fix 'em....

We'll get new whells made up, new bearings for the wheels & see what happens.
Friday a fellow woodworker & metal machiner of 20 yrs exp..(works for a biggish engeenering co) is coming to look at the sliding table rails...He should understand whether the whole unit could be placed under a traditional milling machine (with a 3.2 mtrs stroke , that is...ie. a monster).
If he reckons its a no go, I'll give it up and just replace the 8 wheels and live with it until we can afford a more accurate & moderner machine.

Thanks for the info on the resin...