A short session today in the workshop and I didn’t feel up to doing anything major or critical. Overnight I had been thinking about the saw table project and a moment of possible inspiration came when I wondered what a normal slitting saw would be like in use on the saw table?

When I had a look at the saw pulley it was turned to 1” diameter and of course the slitting saws I have are 1” bore! So I decided to spend my time working out how to fit the slitting saw to the existing pulley rather than turn another (I also didn’t have another bearing). The answer I thought of was to make a washer that would seat against the pulley and have a large 1 ¼” diameter outside.

So it was over to the lathe and turn the required washer (see photo) and then see if it worked. I also needed to have a larger washer to sit in front of the slitting saw so I could use the same securing nut.

The adaptor washer to enable slitting saws also to be used

I was really surprised when trying the saw out with some brass sheet just how good it was! Now you may have been ahead of me but for sheet work I believe the saw table will be a great asset (for straight cuts only) and a real bonus for the project!

I also had a fiddle with some of the pulleys to get them running for a long period and called it a day surprised with the advance in usability of the project which is already good. Next will be to try the diamond grindstone and what sort of fittings I will need to make to grind turning tools. Once this trial period has been completed I will fit the top and bottom sheets to the back plate and securing everything together.

For the work holding I intend to cut either two or three ‘T’ slots along the top table. After making a couple of basic work holding tools I will put the project to one side and get back to building the Seal engines. When I need to use the table I will develop tooling each time to suit the task and over time this should build up a flexible system.

Components to allow a slitting saw to be used with the table

Carbide Slitting Saw 30mm x 8mm x 037 Slotting    £29.75

My time on the workshop has been a little intermittent over the last couple of weeks but I have been able to get out there to make some progress on the saw table. I have converted the shaft of the motor to take a Myford gear by milling a slot in the shaft to accept a keyway and drilled and tapped the end of the shaft so I can secure the gear.

I have also made three pulleys, one of which is the important pulley that will hold the 2 saw blade sizes and the diamond grind stone. However I have decided today to make a separate pulley for the diamond grit stone. I have had to do this since assembling the pulley with the saw blades my initial idea to hold the blade on was to secure the pulley to its shaft and have a washer between the end screw and the blade. This didn't work on trialing it so I decided that I would thread the outer part of the pulley (see photo's) which meant the seating for the smallest item (the grinding wheel) would disappear but I want the blade to stay on and not spin past my ear!!!

The completed and newly threaded saw blade pulley

Fortunately the diameter of the end of the pulley was suitable for a 10mm thread and a corresponding nut was made by threading some 1” diameter brass then making two flats opposite each other that will allow a spanner to be used in conjunction with a brass spacer. I must admit I was very pleased with the results and either blade can be held very securely.

With all three pulleys and their shafts completed the focus now is on the fittings for the back plate. The brass insert for the shaft that drives the rest and on which a gear is held has been completed and the saw arm and saw pulley slot with it radius has been cut but there is still work to be done before fitting to the back plate. Another similar slot to the gear pulley needs to be made as well. When those items have been tackled next and fitted I will be able to finalise the belt size and test out the speed to the blades.

The brass insert deigned to increase durablility and the radius milled to suit range oof movement

Once the moving parts as it were are working fine I will then cut the teeth on the saw arm and the height quadrant (yet to be made) before making the threaded parts to move the quadrant and therefore saw adjustment.

Next week though I will be working on the Fowler traction engine before returning to the saw table the following week. I have decided to try to work on one of my three main projects (the pair of Seal engines, Fowler traction engine and saw table)for a week then back to one of the others. Whether this works will depend on my health though and how much time I can spend in the workshop. Life as ever is always a compromise.