kennedy hacksaw

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

mmmm Where might be the best place to look for a used saw? In my youth we used to have a clonky old thing with a solid starret blade and a recipricle movement, wasn't that slow as I remember it and certainly better than doing a dozen by hand.

Thanks,

Ian

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

It’s got to the stage now where some of the old reciprocal worn out saws are fetching more money than a new cheap compact import.
I think Warcop do a small bench top model that could even fold away into a drawer

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I have a Rapidor Manchester which still has its original paint from 1972, still in A1 nick. Looks like it was made in 1872, still can't resist watching it work when I should be getting on with something else but something enjoyable about not having to put any effort in to cut large stock.

Mike

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Ahhh yeah I remember the thing we used to use having a sort of rhythm to it, never saw it (see what I did there) fail. I used to take the old blades and grind them, they made fantastic sharp knives that held their edge well.

I might have to get a Chinese one as there are only a few used ones on ebay and none local.

Thanks,

Ian

[Peter Andrews 3Participant @peterandrews3]

Good morning guys.

My question is also about a Kennedy Hacksaw.

I bought one last year in quite good condition for £40 from Facebook market.

I so wanted one I thought nothing of driving from Surrey to Coventry to collect it.

I have just started to strip it down into the sum of it's parts to clean and restore.

I wonder if anyone knows how to dismantle the Vice please?

One thing I have noticed that the vice seems to be generic across the 4 models.

I have undone the main bolt and dropped the hexagon undercarriage, which has loosened the front of the vice.

I was hoping that the screw thread would outrun it's self and just drop out.

Unfortunately this is not the case and it just turns until you cannot move it.

I have searched YouTube and spent about half a day on Mr Google, but have hit a brick wall.

Any assist would be great.

Many thanks

Peter

[Peter Andrews 3Participant @peterandrews3]

Hi again.

My bad I had a cataract done 2 days ago lol.

I have just seen a small pin in the hexagon so I need to tap it out.

Thanks anyway.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by Peter Andrews 3 on 21/02/2020 03:53:24:

Hi again.

My bad I had a cataract done 2 days ago lol.

I have just seen a small pin in the hexagon so I need to tap it out.

Thanks anyway.

Hello and welcome to a friendly forum.
Re your new toy, you will find lots of useful info on the Kennedy at this chaps site HERE

Bill

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Can Clive Foster please expand on setting the dashpot correctly? As far as I can discover, the manufacturer's 'special' oil is an ISO VG460 oil, which might as well be Unobtanium in small quantities. Perhaps that's why 90% aren't set up correctly.

Can Clive or anyone else suggest a suitable dashpot oil? And, for bonus points, one that can be had in New Zealand?

[Alain FooteParticipant @alainfoote90915]

Steam Oil for loco cylinders is 460 viscosity if I recall correctly, so should do the trick.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

ISO 460 oil is listed as same viscosity as SAE 85w-140 gear oil available at any car parts store. Should do the job.

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Thanks Hopper! Why didn't I find the information myself? Entering 'ISO VG460 SAE' into a search engine finds the equivalent spec. without any problem. I think I just gave up, without really trying, assuming it was going to be too difficult (to find). Story of my life…

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Kiwi Bloke

As far as I know setting the dashpot is one of those "you will know when its right" things. Bit more damping for thiner or softer material, bit less for larger or harder.

Just (!) a matter of making sure that there is enough down pressure on the saw for it to cut but not so much that it fills the kerf mid stroke and starts tearing rather than cutting.

I'm unconvinced that the standard 24 tpi blade recommendation is the best for all materials. Seems more pipe, tube and smaller sections appropriate than for larger parts. As I recall things the one we had at work went much better with Keranous variable pitch blades than with the normal type. (Wonderful things those variable pitch blades but dropped from RARDE stores as being too pricey. Much younger Clive didn't have the bottle to grab a lifetime supply!).

I'd be inclined to experiment with coarser blades. After all power hacksaws like my Rapidor use what seem to be silly coarse blades by hand saw, and bandsaw, standards so logically same might apply to a Kennedy. Probably best to start by applying the standard 3 or 4 teeth engaged rule.

I. like may folk, tend not to experiment when first getting a new toy. Just plough in and fine something that works more or less then stick with it until hitting something it can't cope with. Then play around unit finding another more or less works set-up. Objectively it's much better to block out some time for a proper investigation of how it works and what works best when. Which I've been telling myself since I was about 10 years old. 65 2/3 rds now and it hasn't stuck! Some folk are slow learners.

