Thread: Pinless conversion - questions

Hi Andrew,

When I first tried converting my GMC (no need to glare and hiss Zed ) am assuming your is the same, I tried using these clamps. I just bolted the black bits to the arm, didnt worry about the silver things. You will have to play with them being above or below the arm as I recall having them in one arrangement caused the top arm to bang into the casing around the arm.

This lasted a few weeks, then I went to the Hegner clamps because the 'thread' stripped out of the tightening bolt with the allen key .. maybe it was from not putting the allen key in correctly.. :confused:

Thanks 'oges.

I've already noticed that:

a) I can't mount the blade sideways with the pinless mounts. (Does that matter?)

b) the blade mounts further forward than the original, so I'll have to customise the sheet metal under the table.

I think I might drill a hole across the head of the clamp bolts, and use a pin through them as a handle, if the hole in the head isn't too robust.
How much, and where bought from, were the Hegner clamps?

Cheers,
Andrew

I got them from The Woodworks book place at Meadowbank? they were about $16 each .. even dearer if you get the ones with wheel thumb tightener

Gday Andrew

On the GMC saws (among others), there are two "tongues" at the end of the arms, one with the slits in it for pinned blades, the other is to mount a different type of pinless blade adaptors from the ones you bought. This different type is a sort of stirrup arrangement, has a little bar that goes over that tongue. I bought this type as an accessory from GMC, they work but are are fiddly to use. I have no idea why the same silver bit is supplied with the clamps you bought.

I think the type you have bought is more promising, The top and bottom clamps both need to do the same job, ie hold the end of the blade, so I can't see why that slot doesn't go right through on one of them. If you're not game to cut it I'd give either Timbecon or WMS (Preston, vic - who supply the same type of clamps) a call to check.

I'd persevere with the allen headed bolt, might be an idea tho' to take it to a bolt place and get a spare or two of better quality, which should be more resistant to chewing out like Brett's did. You could use a normal hex headed bolt as an alternative, or rig up tool free changing (suss the archives). I wouldn't drill through it like you proposed, I just reckon it would be fiddly in use as well as weakening an already suspect bolt head.

I don't think it would really be an issue not being able to mount the blade sideways, it mainly seems to be featured on pinned blade mounts, as it is just as easy in manufacture to provide the option. With pinless blade mounts it is more difficult to rig.

Re the blade being further forward, be aware that the further from vertical the blade oscillates the harder it is to make tight turns, so keeping the blade as close to 90 deg to the table (as viewed from the side at top and bottom of stroke) is the go, maybe even elongating slightly the arm mounting bolt hole on the clamp (if necessary) to achieve this.

Good luck...........cheers..............Sean

Originally Posted by scooter

On the GMC saws (among others), there are two "tongues" at the end of the arms, one with the slits in it for pinned blades, the other is to mount a different type of pinless blade adaptors from the ones you bought. This different type is a sort of stirrup arrangement, has a little bar that goes over that tongue.

Ah, yes, that makes sense - I have seen them somewhere.

Originally Posted by scooter

so I can't see why that slot doesn't go right through on one of them. If you're not game to cut it ...

Done. It was really more of a sliver left from the cutting, but now it's gone.

Originally Posted by scooter

I'd persevere with the allen headed bolt, might be an idea tho' to take it to a bolt place and get a spare or two of better quality

Off to BWIP tomorrow, clamp and bolts in hand.

Thanks Sean!