Small Power Hacksaw

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Anyone know if theres any plans/castings out there to make a SMALL power hacksaw?

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I thing Hemingway & Blackgates both do ones that take standard blades. there was a Duplex design that you could fabricate without castings.

 

I like my bandsaw, although the price has nearly doubled…

 

Neil

 

Edit =- look at the other hacksaw thread, there’s avideo ofnice small and very simple power hacksaw.

Edited By Stub Mandrel on 08/02/2012 19:07:10

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

How small do you want Wolfie, I’v got one that I run with either of three of my hot air engines, it uses Junior hacksaw blades. If I want it to do serious work, I’v got a home made (and designed) electric motor for it. There is a photo in my album some where. Ian S C

[Mark Foster 1Participant @markfoster1]

take a look at Myford boys power hacksaw .itsa nice thing

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Where do I find Myford Boy?

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

Hi, Wolfie,

 

I found plans for a small reciprocating hacksaw in an old ME (around 1950) – It was designed to use either shortened ‘standard’ blades, or junior blades. Although the original design used some castings, I built a version of it by fabricating the necessary parts. If I remember rightly (and you were patient ), it would handle stock up to about 1.5 inches diameter. I don’t have it any longer – I gave it to a friend some time ago. If I have time before the weekend, I will dig out the references. I may be able to scan the pages and e-mail them if you are interested,

 

There have been several motorised hacksaws in ME over the years, but the trend these days seems to be towards bandsaws – I suppose they are usually faster. I have thought of building another one sometime, because the small size was convenient on a bench compared to the bandsaw – this mit be a good opportunity to take another look at it.

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Posted by Wolfie on 09/02/2012 18:57:11:
Where do I find Myford Boy?

 

The other thread: Power Hacksaw run off includes a video of the Myfordboy saw in operation.

 

The 25 page PDF file containing instructions, photos and drawings can be ordered directly from myfordboy@yahoo.co.uk

 

I ordered the plans a few weeks back, £10 via Paypal, and I feel that they are well worth the money.

I think the saw construction would make an excellent MEW article, perhaps the editor and Myfordboy could come to some arrangement

 

Edited By clivel on 09/02/2012 21:06:46

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi Wotsit

 

I would be interested in your small compact power hacksaw. In fact, I have just completed the main saw frame using an 11″ G-clamp. The saw blade is shorten to 6″.

I have sent the frame to EDM few holes for mounting as it’s drop forged…too tough for drilling.

 

I hope you can email me photos and plans of your former power hacksaw, I need a lot of guides to reach my goal thanks inadvance.

 

Steve

stewan@gmail.com

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

Hi, Steve,

I should make clear that it is not ‘my’ saw – it was published in ME in the 1950’s – I will try and scan the article and e-mail it to you in the next few days – sorry about the delay – I am a bit busy at the moment.

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

duplicate post deleted – some glitch somewhere

Edited By wotsit on 10/02/2012 09:46:28

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

I built a small powered hacksaw some years ago but it simply was not worth the effort involved. Limited capacity and very slow and was soon discarded.

I replaced it with a 6 by 4 bandsaw and never looked back. These bandsaws are so much better for most cutting and are much quicker in use. I replaced the rickety stand with a lower wooden one with wheels so it could be easily tucked under a bench when not in use.

 

I would think very carefully before spending time and money on a power hacksaw.

 

Doug

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Doug, I’v done similar to you, the saw I built did’nt slide, but the frame was suspended by two swinging arms, it was my first welding project. Built entirely from scrap, including the motor, I lie, I bought a blade for it. Ian S C

[Philip RoweParticipant @philiprowe13116]

I can only echo Doug’s comments, I have a Kennedy power hacksaw not a bad bit of kit but most of the time with small stuff it is quicker to do it by hand. However with larger material, especially sheet stuff there is no finer bit of kit than a bandsaw. I invested in a two speed machine from Axminster a couple of years ago and have never looked back, being two speed I can use it on wood as well – the Kennedy now sits under the bench just gathering dust.

No connection with Axminster – just a satisfied customer.

 

Phil

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi Philip

 

I heard a lot about Kennedy power hacksaw. Is it possible to scan for me the Kennedy’s manual especially diagrams and assembly drawing? I need some design ideas as I’m making one. Also since it’s no longer useful, is it up for sales?

