It has been a month since my ten inch Highland Park saw broke down again. I had been cutting jasper slabs all weekend when late Sunday afternoon I changed to cutting slabs of Graveyard Point agate. While a slab was being cut I worked on rough shaping a few cabochons. I was working at the grinder when I noticed that the saw did not sound right. I turned around to find the auto feed motor hanging by the cord and the feed rod pointing to the ceiling of the garage.
When I purchased the auto feed part of the saw (on another ten inch saw) the bracket that held the feed motor to the guide shaft was already broken. I fixed it using JB Weld and a piece of aluminum flashing material as reinforcement. Since repairing it this way I have had to reapply JB Weld several times. This time I decided that I was not going to repair it that way again. I needed some help so I called my friend Bill Solt, who is a machinist, for assistance.
Original Saw Part with Piece Missing
I had talked to Bill a few weeks earlier about straightening or replacing the threaded feed rod of the auto feed but had not made it over to see him yet. I took both broken pieces to him. He was able to straighten the threaded rod that evening but a new bracket would need to be machined from a solid piece of metal. Bill suggested that I purchase an aluminum block from Metal Supermarkets. He also measured the treads on the feed rod and cleaned them using 1/4-28 die.
The next day I went to Metal Supermarkets which is located on Five Mile Road between Emerald and Franklin in Boise, Idaho; there are other Metal Supermarkets in cities across the country. Tom Sullivan helped me find a block of aluminum and a 36″ 1/4-28 rod. I paid about five dollars for both items. I also found that they carried many metal materials that rock hounds could use, everything from metals to make parts to screens that could be used to make shifters. I was very happy with the prices and service I received and would highly recommend them for metal materials.
Aluminum Block
That evening I took the aluminum block to Bill and made plans to get together and make the part the following Sunday. We were not able to meet that Sunday so meet the following Sunday. That Sunday we worked on the part for over six hours. It normally wouldn’t have taken that long but we were distracted a few times and Bill was talking extra time to teach me about the tools used to make the part.
The following Tuesday Bill called to let me know that he finished the part.
Bill Drilling First Holes
Bill Drilling Set Screw Holes
Part Taking Shape – Where We Stopped Sunday
On Wednesday I picked the part form Bill and installed it. Everything went together perfectly. I finished cutting the piece of agate that I was cutting when the saw broke and everything seemed to be working great. The following weekend I made a few more cuts verifying that everything was working better than it ever had. The new part and the straightened feed rod were certainly needed. Thank you, Bill.
Last night I cleaned the saw and changed the oil in it before cutting down some materials for a friend. (Yes, Nancy I am finally getting to your rocks.) I am very excited about getting back to cutting tonight.
Finished Part Installed
