Thread: Preston Bandsaw

Guide Bracket: The upper blade guide bracket assembly (including the original blade deflector) has been cleaned, painted, and reassembled.

bPres2.jpg

The end of the arm and the clamping casting (for want of a better name) have whitemetal bearing surfaces where the guide bar slides up and down, and a brass 'slug' where the clamping screw engages the bar. Nice touch .

aPresWmetal1.jpg aPresUGbrkt2.jpg End of the arm (left) and clamping casting (right).

aPresUGbrkt6.jpg Guide bar.

The bar itself is 1 5/16" square and 25" long - a significant weight even before hanging the upper guide off it. The saw would originally have been fitted with a counter-balance spring for the upper guide - but this was missing when I bought it. I may fit a weight on pulleys.

The guides are Chaco - made in Switzerland. I would guestimate these replaced the original guides in the 1970s or early 1980s. Chaco are still in existence, and I have ordered and received some replacement guide wear strips.
Preston 30" Bandsaw Guides

Electrics: The electricals were looking a bit sad when the saw arrived, with dirt, dust, paint splashes, and some surface rust in places. The isolating switch is MEM (Midland Electrical Manufacturing Ltd, UK). The contactor is Crabtree (also UK). I've stripped both boxes of electrical components and paint, blocked off any un-needed openings, and repainted in colours close to the originals. All the electrical components were cleaned (scrubbed if appropriate) before reassembly, and the silvered contacts in the contactor were cleaned using a fibreglass pen. I found and won another Crabtree contactor on Trademe, but whereas mine is rated 5 - 10amps (and set at 8.5amps), this one is only rated 1 - 2amps. Still, the contacts are interchangeable - should I burn one out .

These electrics are not original to the saw. Crabtree were manufacturing that contactor in the 1950s. However MEM didn't introduce that model of isolating switch until late 1960s or early 1970s. So it appears that these were most likely fitted to this saw in the 1970s. The original starter was made by Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. USA, according to records that came with the saw.

aSwPres.jpg aPresElect2.jpg Before (left) and now (right)

1970b.jpg crab12.jpg Crab5.jpg

CrabLit.jpg September 1953 advertisement - from Grace's Guide.

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by Vann

...and today I moved the saw into what I hope is it's final position (I still need to level it)...

During the week I found time to cut some hardwood wedges and attempted to level the saw. I used a level on the table for level in the Y axis but, as it's a tilting table, I didn't trust it in the X axis - so I used the motor shelf instead. Fortunately (surprisingly) the motor shelf and table appear to be co-planar.

This morning I remembered something I read some time ago about setting up bandsaws, and hung a plumb-bob from the upper wheel...

PresLevel1.jpg

to see where it would hang in relation to the lower wheel...

PresLevel2.jpg PresLevel3.jpg Just about spot-on in one direction, and 3mm out in the other - not bad I reckon.

I'm not sure that it matters if it's slightly out? Surely all that matters is that the blade is 90 degrees to the table?

Note that I finally managed to remove the (2" across flats) wheel nut from the lower wheel - after filing out a cheap spanner until it fitted. I'm still considering whether or not to attempt the remove the wheel in order to check the lubrication in the ball-bearing races.

I'm now contemplating drilling the floor of the garage and chem-setting some fixing bolts in place. Then I'd like to grout the saw (I've never tried that before - some googling may be required).

Cheers, Vann.

Taking a step back, this is the motor shelf before I fitted it to the body of the bandsaw.

Table12.jpg Top face.

Motor10.jpg Underside.

I could just lift it to fit it to the saw - it must weigh around 1.5 - 2 cwt.

On Tuesday I slid the motor over to beside the bandsaw and made preparations to lift it. I'd removed the end cover in the hope that I might see the bearing race. No joy, but it did help with removing the old oil. The cover itself had a bent flange and some surface rust. A bit of hammering and some paint has made it almost like new. The gasket was munted, so made a new one.

Motor1.jpg Motor4.jpg

The motor itself still retains almost all it's paint (and some overspray ) so no plans to repaint. I've drained the old oil from the motor bearings and cleaned the fittings. Unlike the grease cups on the bandsaw, and some recently acquired oilers, by Kingfisher (Leeds, UK), the motor oilers are made by Gits in Chicago, USA.

On Wednesday evening, with my son's help, we lifted the motor 2" at a time (packing with timber blocks) until it was high enough to slide it across on to the shelf. If I thought the shelf was heavy, the motor is heavier - I'd estimate 3 or 4 cwt.

Motor2.jpg Motor5.jpg

It's not lined up yet, but here's a closer view of the drive arrangement.

Motor3.jpg

And before I do line it up, I have to insert "the Octopus" (which appears to be a length of leather lineshaft belting, wound around the "prongs")

Motor8.jpg Motor9.jpg "The Octopus" bathing in neatsfoot oil.

Cheers, Vann.

One thing that's missing from my bandsaw is a little "D" handle mounted under the auxiliary table - as visible in these cattledog cuts.

aPhandle.jpg as fitted to saw with exposed wheels.

aPhandlecat.jpg as fitted to saw with enclosed bottom wheel.

