Qualters & Smith 6” Power Hacksaw

[Dieselman 63]

Parts drying for tonight are: the locking handle stop thing (bolts onto the side), the end of the vice, and the saw frame.

Today I also painted the two sliding bits of the vice that go in between the ways. It was unclear if these had ever been painted but I thought what the heck, rough cast iron can go gloss red like the rest of the internal bits on the machine.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Miserable task... I got cold so I’ll finish the pasting tomorrow and hopefully it’ll be good to sand by the afternoon, then I can re-mount the arm onto the rest of the machine.

 

[Dieselman 63]

More work, I took the cylinder apart again to change the springs inside. Got some good ones from a starter motor, inside the brush holders. Free springs, aluminium and copper for scrap. Worth taking apart...

So the new springs seem to have sorted it but then I went and snapped a screw in the handle... honestly the bolts and screws on this machine are rubbish, that’s the third one I’ve sheared now, it’s like Chinese monkey metal. The extractor did work however! I was really pleased cause these are notorious for snapping.

The arm is all in filler and drying. I’m machining back the pivot pins where they’ve previously been peened over in the past (one now reinstalled), I’m not sure how. The hammer treatment has been given to the cylinder too. I’ve spent the morning dressing parts... proper dog eared bits! All the adjustment screws are caked in paint. The guy I got it off didn’t really have a clue but he did save it from the scrap man, so I can’t be too mean

 

[Seadog]

You're on the home run

 

[Dieselman 63]

You're on the home run

I am! Goodness me I hate sanding filler though. Restorations feel like you’re plodding along doing thankless work, then suddenly everything starts to come together. A rewarding feeling

 

[Dieselman 63]

Well, I got stuck in and sanded the filler smooth. No more filler on this machine - happy days

There’s quite a lot still to do even though I have now mounted the arm. I decided to see how it would look with everything else mounted back on before I go to bed, and I must say I’m keen to have this running! I even have a job for it to cut, 100x100 box.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Shiny shiny

Switchgear on, the switch needs a repaint but the body of it is done, still more paint on the machine to go, hopefully lockdown ends soon and I can get some sheetmetal for the sides. I got the vice screw working too... that wasn’t something I want to ever do again

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Looking good!!

 

[Dieselman 63]

Looking good!!

My 1960s workshop is taking shape thanks to this virus

 

[Dieselman 63]

It lives!

Well it was short lived but yes, the saw motion worked, the hydraulic cylinder has been repaired and now pumps back up to the top - result!!

The motor I had planned to use was the wrong pulley type so I shoehorned in the motor I’ve got lined up for the Denbigh - it’s a 1hp beast which didn’t line up with the pre-drilled base slots so it was held by its own weight... but it did work briefly, which is a big morale boost! Seeing the saw start to work was great. Now to get on with finishing it

 

[Rowan Sylvester-Bradley]

Can someone tell me the best way to remove the bow-slide from this machine? Do you have to drive out the shaft each side, from the inside? That's what it looks like from this picture:

If so, how do you get something in past the pulley etc. to push out the shaft? Is the shaft held in place by anything (pin or bolt)? The Q&S manual doesn't seem to help. Or do you need some kind of puller or press?

Thanks - Rowan

 

[Dieselman 63]

The pins are held by one grub screw retained by a hex nut behind the arm. That’s all.

Try and support the arm as best you can - remove the saw frame as it is fragile, and block the gap between the bed and the arm with suitable timber. I think I used my engine crane to support the other end whilst I pushed the pins out. They were tricky to remove as they’d been painted over and they were caked in old, plasticky grease. I used various methods of leverage, crowbar (!), hammer, aluminium blocks and drifts... space is tight but needs must. Any damage I just skimmed off with the lathe afterwards, there was some slight peening. Do not drive them inwards, they will get stuck and you will have a problem. I talk from experience.

The manual will never give a full breakdown on rebuilding, which is why a spare parts catalogue is more valuable as you get an isometric exploded diagram fo go by. When I rebuilt my Bantam gearbox there was no documentation online and only the diagram to go by... that was quite complex, this saw is a walk in the park Helps if you like tinkering with engineering of course!

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

As @Dieselkid 63 says remove the saw blade part itself first just one pin, and then loosen off the gib screws. You can also remove the pulley from inside first, either by removing a cap on the end of it and sliding pulley off, or you can knock the large pin inwards which will remove entire pulley assembly.

if I remember rightly I did this and then knocked both pins inwards, but in hind sight i should of just used a pulley/slidehammer to remove. One side will be tapped and other side that’s a large thread on it

 

[Dieselman 63]

As @Dieselkid 63 says remove the saw blade part itself first just one pin, and then loosen off the gib screws. You can also remove the pulley from inside first, either by removing a cap on the end of it and sliding pulley off, or you can knock the large pin inwards which will remove entire pulley assembly.

if I remember rightly I did this and then knocked both pins inwards, but in hind sight i should of just used a pulley/slidehammer to remove. One side will be tapped and other side that’s a large thread on it

I knocked mine in first and the arm snagged on the thread. It took a bit of effort with the files to restore the thread, and I didn’t take the pulley off so they didn’t even come out where there is a will, there is always a way!

 

[David Reed]

Interesting to see its been mounted on wheels. I have the same machine & it does tend to rock a bit in service.
RonA

Hi sorry to but in but i have a qua

It’s arrived! I paid $400.

Hi i have one of these saws but missing the hydrophilic pump do you know were i might get one from

 

[Dieselman 63]

Hi sorry to but in but i have a qua


Hi i have one of these saws but missing the hydrophilic pump do you know were i might get one from

Absolutely no idea. When buying machine tools missing parts, you’re accepting a long, slow search for them I’m afraid.

 

[Seadog]

Parts that you may never find.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Parts that you may never find.

Right. Missing or damaged parts... can I source new ones should be the thought before buying, or fabricate them. Also the age-old one, can I source a new one of these before I cut it out with a grinder

Though Colchester and Boxford spares are expensive, there are still spares available.

 

[Dan Liddle]

This is a very interesting thread I've just picked one of these up this morning. Looks to be complete but hasn't run in years so needs a full strip and clean restoration. Could anyone point me in the direction of a download of the manual please?

 

[Dieselman 63]

This is a very interesting thread I've just picked one of these up this morning. Looks to be complete but hasn't run in years so needs a full strip and clean restoration. Could anyone point me in the direction of a download of the manual please?

No manual I’m afraid, though it’s quite simple to use without one.