Clive

Edited By Clive Foster on 22/02/2020 09:17:52

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

3 or 4 teeth engagement is generally only applicable to thin materials. Few go less than 4 teeth per inch.

But as always, there will be exceptions, particularly for other materials (think large circular -band saws for wood).

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Peter,

18tpi is OK so is motor oil, 1" blades will work on the 90

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Thanks Clive.

I have a love-hate relationship with my Kennedy – mostly hate. It's got more stamina than the old Armstrong hacksaw, but doesn't cut as straight.

The dashpot was always something I'd figure out one day – now's the day! Perhaps. Experiments with the valve setting and SAE 90 gear-oil just confused. I'm not clear whether the dashpot is supposed to relieve blade pressure on the return stroke, or just act to make sure down feed is slow. If it's supposed to relieve pressure, I'd expect the blade to be set so it raises the frame and arm on the forward stroke, but the geometry doesn't seem to make this happen. I've tried to make this happen by adjusting the blade within the clamps, but without obvious improvement. Perhaps thicker oil will transform the thing.

I believe these saws were intended mainly for the installers of electrical conduit, etc., so perhaps my trying to saw 30mm dia stainless yesterday was expecting a bit too much. It took ages. I agree that 24tpi is too fine a pitch – especially for solid lumps.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

I purchased a brand new Kennedy from AJ Reeves about 25 years ago, it has never cut straight and the dashpot has never worked, I cannot get any tension on the blade so it flexes sideways as it cuts, the dashpot does nothing, no matter how I adjust it, it certainly does not relieve on the return stroke. Can someone please tell me the correct way to install the blade, teeth forward or backward.

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Teeth forwards – cutting on the 'push' stroke (from the instructions).

Glad I'm not the only one with a low opinion of the wretched thing…

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Dunno whether it has been mentioned, but don’t be misled by gear oil viscosity. It is much thinner than engine oil of the same number – they are tested and graded differently.

[Peter Andrews 3Participant @peterandrews3]

I read somewhere that the kennedy was designed for the council workman so to speak.

Plumbers who worked on site had them in the back of the vans supplied by the Councils they worked from.

be it electrician plumber etc!

I paid £40 for mine 10 months ago, and not really sure other than a restore project why I wanted it?

At the moment it is stripped down and being cleaned etc ready for re-assembly.

I did find a dash pot boot that will fit great and thought I had posted it up here but I must have forgot to hit save.

So here it is again.

It is actually a motor bike front fork boot,

MCR-1162 HERO VIP FRONT FORK BOOT

ebay.

Just need a jubilee at the bottom to fit the dash pot.

Thanks guys

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Kiwi Bloke on 23/02/2020 09:59:15:

Teeth forwards – cutting on the 'push' stroke (from the instructions).

Glad I'm not the only one with a low opinion of the wretched thing…

I find the teeth need to point toward the pin or the tension goes.

[Peter Andrews 3Participant @peterandrews3]

I noticed on a couple of the Youtube videos that people are hanging weights on the saw to what I can only deem as getting a quicker cut?

Appreciate this saw is just for a hobby or restoration, as you can get new ones that are far better for £150.

[terry simpson 1Participant @terrysimpson1]

I have had a Kennedy Saw in my workshop for the last 45 years, retrieved from my workplace scrap bin on completion of precision trimming ends of stainless steel tubing for seven Nuclear Submarine Steam Generator Tube Bundles.

The saw was fitted with a 1/4 HP Hoover Motor fitted with a level operated built in trip switch.

After a major initial rebuild I ran this saw in my workshop for about twenty years until wear on the slides reduced positioning of the saw bow and blade impossible to set up for an accurate cut so a decision was made to renew all worn out parts, including sliding hex bars, bushes and drive belting.

Because of the difficulties of finding new drive belts, originally supplied as a sticky rubber band, and my use of a not very good canvas belt drive I decided to change the drive to chain wheel and chain using parts from an early computer printer unit. This change of drive has been very successful since installed with no broken blades and real square cuts every time cutting up to 2" square bar on occasions.

The reason for this post is just to highlight what a good and useful saw compared with the current comment as to what a poor machine the Kennedy was or is.

[Peter Andrews 3Participant @peterandrews3]

I have found a supplier that makes the exact size flat belt for approx £15 including postage.

As soon as it arrives I will post up details, as I forgot where I ordered from.

I can't comment about the saw as I was looking for restoration projects.

But now I have stripped it down and did a bit of research I want to keep and use it.

I agree with the author of the last message in this thread.

It will be perfect for what I want and that's cutting round and flat steel bars for making parts for the 74 vice.

In fact I can make jaws for most models now.

Thanks

Peter

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