I was trying to work out what it's function is/was. Maybe a tilting lock for the main table? I can see no sign of anything having ever been attached under my table (no threaded mounting points, nor similar).

aPhandle4.jpg aPhandle5.jpg 2 photos (taken 12 & 10 months ago) showing the cut-out, but no "D" handle.

aPhandle3.jpg underside of auxiliary table.

However, this morning Jack posted this picture in his Wadkin Band Saw Development thread, and the penny dropped.

aPhandle1.jpg aPhandle2.jpg

The "D" handle is almost certainly the actuator handle to slip the belt between loose and fast pulleys, on the belt driven models. With mine being an early direct drive model, it's not surprising a handle was never fitted.
Mystery solved I reckon . Thanks Jack.

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by Vann

Electrics:...These electrics are not original to the saw. Crabtree were manufacturing that contactor in the 1950s. However MEM didn't introduce that model of isolating switch until late 1960s or early 1970s. So it appears that these were most likely fitted to this saw in the 1970s. The original starter was made by Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. USA, according to records that came with the saw.

aSwPres.jpg aPresElect2.jpg Before (left) and now (right)

I was recently advised of a picture taken inside the Pattern Shop in 1963. Today I tracked down a copy, from the Railways Bulletin Vol.12, No.1 1963, celebrating 2000 days injury free.

Pattern Shop Safety Record - V4.jpg courtesy of New Zealand Railway & Locomotive Society.

To the right of the picture is... my bandsaw !!.

Note that the electrical contactor and isolating switch are the replacement ones shown in the quote above. This means these were added prior to 1963 (and they look fairly new in the photograph).

I just love this research

Cheers, Vann.

Nice find. The bandsaw has probably outlasted the others in the photograph!

Originally Posted by hiroller

The bandsaw has probably outlasted the others in the photograph!

1963 to today = 53 years, so even a 15 year old apprentice would be 68 years old now.

As for the old foreman, Mr. SVM Evans, according to staff records he started in March or April 1926. Assuming he was 15 at the time, he'd be 106 years old now.

Cheers, Vann.

It's a landmark day today. My sparkie mate came today. He meggered the motor and checked out the wiring I'd done, then connected the wires to the motor. We moved the motor clear of the drive and started it up. It ran quietly (and the wrong way of course ). He changed two wires and we ran the motor for a minute or two. I fitted the leather drive belt to the drive "prongs" and moved the motor into it's correct position. Then we started it again - driving only the lower wheel at this stage. It purrs.

It's great to have the motor running at last, after almost 12 months.

Now to finish all those little jobs, so I can put the blade back on and use it.

I've never posted a video clip before, I'll have to try it once the camera batteries have recharged.

Cheers, Vann.

My 11 year old daughter took these on her cellphone, and loaded them on YouTube (because her 60 year old father doesn't know how to )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBurYQNdU_s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVKqUR6vpms

Cheers, Vann.

That is a seriously good sound!

Graham.

Ah great work Vann, love the video, even if you did get your daughters to film and load it to YouTube

Congrats Vann, looks and sounds great!

I had the day off work today. I took the opportunity to check out a potential problem with the coupling between motor and lower wheel shaft. I'd noticed there was some play in one of the "pronged" coupler halves.

I undid the two temporary bolts holding down the motor (the four original bolts have now been cleaned and painted), and slid the motor clear again.

coupling1.jpg coupling3.jpg coupling2.jpg coupling4.jpg

I removed the two 5/8" grub screws and slid out the square key. Note the numbers stamped in the keyway "33024.." (first photo). I don't know what that's about? I tried to knock the coupler off the shaft, but it wasn't going to come off without a fight, so I cleaned the grub screws and reassembled everything. It seems tight on the shaft now, but I'll need to check it from time to time to ensure all is well.

coupling6.jpg Note the pin in the belt clips - it was a 4" nail

The motor is now fixed down with it's original bolts.

I also have one of the grease cups off - there was too much rust on it.

cup1.jpg Apologies for the poor photo.

The grease cups are marked KINGFISHER - LEEDS - No.4. One more coat of paint on the pipework and it'll go back on (~ Thursday).

Tomorrow I'll try to find time to reassemble the lower blade guide.

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by Vann

bPres2.jpg aPresUGbrkt6.jpg Guide bar.

The bar itself is 1 5/16" square and 25" long - a significant weight even before hanging the upper guide off it. The saw would originally have been fitted with a counter-balance spring for the upper guide - but this was missing when I bought it. I may fit a weight on pulleys.

I've reassembled the Chaco upper guide and it weighs in at 3.78kg (8lb 5oz). The guide bar I calculate at 6.23kg (13lb 12oz). Therefore the total weight to be lifted when increasing the height of the guide is 10.01kg (22lb 1oz).

I'm looking out for a 10kg counterweight.

I've also reassembled the lower Chaco guide. The thrust bearing doesn't turn freely (I've reassembled something wrong ), but I've fitted it back on the saw anyway (I'll check it out later).

I've sorted out all the grease cups.

I put the blade back on, and started the saw...

https://youtu.be/8oLZ8mul9sY

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8oLZ8mul9sY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That upper wheel does not look round !!!

The exposed lower wheel scares the bejesus out of me - I'm now preparing the two cabinet doors for painting so I can fit them back on the saw. I love the exposed upper wheel - but there's a lot of exposed blade between the wheel and the guide that I'm not so keen on...

Cheers, Vann.