Rapidor Manchester powered hacksaw...

[Omniata]

Sorry for no pics but I've been offered a "Rapidor Manchester" powered hacksaw...

It's been modified to use a 3/4Hp to 1Hp sealed petrol pump motor to run off 240V

Seems a little slow compared to the Evolution saw I have , but I can fiddle with the pulleys and it'll cut up to 8" and has cut small girders...

It has a mechanical coolant pump and adjustable oil filled damper...



The reason for the post, how much is it worth

The guy wants ~£120 for it, is this a good price...



Seems in good condition and no signs of rust or breakages...
It's mounted on a trolley at present, hence being slow, I plan to bolt it to the floor and speed it up

 

[Welderpaul]

I had a Rapidor, they are slow, but as you say, messing with the gearing would probably speed it up. £120 probably not a bad price as long as everything works on it.
Probably classed as antiques by now!

 

[brightspark]

heres a picture of mine well worth the money if its in good nick. eg bearings and guide bars there quite slow running so dont speed up 2 much will clock mine if u need to know the speed

 

[wyn]

They run at about 60 strokes/revs per minute.

 

[brightspark]

They run at about 60 strokes/revs per minute.

i think mines 80 near enough

 

[Archie]

I sold one last year for about that so I guess that's about the going rate.

 

[wyn]

Looks good BS...do you still use it.

 

[Charred fingers]

The H&S police would have a field day with you BS
Seriously tho' if its in good nick its a fair price, they may be slow but they don't make that awful racket a chopsaw does, anyway once you've got a couple of bits cut you can stick them together while it cuts the next one

 

[brightspark]

yes quite a lot lately. it was a wreck when i bought it. had it 30 years now nearly sold it 2 years ago . wouldnt part with it now

 

[Debs.]

My old Grammar-school had one of those; `similarly without the guards too!.....No doubt the present-day health and safety bods would have to lay down in a darkened room if they saw those school workshops....but nobody died or was maimed and we all learned to keep safe.

....even *cough* years-on; I can recall the smells of it`s hot-blade, warm-belting and cutting fluid when it was working, `funny-thing memory!

 

[Omniata]

heres a picture of mine well worth the money if its in good nick. eg bearings and guide bars there quite slow running so dont speed up 2 much will clock mine if u need to know the speed

It's almost exactly the same as yours BS...

Cheers guys, and gals


I'll catch the bloke next time I see him...

It's got about 10 spare blades too...
The coolant hoses are a bit knackered but easy to fix...
It's currently doing about 60 strokes a minute, I might swap the pulleys round to gear it up instead of down

He showed me it working and cutting a piece of 30mm box ~4mm thick, seemed more than capable...

The H&S police would have a field day with you BS
Seriously tho' if its in good nick its a fair price, they may be slow but they don't make that awful racket a chopsaw does, anyway once you've got a couple of bits cut you can stick them together while it cuts the next one

I'll agree with the noise and the "sticking together" bit, keyed more to my line of thinking

 

[pedrobedro]

A friend of mine has restored one and it's a lot quieter than a Rage or my abrasive saw. I'd have one if I had the room, they are more my pace

 

[wyn]

He showed me it working and cutting a piece of 30mm box ~4mm thick, seemed more than capable...

The one we had in work used to chop through 80mm dia EN8 round bar in about 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour. Just switch it on and forget about it while you do something else.

 

[Omniata]

The one we had in work used to chop through 80mm dia EN8 round bar in about 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour. Just switch it on and forget about it while you do something else.

He'd cut 7" x 4" RSJ 8mm thick with it no worries...

I'd prefer it to the Evo saw I've got, blades are cheaper and it's far more capable...
With cutting fluid it'll work wonders for me...

Bolted down and "geared up" I'll have it running like crazy

Only reason he didn't have it running faster was with it being on a trolley, he couldn't chase it about

 

[Robotstar5]

Bolted down and "geared up" I'll have it running like crazy

I'd leave it as built, you'll only wear it out quicker and possibly cook the blade?

 

[Omniata]

I'd leave it as built, you'll only wear it out quicker and possibly cook the blade?

Fair enough...

I may try to source a few pulleys for it to make it adjustable for thick and thin...
I'm definitely stripping it down and giving it a thorough clean though...
There's grease and oil everywhere, including the sump and filter for the coolant fluid...

A nice "easy" project for a change...

I'll start a thread when I get it and start work...

 

[brightspark]

Fair enough...

I may try to source a few pulleys for it to make it adjustable for thick and thin...
I'm definitely stripping it down and giving it a thorough clean though...
There's grease and oil everywhere, including the sump and filter for the coolant fluid...

A nice "easy" project for a change...

I'll start a thread when I get it and start work...

the speed wont make any diffence weather its thin or thick. altering the speed wont make it cut any faster just knock hell out of the bearings

 

[steve238]

I have just been given this saw,anyone know anything about this model?
welding.co.uk/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=14829&stc=1&d=1270245624

 

[Welderpaul]

Nothing like testing it to capacity

There's gonna be a clang in a minute...

 

[busa]

the speed wont make any diffence weather its thin or thick. altering the speed wont make it cut any faster just knock hell out of the bearings

Agreed, leave the gearing the way it is. The only thing to change for material thickness is the number of teeth per inch (TPI) of the blade. These old donkey saws will run for ever, all they need is regular oiling and adjustment. If you need to cut material faster then perhaps you need a different type of machine.