SCM Minimax S45

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DaWoodster

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Not sure if this is the right sub-forum for this...

I have just got a 1996 S45 which is in pretty decent condition considering it's age.
The only issue I have run into is the blade guide thrust bearings, it has the GL456's on the back and similar on the sides.
I stripped, cleaned and rebuilt both sets but am not happy with 2 of the side bearings as they don't spin as freely as the others and one of the GL456's only turns, it won't spin at all.
I put all the good ones on the bottom set and am getting a few 'sparks' off the top set so need to get these sorted.

Is there a trick to cleaning this type of bearing?
Is there a good (cheap) place for spares? (ebay has replacements for £35 each)

Also, this machine didn't come with the spare 'cool block' guides for thinner blades, does this mean my minimum blade size is 12mm?
 
I have another issue with the S45, the table only appears to tilt around 15 degrees, not the full 45.
I took a couple of photos to show this, the left table support only has a short cutout, the right one has a much longer radius.

I am puzzled as to how to get this to tilt 45 degrees, anyone else got an old S45 who can explain this?

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Thanks for the link Bob, but my S45 appears to have a completely different table support system to that one.
 
Its not worth trying to salvage bearings, just Google the outside and inside dia of the bearings and lots of options will come up, most are a standard width according to dia.

Mike
 
If they were 'normal' bearings that would be the plan, but they are a specific design/shape of thrust bearing.
I left them soaking in wd40, will give them another scrub tonight.
 
Have a look here:

https://www.axminstertools.com/instantsearch/result/?q=bandsaw guides
both the HBS350V and the BS11 have the bearings correctly positioned and running the right way around as bearings are designed to, not fitted for convenience sake or to satisfy grandfathers quirks, I fitted the HBS35V to my Record Power 350 and it was a vast improvement even if it was only to my engineering principles of having bearings working the right way around and not using rubbing blocks.

Mike
 
MikeJhn":1e1opv11 said:
Have a look here: https://www.axminster.co.uk/search/?q=B ... 0guides&nR[visibility_search][=][0]=1& both the HBS350V and the BS11 have the bearings correctly positioned and running the right way around as bearings are designed to, not fitted for convenience sake or to satisfy grandfathers quirks, I fitted the HBS35V to my Record Power 350 and it was a vast improvement even if it was only to my engineering principles of having bearings working the right way around and not using rubbing blocks.

Mike

I looked at the Axminster ones too, very reasonably priced, but they look like I'd need an engineering shop to get them to fit.
 
Even though the Axminster guides where not designed for the record Power Bandsaw I fitted them to it was a ten minute job, do you have a pic of your fitted guides it may be possible to glean a way of fitting them without too much surgery.

Mike
 
Even though the Axminster guides where not designed for the record Power Bandsaw I fitted them to it was a ten minute job, do you have a pic of your fitted guides it may be possible to glean a way of fitting them without too much surgery.

Mike

It has the same guides as this Wadkin wadkin-20-bzb-bandsaw-t112308-15.html
Plenty of pics there already...
 
WD-40 wouldn't be a good one for bearings and such applications as it leaves a coating of film behind it afterwards.
Those guides have a bronze joint for durability so there's no bearings inside, so to say.
Can you not try, say chucking it into a drill after a bit of 3 in 1 or similar and working the crud out ...might want to pad the shaft with tape for the chuck might scratch it, or whatever similar process of friction will fix it.
You might have better luck with some oil or brake cleaner/automatic transmission fluid mixed 50/50 with some acetone (poundshop nail polish remover) only mix small amounts as it evaporates.
Never used the stuff but they say its the best.
Bit pricey for ATF though.

Good luck
Tom
 
WD-40 wouldn't be a good one for bearings and such applications as it leaves a coating of film behind it afterwards.
Those guides have a bronze joint for durability so there's no bearings inside, so to say.
Can you not try, say chucking it into a drill after a bit of 3 in 1 or similar and working the crud out ...might want to pad the shaft with tape for the chuck might scratch it, or whatever similar process of friction will fix it.
You might have better luck with some oil or brake cleaner/automatic transmission fluid mixed 50/50 with some acetone (poundshop nail polish remover) only mix small amounts as it evaporates.
Never used the stuff but they say its the best.
Bit pricey for ATF though.

Good luck
Tom

Good to know but I don’t have any of those, I do have a can of isopropyl alcohol, that good enough to clean the wd40 off?
 
RE : table tilt I was told a couple of years back from a dealer that it was a H&S order that on larger bandsaws 15 degrees was max aloud. Don't know if if it is true or not
 
The ‘bearings’ aren’t a bearing as such, they are metal discs with a spigot that sit into a tube. You can actually just pull them apart if you take the carriers off the holder.
 
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