 

Thanks inadvance if you could help

 

Steve

stewan@gmail.com

 

 

[Philip RoweParticipant @philiprowe13116]

Hi Steve,

I'm sorry but I don't have any documentation/manuals for the Kennedy, but if you Google Kennedy hacksaw there is a suprising amount of information available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDh8zBYLnuY shows some interesting videos for example.

 

Although I don't currently use mine, it is not up for sale as I never get rid of anything especially workshop related. I'm sure you must of heard the saying "It will come in handy even if you never use it".

 

Regards,

Phil

Edited By Katy Purvis on 01/06/2015 12:25:27

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

I have a power hacksaw, said to be the Blackgates design. I have to grind off the ends of 12″ blades to use them, but I wouldn’t be without it.

I can cut off 2″ blanks for flywheels, by just setting it going, and do something else until it stops. The blades don’t come off, or break, or lose teeth. Just a few oiling points and set it going. Its lovely!

 

Regards

Geoff

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

I’m with Geoff Theasby- I gave away the reciprocating hacksaw I made, and got a bandsaw – big mistake. For small items, the reciprocator was perfect. The first bandsaw was a 6×4, and it lasted about 6 months before the scrapman got it. (bad bearing play, motor faulty, wouldn#t cut anywhere near true, despite repeated adjustment). I bought another bandsaw second-hand from a guy clearing his workshop – it needed a new motor (very worn), and I still have it. It works OK, and is fine for large items, but I still miss the old reciprocator. As far as I am concerned, the generic 6×4 machines are just so much junk.

 

I also found blades for these machines were a gamble – Bimetallic ones were expensive – some were fine, others wouldn’t cut butter. At least with the reciprocator I could find good blades at a reasonable cost.

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

I think with a lot of Chinese stuff the quality is variable. My 6 by 4 bandsaw was decent quality (perhaps I was lucky ) and with a little adjustment cuts very true and the blades last a long time. A bad experience with one machine should not condemn the whole lot.

 

Doug

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

I agree with Doug

 

Bought a NuTools 6 by 4 bandsaw secondhand and once I got some new blades from Tuffsaws it goes like a knife through butter and good right angled edges

 

As for small stock I am going to make one of those clamping tables that goes between the jaws

 

John

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

John, for small stuff I keep two bits of 2″ x 1/2″ X 6″ bar, just put them between the vise jaws, just clear of the blade, put a spacer between the bars at the other end, it’s amazing how small a piece you can cut. Conversly its just as amazing how big you can cut, take off the vise jaws, you can clamp just about 8″ on the table. Ian S C

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

Doug,

 

You said earlier (quote) I built a small powered hacksaw some years ago but it simply was not worth the effort involved. Limited capacity and very slow and was soon discarded.

I replaced it with a 6 by 4 bandsaw and never looked back. ‘

Then I later commented on my bad experiences with a bandsaw, and as I expected several people leapt to the defence of these things. Perhaps you should have got hold of a decent reciprocator, rather than condemn them. As you later noted (quote) A bad experience with one machine should not condemn the whole lot.’ I do still have a bandsaw, as I noted.

This must send a very confusing message to someone like Wolfie who asked an innocent question – and he didn’t ask about experiences with different machines. I hope he isn’t put off his efforts to build himself a decent saw.

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Posted by Wolfie on 08/02/2012 18:49:10:
Anyone know if theres any plans/castings out there to make a SMALL power hacksaw?

Surely a search of the back issues of MEW will reveal lots. Unfortunately I am using a Macbook without my MEW index but will look later when I can access my other computer

[DuncParticipant @dunc]

I built one from plans in Popular Mechanics magazine (US). Go to

http://books.google.com/books?id=RdMDAAAAMBAJ then navigate to the Feb 1976 issue.

I used it originally with standard hacksaw blades. Later, I revised it to increase the vise capacity & to use dedicated power hacksaw blades. These had coarser teeth-per-inch that were better suited to cutting thick sections – (2-1/2 inch square bar & 4 inch channel).

 

I don’t know what machine capacity you require but it would be fairly easy, I believe, to scale the dimensions to suit. I added a home-built floor stand from angle iron. Most cutting was done dry.

 

This simple design lacks any sort of return-stroke blade lift but I never considered blade life a problem. Besides, blades were cheap.

[methusalaParticipant @methusala]

Hi Wolfie, in the camden book news there is an instruction book titled ” building a

power hacksaw and vice” by Vince Gingery, priced £7.75. It is built from raw

material i.e. no castings are required. The Camden books website is

http://www.camdenmin.co.uk my book list is spring 2011, Hope this is what you are looking for.

 

Colin.

[Author]

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