Thread: Just bought a MJ2325B 2nd hand and need some help

thanks Bob, I did replace the spacer too because it came with a new one and I greased that up nicely too, I made sure the lock nut wasn't too tight and that I could freely rotate the worm wheel prior to re-assembly.

I reckon something further into the workings of the machine is amiss and not moving in proper alignment thus putting undue force on the rack & pinion system.

I'm going to order another worm wheel or at least see if I can get one made somewhere from something a bit harder wearing than the metal it's made from in the factory - I think they make them from solder or maybe even something softer.
Then I will go to the spring manufacturing mob across the road from me and get a fairly serious spring made up which I will attach from the top of the motor to the underside of the table to assist in lifting the motor, it only needs about 5kg of assistance to still stay down firmly and not slip on the gear during raising.

Then I'll save up some money and buy a decent saw I think.
Because this thing's a piece of crap.

Seem a shame that you can't get it right - basically the saw is not too bad. You have already spent $680 + parts - if you try and sell it as is what do you anticipate you will get as your problem is now out in the public domain.

As you look like you are going to pull it apart again, have a go at getting it right and then if it is right and you sell it, then you should be able to recover some/most of the costs.

Just some thoughts.....

When the motor/blade is disconnected from the height adjuster, can you raise the blade to full height easily?

Have a look at the pivot point for the blade/motor assembly to see that it rotates "cleanly - I think it is D68 [the adjusting cradle].

How badly damaged is the worm wheel? can you rotate it 90 degrees and use the teeth that are still ok as I don't recall that the wheel is turned a full 360.

Is the driver shaft for the height adjuster straight? Part D56 - if this is bent it will allow the wheel and the shaft to disengage as the shaft is turned.

Phone a friend [I say tongue in cheek] - C'tec sell these machines as does Ledacraft - talk to their people - I had a similar problem which I managed to fix but from the sounds of it it may not be an isolated problem - they may be able to suggest other solutions.

I'm just guessing here whit my questions above, but I would say, "Don't let it beat you." Get some mates over who have some machinery experience [even if you are quite confident] as a fresh pair/s of eyes can often see what you don't as often you are too close to the problem as well as being frustrated/annoyed which is how it appears to be - which I can understand.

Not sure if the above helps you but give it a go.

Regards,
Bob

Thanks Bob,

You're right I get frustrated easily and selling this machine with a non functioning height adjuster (how it should have been advertised in the first place in which case I wouldn't have bought it) would be a very costly excercise.

I can rotate the wheel and use the other side of the threads which are unused, the problem is that there are 2 slots cut in for locating the stops, I can mark out where these go currently and drill some holes for them in the right place. That gives me 2 worm wheels to work with now.

I will then pull the covers off and take off the tables so I can get in there a bit more easily and roll it up onto car stands so I'm not contorting myself to get under the hood, I will take the manual and study the movement of the assembly carefully and see where it's failing, hopefully that way I'll be able to fix it.

In the meantime I have injured my back - I was walking to the shower after my gym session yesterday and and suddenly what felt like lightning in my spine hit me and I dropped to the ground, since then it's been excruciating pain no matter what I do and it doesn't relent. Pinched nerve - had it before and know how to deal with it, I'll be back on deck in a few days.

Good to hear your going to have a go at it.

Keep us in the loop as to how you are getting on.

Regards,
Bob

Originally Posted by missionaryman

.... I will take the manual and study the movement of the assembly carefully and see where it's failing.....

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MM,
Hope your back is on the mend...there's little that's more agonising than nerve root pain in the spinal column- pinched nerve, collapsed disc etc - I know, .....been there.
I'm wondering if the MJ2325B Manual you have is the same as I have here. My machine is just under 12 months old. For your reference, I've scanned the
front cover and the first few pages of my manual, and I've tried to attach it here, however the file size is too large.
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If you wish I can perhaps Email it to you, and if mine is different - more informative - I'd be happy to scan the entire document and Email the full scan to you.
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Thanks to you and Bob for your info about the 2 maintenance hatches. I wasn't on-site when my machine was being assembled by Vision Australia's Wood Machinist,
so I wasn't entirely sure that the 2 hatches weren't some part of the cabinets integral structure. I didn't want the cast iron wings dropping onto my
head as I undid the last screw. ) Being totally blind, the Manual is of little use to me and I have no woodwork enthusiasts nearby to take me through
the Manual step by step. but, now armed with your advice, I've removed both hatches, lubed the worm shafts and pinions and adjusted the blade to within
0.01mm of parallel with the mitre slot. I've also spent several hours loosening, adjusting and re-tightening the 4 screws that hold the fence to the T-slide.
I'm now getting the fence to be within(less than) 1mm of parallel with the blade when measuring from the front and rear of the Tabletop. Yes, the fence
angles out, ever so slightly, at the far end of the fence, and not inwards to create any potential for jamming when ripping.

I'm still not getting the full 77mm of height at 90º, as is claimed for theMJ2325B. I get 73mm at 90º, but as mentioned earlier my present blade is not a full 254mm, more like 250mm, so that would account for at least 2mm. I didn't investigate whether or not the motor carriage assembly could be lifted any higher, but well...what's a missing 2mm between friends anyway?
John

Hi John,

good to hear we could help, I'm on the mend now - I can walk and sit again, feels great.

