More WIP on the Powerhacksaw

[Woodlee]

After waiting a few weeks( I gave him the drawings and measurements about six weeks ago) I finally got the aluminium sheet and strip from the local sheet metal shop and set about making the guard to cover the drive pulley and gear on the hacksaw.
I made a jig to roll the strip around from scrap ply and particle board and used the outside of the guard as a template and routed the ply to shape.
I needed some thing 60mm and then 100mm wide so I made the jig adjustable , by adding dowels so they could slide apart , they are adjusted by inserting wooden blocks between the two sides and held in place with double sided carpet tape.
I also bored holes in the top side of the jig so I could use clamps to hold the strip in place while rolling it around the jig.
Once the strip was rolled around the jig I then had to set and adjust the curves in the metal as it had a lot of spring in it .
I made a bench block out of scrap , and used this to set the curves with panel beating hammers.
Hammering evenly across the strip so that the bending was even I progressed quite quickly and used the side as a template to guide me with the shape.
Pic 1 .The adjustable jig
Pic 2 The rolled strip in the hammering block
Pic 3 Close up of the block you can see the pattern o the hammer marks on he surface of the aluminium these aid in showing the progress across he metal ,only light blows were needed as the hammers were quite heavy .The marks are not dents only light marks on the surface of the metal.
Pic 4 Checking progress against the side template.
Pic 5 another angle , you can see a piece of pipe clamped to the other end of the bench I tried to use that to help with the curves but it didn't work very well .The hammers I spent some time on polishing the curved faces so the metal wasn't damaged .

The side with the narrow strip (60 mm) is to be bolted to the machine and the other with the wide strip (100mm ) will be hinged to it.The original guard was made from cast iron and was broken and the out side cover was missing all
together. I made this one using photographs of a similar machine and measurement from what was left of the original guard that was still bolted to the machine

Tomorrow it's off to the sheet metal worker to be tig welded .Another long wait I suspect

Kev.

[wheelinround]

Top job there Kev Nice to see the compressor under its lean to, :2tsup: love that jig

Just a note the alli could have been lightly heated using oxy/butane on the curved areas to form & set it.

[Waldo]

Putting my bib in here as I've really enjoyed your past WIPs. :2tsup:

[Woodlee]

Ray ,
Yes I thought of heat , but last time I heated aluminium it disappeared before my eyes and reappeared on the bench as a puddle.
Unlike steel it is hard to gauge how hot it is as it doesn't show much colour when heated.
I have the oxy/acetylene but was dubious about using it .
It only took 10,001 taps with the hammers.
Dropped off the bits this morning before heading to the doctor, hopefully I will get them back sooner rather than later.
The compressor is in a temporary position at the moment ,it will be moved around to the side of the shed once I get my extension done.
Then I will install some airline plumbing .
Its' a good compressor not that big in pumping capacity but has a good size tank.Its very quiet as well , not like my Rattly old swan.

Kev.

[Woodlee]

Waldo,
Thanks for the encouragement .

Kev.

[wheelinround]

First things first hope the Dr visit isn't serious :no: maybe just anxiety about the new Lathe & Mill arriving. Or strained muscle from moving & cleaning in preparation for their arrival. :2tsup:

:o The compressors getting a better home than that, I know company workshops compressors don't get treated that well.

Nice stump there Kev has the form of the bottom half of a body what's the wood.

For future ref.
To warm the alli rather than heat the alli is the idea Kev. I used to use a match or stick a small one which is touched to the alli flame is kept well back and faned across the area. Have you seen those cooking shows where they use butane to scorch the tops of deserts pretty much like that. To retain the curve or position have a bucket of water handy and rag to soak it and cool it.

3mm and less thick is APIA with it easier with 2 people one with the water and rag.

Ray

[Woodlee]

So basically warming the ally is enough? Haven't done much sheetmatal work in ally
but have machined heaps of it though .
This stuff is 3.2mm or 3mm .
The lean to is not really finished, I'm contemplating a swing up door that slides on channels with rollers at each end and will go back under the roof ,to save space and make it neat ,I was thinking of a double folding opening door still mulling the design over in my skull.See the flashing along the front edge of the roof ,I did that so I dont scalp my self when sticking my head in there.
I also want to cover in half of one end but as I'm moving it later have left that until its in its new position, because I will have to have it orientated like it is against the wall so I can see the oil level sight glass ,and also keep the drive at the back as it has no guard.
I will have to remove the concrete slab as well .
The stump is one of a few African mahogany logs I picked up around town ,been following the tree cutters around :-0
The smaller log is one of a few Iron wood off cuts my son bought home after he finished clearing for new power lines at Dundee Beach south of Darwin,he bought me home a nice bloodwood burl too.
He is in Kunnanurra at the moment and then going to the Alice later , I asked if he could bring me some desert mulga from Alice. I'll have to wait and see.

The doctors visit was to get some results from tests I had done about three weeks ago ,I have now officially joined the swelling ranks of the diabetics club.

Kev

[wheelinround]

Yep at 3mm Kev just slightly warm a wider area, rolling is better but hey no rollers.:no:.........although oxy bottles do a great job as curve makers.....cold of course.



Diabetics sorry to hear Kev hope its only diet and light meds not injections look after yourself:2tsup:

[Woodlee]

Ray,
Thanks for the good wishes but its just diet at this stage ,I take enough pills now for the ticker and to counter the effects from radiation treatment and arthritis.

I must have done a good job setting the curves as the sheetie was very pleased that he did not have huge gaps and metal all over the place that he had to straighten before welding.

Got future plan buzzing around in the head to make a set of small rollers one day .

Kev.

[Woodlee]

see this thread for the final installment of the wip of the power hacksaw project http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?p=1007539#post1007539

[Basilg]

Woodlee

Those Pulford compressors are very good machines and well worth a bit of TLC.

Regards

[Woodlee]

Yes I know ,fortunately spare parts are still available for them ,I need to do some thing with the valves as it has slight leakage .
It runs nice and smoothly and is much quieter that the Vtwin Swan compressor I have been using for the last few years.

Kev.