Another new toy.

[martinka]

I nearly forgot to take a photo of my latest bit of derusting and had to dig them out of the bath for a before photo. The bits didn't clean up as well as I had hoped so I might pop them back in while I am out today.

 

[powertools]

A quick update to this thread.
Since making the new arms for the A1 I have made no more progress and and am unlikely to for the next couple of weeks.
In the mean time I have collected a Hobbies Gem that I purchased a while ago.

When I first saw it I was a bit disappointed because the pivot for the top arm was missing and the saw had been used a lot without it and there was a lot of damage to the top arm and upright support. It should have looked like the bottom arm.

The other day I made a new pivot and repaired the arm and the saw now works as it should

This picture shows the top arm as it was when I picked up the saw in this state it is impossible to keep the top and bottom arms parallel
but after careful filling of the top arm and fitting the new pivot along with a new belt the saw now works a treat.

I don't think that I will do much more to this saw as being made from sheet metal it may well look worse with a re-paint than it does left as it is just an old well used machine that now has a new lease of life.

 

[martinka]

Nice going PT. I am waiting for a pal to come back from his hol's and he will hopefully make this oak into a couple of arms for me, though going on past record he might not turn up again for another year.

 

[richard56]

Thanks for posting the pivot pictures.
My Gem is missing both.
Had I not seen this I would have never known.
Rich

 

[powertools]

Thanks for posting the pivot pictures.
My Gem is missing both.
Had I not seen this I would have never known.
Rich

Without them the saw will be useless.
They are fairly easy to make in my picture of the original pivot and the one I made it looks as if mine has been made with a bit of lead bashed to shape with a brick but in real life mine is better than the original and was made from a bit of galvanised shelving and is a better fit than the original as I made it to fit the arm exactly.
Who said the camera cannot lie?
It is the pivot and the way it sits in the arm and on the upright support that determines how the top arm and the bottom arm stay parallel with each other if they don't the saw will never work as it should.

 

[martinka]

Who said the camera cannot lie?

Everything I have cut with my scroll saw and shown on here has proved the camera can lie. They all look much better in photo's
Martin.

 

[martinka]

I got a bit done today on the later Hobbies A1. Thanks to Steve, (loftyhermes), who surprised me with a pair of arms for my saw when he came to collect the older saw. I cut the arms down from 20mm thick to 15mm, which is the same as the old but useless arms I already had. Looking at a couple of old bolts from the older saw, the arms on that one were probably thicker, but too thick for the length of all the bolts and the rear arm tensioner on my later saw. (Did all that make sense?)
The rear spring has yet to go on when I can figure out where to connect it. The bracket I have gets in the way no matter how I fasten it. I need the top clamp, part of the bottom clamp, and the metal straps for top and bottom of the arms. It's not looking too bad though. Sorry about the pic, I couldn't be bothered to put it on the floor to get a clear shot.

 

[powertools]

That looks like good progress Martin.
I am still over run with work and family commitments but hope to get back on with mine in a couple of weeks time.
I guess at this rate yours will be finished before I have started again.
I am still trying to work out a way of replacing those awful metal straps with adjustable 4mm metal rod much like the ones fitted as standard on my Victory saw.

 

[martinka]

I decided to go the easy way for the bottom clamp. Now to look for all the photos of the top clamp to try to make it the correct size.

 

[martinka]

Hi. Akela and welcome.
This is a picture of the A1 top clamp assembly.



The round part is 20mm diameter, the lever sticks out from it by 40mm and the 2 parts that hold the blade are 60mm long.
The round part has a notch in it to lock it in the tensioned position by engaging into the flat plate.

PT, any chance of a couple more measurements please? The cross section of the two long arms? I am guessing same as the bottom clamp - 1/4"x1/8" (6mmx3mm) And the distance of the pivot from the edge of the round part?
Ta.

Martin.
Hmm, I guess it would be better if quoting showed the photo as well.

 

[martinka]

Made a new top clamp as well but I am not sure how well it will work. I wish I had something better than a photo to work to. I should find out tomorrow if it works or not but I suspect the pivot pin is in the wrong place. I already moved it once.

 

[martinka]

Well, it works, in a fashion. It's cut a bit of 1/8" oak this morning, but the top clamp doesn't work as it should, so the blade moves back and forwards quite a long way. I've also found that I can't use it for more than 30 seconds or so before my legs feel like they are dropping off. Still, it works better than it did when I got it.

 

[martinka]

Looks like I've got this thread to myself. :mrgreen:

I got the clamps sorted and fitted metal straps to both arms. The short link is a bit noisy, the hole for bottom pivot is a bit big so I need to make another, but it cuts OK. I don't think I would want to do much work with it though. Little video on Photobucket, with the great Steppenwolf playing in the background.
http://s288.photobucket.com/user/haydut1200/media/scroll stuff/P1040224_1_zps76fe31b7.mp4.html

 

[powertools]

I've only just seen the update to this thread and all I can say is that I am impressed by what you have achieved.
Do you still need more measurements of anything? If so I intend to have some workshop time this weekend and will help if I can.

 

[martinka]

Thanks for the offer, PT, but I managed by trial and error. The handle for the top clamp has three pivot holes in it now. Maybe one day I'll get around to making another, but it works for now. The bottom strap, which was badly rusted, snapped just after I made the video, so I cut another strap from slightly thicker metal and it's OK now. The blade is running true, or as true as I can get it. I just cut a piece of 1" thick pine and it cut it easily, though I wouldn't want to cut a lot. All in all I'm quite pleased with it. Now what do I do with it?

 

[powertools]

"Now what to do with it"
I can just see you sitting next to your friend in Whitby passing the time and drawing a crowd.
When mine is done I will come and join you both

 

[martinka]

Just a bit of info that might come in useful. The metal straps that fix to the arms are 20.75" long and the hole centres are 20". The width of the strap is 7/16". The straps I have are badly rusted but the thickness appears to be about 0.020". I made a new strap from a piece of old shelf which is 0.40" thick and works perfectly. I think 13mm banding strap would work OK. The bottom strap needs to be made thinner (about 5/16") at one end from 2" to 4" from the hole.

Some straps have a slotted hole to accomodate the adjuster bolt and square nuts. I did away with this and used a round headed bolt that fits under the strap and is adjustable through the arm.

Martin.

 

[loftyhermes]

I hope you don't mind me joining this thread with my new toy, it's the one that Martin gave me (thank you Martin) and the progress made so far, I've just made up the blade clamps and took the tighteners from a hand saw to complete them.

Clicking on the photo will give you more pics.
Still have some more work to complete it but it will cut wood as it is so I'm happy so far.
happy scrolling
Steve

 

[powertools]

Don't know if there is still any interest in this thread but I thought I would show the latested additions to my collection.

Number 1. A Hobbies Britton saw.

Number 2. A box of bits

That turned into this Hobbies saw

 

[martinka]

Very nice, PT. Where are you finding the space to put them all? Mine is going to have to go as I have run out of space in the garage and the A1 is down my inspection pit. May as well flog it on, along with the Diamond, and let someone else get some use from them.

Martin.