It's been a bad weekend ! Router and belt sander both failed

[AJB Temple]

I am still beavering away in my free time on my timber framing project, and this weekend have been indoors making curved braces out of what use dto be green oak and is now quite seasoned and hard. For the first (of 2) buildings I have 20 to make, from rough sawn oak planks three inches thick and just over 8 inches wide. This means cutting 80 angled tenons, each cheek being cut about 15 mm deep with a 10 cm tenon tongue.

The curved braces are shaped on the band saw, the tenon waste is removed with several passes on the router table with an inverted half incher router, cleaned up with a chisel, and then teh brace sanded all over with a 75mm belt sander (I could plane them but choose not to as this needs to look well finished but rustic).

My table router is an old and trusty Elu MOF177 (not the electronic variable speed version). This seized yesterday afternoon. I have freed it up somewhat today, but teh armature is not rotating freely. I am not sure what the problem is but I am guessing that a bearing has overheated and failed. I have zero experience of taking power tools apart, and this looks like a daunting strip down. Any brilliant ideas chaps? Does anyone know of any power tool repairers in Kent or South East London?

Then this morning, I am finishing by hand two braces that I was working on yesterday when the router packed up. I used my heavy duty Elu 75mm belt sander (must have owned this for 25 years) for cleaning up and after a while it started becoming quite noisy. Eventually it just stopped. It was pretty hot. I suspected belt failure, so I took the cover off. The belt is fine. The brushes seem to have enough life in them too. I vacuumed all the dust out. I have not tried it again yet as I let it cool down over lunch time. I have no clue what the problem is.

Looks like I might have to buy a new belt sander (if so what to get - must be properly heavy duty) and I have already ordered a Trend router (as it has auto lift with my router table) but would like to repair the Elu as well. It's turning into an expensive weekend.

 

[AJB Temple]

The router is in fact an MOF131.

And the belt sander has now been stripped a bit more and it turns out the small gear which turns teh large gear for the rear roller, is completely stripped. I don't know if this is a replaceable part or not, so internet search beckons.

 

[flh801978]

The router is easy to replace the bearings but you do need a bearing puller to do it and circlip pliers and drifts etc

Elu parts are generally available for old models

I would recommend the makita sander which takes a 610x100mm belt

Ian

 

[NickN]

Re the router - I watched this video how-to when I was offered a MOF 177 with dodgy bearing - in the end I turned it down, but it's a useful video, and the 131 can't be that much different, hopefully:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmaSmYnWbCY (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GspUOCTDvns (Part 2)

You can get replacement parts here:
https://www.partshopdirect.co.uk/elu-mo ... rts-s3295/

(click up to ELU Router Spares and Parts to get links to Type 2 or Type 3 parts lists - though if yours is not EV speed then it must be Type 1 I think).

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks guys. Yes, I think the router is pretty old but it is a 1300 watt model. I don't have a bearing puller and I am just assuming it is a bearing - but I will probably order new bearings and brushes and treat it as a little project when I get time. I have too many little projects.

I have ordered a new pinion gear and bearing for the old Elu sander - I am quite attached to it as it was one of the first power tools I ever bought: everything was Elu at the time - easily 25 years ago - as I was making my first large kitchen and needed good quality machines. There were far fewer choices then. Elu parts are now quite expensive and diminishing returns may come into play.

I really need the sander, and on the assumption I can make the Elu run again, I've ordered a Makita 9404 which is a 100mm belt (4 inch). It was a toss up between this and the more powerful 1200w 9403, but the 9404 has variable speed control and I need a bit of finesse at times.

 

[doctor Bob]

Marshall and Parsons do repairs, I use them a lot.

 

[Mark A]

Are there any independent tool hire shops in your area? I have no doubt they maintain their own equipment in-house so could be worth approaching for a quote, even if it's not something they advertise.

Mark

 

[AJB Temple]

Not really. Only chains. I would rather do it myself than entrust to someone unknown.

The Elu sander is easy to fix - in theory. The problem is that the big roller gear that the pinion rotates is also worn - and is no longer available as a spare part. So my repair might not work or may have limited longevity.

 

[flh801978]

How did you find the makita belt sander as opposed to the elu?

 

[AJB Temple]

Well, I have had it a week now and used it a great deal (several hours). In short, I wish I had bought it before.

It's obviously bigger than the Elu (4" not 3") and heavier. In most cases the extra weight is an advantage. Dust collection is vastly better. The Elu was clearly better made (nice alloy castings etc) but the Makita is a superior tool for the kind of heavy duty work I am doing.