I have an old '50s vintage Craftsman horizontal 4 x 6 cut off saw -
predates the H/V stuff from today but the same general configuration. I
bought it in very used but functional condition about 15 years ago. A
couple of years ago the blade would not keep from coming off of the
wheels. Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within
2 to 3 rotations of the wheel. I put the machine aside as I did not
have time to mess with it. Now I am trying to get it working again -
not that I have any more time to mess with it now but I am getting quite
annoyed at something that occupies space but is non functional.

So far I have: made a new bushing for the non driven wheel to keep it
from wobbling - no effect other than the wheel rotates smoothly with out
wobbling. I have installed the wheel backwards so that the teeth of the
blade ride on the wheel flange - this actually works to keep the blade
from walking off of the wheel but wears out the teeth and is chewing up
the flange on the wheel. I have replaced the tire - no positive
effect. I have tried 2 other blades no improvement. Knowing that belt
sanders use crown in the drums to keep the belt aligned, I tried to put
a bit of taper on the wheel under the tire. I put a couple of narrow
strips of aluminum foil tape (total build up of 0.008 inch) on the edge
of the wheel opposite of the flange (heel of the blade) hoping that the
cross sectional taper of the wheel would drive the blade down the
incline and that the backside (heel) of the blade would ride up against
the flange of the wheel - again no luck. I am flat out of ideas.
Suggestions please. If you are replying direct, remove the "nospam" in
my address. TIA.

aribert wrote:
I have an old '50s vintage Craftsman horizontal 4 x 6 cut off saw -
predates the H/V stuff from today but the same general configuration. I
bought it in very used but functional condition about 15 years ago. A
couple of years ago the blade would not keep from coming off of the
wheels. Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within
2 to 3 rotations of the wheel.

I had the same problem with my saw, a mid-70's Taiwan made unit. I
bought it used, it had no tires and I've been using it that way since I
got it.
The blade stopped it's popping off when I really cranked down on the
tension as hard as I could by hand, then just a bit more with a big pair
of channellocks. You might try taking the tires off.

Ken Grunke

--
take da "ma" offa dot com fer eemayl

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 23:36:58 -0500, aribert wrote:

I have an old '50s vintage Craftsman horizontal 4 x 6 cut off saw -
predates the H/V stuff from today but the same general configuration. I
bought it in very used but functional condition about 15 years ago. A
couple of years ago the blade would not keep from coming off of the
wheels. Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within 2
to 3 rotations of the wheel. I put the machine aside as I did not have
time to mess with it. Now I am trying to get it working again - not that
I have any more time to mess with it now but I am getting quite annoyed at
something that occupies space but is non functional.

So far I have: made a new bushing for the non driven wheel to keep it
from wobbling - no effect other than the wheel rotates smoothly with out
wobbling.

What condition are the bearings of the driven wheel? Might the
wheels be out-of-plane?

The blade will walk off the wheel if either is canted or if both wheels
aren't running in the same plane. If you lay a straight edge across the
wheels the problem should be evident.

--
The instructions said to use Windows 98 or better, so I installed RedHat.

can you find the tracking adjustment?
it tilts the wheel to keep it on

"Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within
2 to 3 rotations of the wheel."

Sounds like 1 or both of the axles are either bent or worn. I would check with
a straightedge over the faces of both wheels while they are tightened down
with a blade installed.

In article , Wwj2110
wrote:

"Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within
2 to 3 rotations of the wheel."

Sounds like 1 or both of the axles are either bent or worn. I would check
with
a straightedge over the faces of both wheels while they are tightened down
with a blade installed.
You didn't give the model #. If it is like most I have seen they
require a tire unlike the Asian imports. As some one else said, they
have to be very tight. The twisting action from the blade guides might
be the cause if it is not tight. I might be able to send you a copy of
the manual if you can find the model number. You might still be able to
get the tires from Sears. I bought some about 15 years ago.

Chuck P.

I have an old '50s vintage Craftsman horizontal 4 x 6 cut off saw -
predates the H/V stuff from today but the same general configuration. I
bought it in very used but functional condition about 15 years ago. A
couple of years ago the blade would not keep from coming off of the
wheels. Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within
2 to 3 rotations of the wheel. I put the machine aside as I did not
have time to mess with it. Now I am trying to get it working again -
not that I have any more time to mess with it now but I am getting quite
annoyed at something that occupies space but is non functional.

So far I have: made a new bushing for the non driven wheel to keep it
from wobbling - no effect other than the wheel rotates smoothly with out
wobbling. I have installed the wheel backwards so that the teeth of the
blade ride on the wheel flange - this actually works to keep the blade
from walking off of the wheel but wears out the teeth and is chewing up
the flange on the wheel. I have replaced the tire - no positive
effect. I have tried 2 other blades no improvement. Knowing that belt
sanders use crown in the drums to keep the belt aligned, I tried to put
a bit of taper on the wheel under the tire. I put a couple of narrow
strips of aluminum foil tape (total build up of 0.008 inch) on the edge
of the wheel opposite of the flange (heel of the blade) hoping that the
cross sectional taper of the wheel would drive the blade down the
incline and that the backside (heel) of the blade would ride up against
the flange of the wheel - again no luck. I am flat out of ideas.
Suggestions please. If you are replying direct, remove the "nospam" in
my address. TIA.



There should be a tracking adjustment to tilt the wheel.

Your understanding of the effect of wheel crowning is backward. The blade
climbs up the crown, not down. If you want to try crowning, build up at the
flange.

John Martin

When I was preparing my 4x6 H/V saw for use, I removed the gearbox pulley
and installed a tap handle (the kind that has two opposed handles) as a
temporary winding handle.
This allowed me to run numerous rotations easily while viewing the blade
tracking. I could adjust the pitch/tracking adjustment of the freewheeling
wheel while checking for the desired blade travel results.

The other recommendations for high blade tension is correct. When you pick
the blade with a fingernail, instead of a short sound, the twang should be
more of a sustained sound.

WB
.................

"aribert" wrote in message
...
I have an old '50s vintage Craftsman horizontal 4 x 6 cut off saw -
predates the H/V stuff from today but the same general configuration. I
bought it in very used but functional condition about 15 years ago. A
couple of years ago the blade would not keep from coming off of the
wheels. Specifically the blade walks off of the non-driven wheel within
2 to 3 rotations of the wheel. I put the machine aside as I did not
have time to mess with it. Now I am trying to get it working again -
not that I have any more time to mess with it now but I am getting quite
annoyed at something that occupies space but is non functional.

So far I have: made a new bushing for the non driven wheel to keep it
from wobbling - no effect other than the wheel rotates smoothly with out
wobbling. I have installed the wheel backwards so that the teeth of the
blade ride on the wheel flange - this actually works to keep the blade
from walking off of the wheel but wears out the teeth and is chewing up
the flange on the wheel. I have replaced the tire - no positive
effect. I have tried 2 other blades no improvement. Knowing that belt
sanders use crown in the drums to keep the belt aligned, I tried to put
a bit of taper on the wheel under the tire. I put a couple of narrow
strips of aluminum foil tape (total build up of 0.008 inch) on the edge
of the wheel opposite of the flange (heel of the blade) hoping that the
cross sectional taper of the wheel would drive the blade down the
incline and that the backside (heel) of the blade would ride up against
the flange of the wheel - again no luck. I am flat out of ideas.
Suggestions please. If you are replying direct, remove the "nospam" in
my address. TIA.