I would love you to email the manual you have if you wouldn't mind. My email is landrtozanis(at)optusnet(dot)com(dot)au

many thanks
Luis

Originally Posted by missionaryman

Hi John,

good to hear we could help, I'm on the mend now - I can walk and sit again, feels great.

I would love you to email the manual you have if you wouldn't mind.
many thanks
Luis

G'day Luis,

Good to hear you're on the mend. I understand the pain, I had a collapsed disc in my neck, lost the use of my left arm for a while and spent 6 weeks flat on my back in a UK hospital - no pillow, and stretched out with weights attached to head and ankles. The English still remember how to use the "Rack!" Ouch! )
My photo scans that I've done of the front cover and first 7 or 8 pages of the MJ2325B Manual are now stored on this Web site under My Albums/photo's. Just click on my nickname, "Dado" and you should see a Link to My Albums. I think these photo scans get compressed down to a manageable size, so they might not be very readable when enlarged at your end. but, they may give you an idea of whether or not my Manual is the same as yours.
I will, in any case send the full sized *.jpg files to your Email address. If my Manual is different and more informative, I'll scan the full Manual and forward it onto you.
Sorry, but I'll have to do that later tonight or tomorrow, as I'm presently running very late for an appointment.

best regards,

John

I figured it out and fixed it, took me hours but it's working and no new parts needed, I used the old stuffed worm gear and it works fine.

Before I go on let me just say that if you have this machine and you need to get under the hood to do some servicing and have the original manual in your hand then stop off at the toilet first and then use the manual to clean up afterwards, because that's about all it's good for.

Just to re-cap for those of you just chiming in for the first time that might have the same problem, my TS was not raising the blade via the handwheel like it should it was stiff and got to a certain point where it would just slip on the teeth of the gears and not raise.

• I pulled it open and found the bearing & shaft for the worm gear was ceased and rust had fused it to the face of the plate it was supposed to roll against.
• I removed it, cleaned it and lubed it and replaced it but no good it seemed as though the damage to the teeth was done and it needed replacing.
• I then ordered a new one from Carbatec and after 6 months or so their awesomely efficient delivery service got it to me albeit with a 30% price increase imposed even though I had a printed and priced purchase order.
• I fitted the new worm gear and a new handwheel shaft and it worked for 1 or 2 lifts then did the same thing.

Here's the solution:

it's twofold:

1. Lubricate everything generously, when you remove the worm gear and have the motor in the fully raised position it should be free enough to slump back down to about 1/2 way without any help, if yours stays up there it needs a generous lubricating on all pivot points.

2. And this is the main one...

*Contrary to what I have previously posted in this thread*

The bolt that goes through the worm gear and out the other side of the mounting plate must be in tight and the locking nut on the other side must also be tight, if this is loose your rack & pinion will move out of alignment and strat to click and slip on the gears after a few ups and downs.

NOTE: the rust in the worm gear bearings is an inherent problem in this machine because if you look at previous posts you'll see I'm not the only one who's had it so if yours is working fine then remove the LHS inspection panel and have a good look at it to make sure it's well lubed and not rusting, clean any build up around it regularly

Hoooooooooooooooooooraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!

I take my hat off to you - great to hear that you solved it and thanks for the extra heads up - I fixed mine but thought it was probably a one off job - but I'll now keep an eye on it.

Regards,
Bob

I have the Hare & Forbes incarnation of the MJ2325B and it also has the same affliction. I am about to try to do something about it.

Just a couple of questions:
1. What type of grease did you use? Is there any problem with saw dust getting clogged in it?
2. The other idea I have been exploring is whether turning the table upside down would make access easier? I read in the manual that when the saw is assembled new you start off with it upside down to enable the assembly of the cabinet. It would be a pain I know as you would need to remove all the tables and fence attachments.

B.O.B.

G'day B.O.B,

I used marine grade wheel bearing grease only because that is all I had on hand at the time. I have kept an eye on the wheel etc and the grease still seems to be doing its job and has not picked up a great deal of sawdust. When/if I need to do it again I will ensure that I buy some "dry" type of grease although it doesn't seem to be a necessity.

As to turning the table upside down - I wouldn't.

Reasons,

Very heavy to turn over in a controlled way when fully assembled - from memory the upside down bit was only for the base assembly not the entire saw.

You will now have to work on the problem down on the floor rather than at a reasonable height either reaching in from the side or from the "bottom" of the machine right to the "top".

The height winder will be closest to the floor and you will need to move it while trying to look at and work on the wheel with your face almost on the floor.

Hope it helps, regards,
Bob

B.O.B - I used Pro Ma MBL grease where I could access (awesome stuff I used to sell it door to door but can't be bothered anymore so I just buy it and use it as I need it) and where I couldn't because of limited access I just sprayed copious amounts of WD-40 type stuff taking care not to hit or drip on the belt.

I would not dare attempt turning it up side down as it is a 200kg machine and it's very top heavy, you'll throw everything out of alignment doing so then again when you turn it the right way up.

Mine has castors on it so I can roll it up a set of car ramps to get underneath but it's not necessary.

I'll try to get hold of the goop you recommend. The job will have to wait until Easter when SWMBO goes away.

Once I start tinkering around in the workshop I tend to loose track of time.

I'll let you know how I get on>

B.O.B.

when i tinker away in the shed i try to loose track of time but it just doesnt work, between the 4 year old, the 2.5 year old and the new born i am constantly reminded of the time...