Author Topic: Startrite Bandsaw repairs  (Read 5535 times)

Offline micktoon

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Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« on: October 10, 2014, 07:30:53 PM »
Hi Lads, did this a few weeks ago now but not had the chance to post. I have had a big Startrite Meba horizontal bandsaw for a few years but it needed a few things fixing, mainly the coolant and bearing blade guides, I think its 10 inch round max cut.

This is the saw its tatty but good machine, I fitted castors to it so its movable and an inverter so its ran off single phase 240 volt.





As you will see the guide bearing housings have had a hard life, the vice quick locking handle has been snapped off , the main pivot shaft has slid along into the casting, the quick release spring is missing , the stop bolt snapped off, the coolant pump was belt driven from the motor , that packed in so fitted a couple of electric pumps that both failed so another new pump was needed too.









The damaged bearing guides are cast and can hit the vice when the saw is lowered is not careful, this has cracked both guides, one has been repaired in the past, as with all machinery repairs I seem to come across , not very well done.





Cleaned off and stripped down they have been almost cut through on the underside with the rear of the blade inside, the bearings the blade runs on must have collapsed at some point in the past but the saw still been used for this to have happened.



The previous repair was made good and the other guide welded up with cast rods and patched with extra plate on the top to strengthen them up.





Back together and primed with new bearings fitted that the back of the blade runs against, the shafts etc were cleaned up that they fit to and the other bits and bobs fettled on the main saw.





Re fitted to the saw , new coolant pipes , tap and pump fitted to the tank, the first one did not have enough flow so a bigger pump fitted that seems to do the job now.





First job after the blade guides were set up , cut an old Oxy bottle in to three inch sections for John Doubleboost for wheels for his Lister trolly, the saw cuts lovely and straight now.





I plan on doing a few mods to the saw so you can hold shorter stock to cut and also a stop system of some sort so repetitive cuts of the same length can be made.

 Cheers Mick

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2014, 03:14:51 AM »
Very nice Mick, both the repairs and the machine. It's going to be a very useful machine in your workshop
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Joules

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Re: Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2014, 05:55:49 AM »
Thats a neat repair, and the cutting up of an old bottle...  I see potential VMC riser parts.

Honour your mentors, and pay it forward.

Offline Manxmodder

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Re: Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2014, 08:51:52 AM »
Another Tooned to perfection restoration job  :dremel: :clap: :clap:

Very nice machine you have there Mick......OZ.
Helixes aren't always downward spirals,sometimes they're screwed up

Offline Pete W.

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Re: Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2014, 11:20:17 AM »
Hi there, Mick,

Like the other folks have said, an enviable machine and a good result with the repair.   :thumbup:   :thumbup:   :thumbup: 

If I had a bandsaw like that one, all the other stuff would have to be moved out of the workshop! 
I reckon you must have nearly the same amount of workshop space as Andrew!!   :drool:   :drool:   :drool: 
Best regards,

Pete W.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you haven't seen the latest design change-note!

Offline Houtenkrullen

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Re: Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2014, 07:43:59 AM »
Mick,
I read your post with interest. Very nice work on the saw!
I have a saw "in the works" that looks a lot like yours. Mine is branded just Meba though and I think there are some minor differences.
I hope you don't mind if I ask some questions about yours...
 I am currently in the proces of degunking it and collecting info about this saw. Have already taken a better look at the saw guides, mine don't have the third bearing. It seems they never were there but some rubbig pads were there instead (were missing, but the damage is not as bad as on yours). I think I am going to add the third bearing, because I think it will work better (not sure how yet, what size are yours?). The side bearings on your guides seem to be extra wide? Are these special bearings? On my saw there are two bearings (whats left anyway) stacked on top of each other with a spacer in between.
Mine is missing a coolant pump all together. After reading your post I checked for signs of a mechanical one, but I have found nothing. That should be no problem though, easy enough to add an electrical one as you did. I assume the handle behind the rear vice jaw is the quick-clamp? Must look if mine once had that. Currently it only clamps with the wheel.
Does yours switch off automatically? If yes, can you describe how, mine currently has some kind of botched up bracket acting on a later added switch. I have to change that, don't think its safe.
Going to remove some gunk now, so I can see what is needed to get it running properly. I hope it will look as nice as yours one day.....

Peter

Offline awemawson

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Re: Startrite Bandsaw repairs
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2014, 08:43:51 AM »
Peter,

I expect that Startrite 'Badge Engineered' it, buying in from Meba
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex