Powermatic repair.

[jfoh]

Well I had a problem with my Powermatic bandsaw adjustment this weekend. It stripped and became stuck. The nut that the adjustment shaft threads into stripped. Soft metal of the nut stripped and became a homemade die, cutting a new misshapen thread every rotation of the shaft. Spent half an hour disassembling the band saw to get the part out. Then spent more time getting the nut off the shaft. Considered just cutting the nut off the shaft and would have been faster but I like doing things the hard way. I managed to clean up the shaft threads with the proper die and managed to save the shaft. The nut it screws into was just about a total waste. It's metric by the way, which is my favorite except I only have basic taps and dies and no metric nuts and bolts in my scrap piles. Either I had to fine a metric nut or give up I thought.

So instead of admitting I was beat and going to my computer and ordering replacement parts I went to my metal lathe and started working. Half an hour later I had a new shaft turned and threaded to replace the semi ruined one. Then ten minutes later I had a new nut made and threaded. Trip to the drill press and a little minor polishing before assembly. Put all the new parts in and it works as well as or even better than before. And just to keep things simple I did everything in metric just like it was originally except in Stainless. 20 years ago I would have done everything in Standard but as I am getting mellow in my golden years I went back with metric. Thank goodness for a good high school metal shop class and a metal lathe in my shop. Mr. Geridonio, my metal shop instructor, would be proud of my parts and the fact he taught me something useful. Thanks Mr. G.

 

[randyrls]

That was a good outcome! your saw is back in service and better than new.

 

[tomtedesco]

Thanks to all the "shop" teachers over the years.

 

[duncsuss]

Was it the tension adjustment mechanism?

If so, the exact same thing happened to me a while back on my Ridgid bandsaw. I tried to get a replacement part, but it seemed to be an item that wasn't listed in their inventory control system ... so they ended up shipping me a brand new saw under their Lifetime Replacement Warranty.

Honestly, I would have preferred just a replacement part, as I'd installed a 6" riser block which I had to take out (then reinstall on the new saw), and a bunch of tuning and tweaking that I had to do over again.

Nice that you were able to fabricate parts to do the job :good:

 

[jfoh]

Same part Duncsuss. I am the second owner of this saw but it is still low hours. First owner installed the blade up side down and it would not cut. He gave up after trying to cut one board. Listed it on Craigslist and sold it for half price. So even it Powermatic had lifetime warranty, which they do not, I would not still have to pay for the part. But I just made an better one instead.

Total down time for me was a few hours. If I had to make another one it take half an hour at most. Simple system of adjustment and parts are very simple to make. I just wish the overall quality of metal and metal finish was higher on all machines these days. Guess I am living in the past again. Metric threads, cheap, crude cast parts where milled parts was the norm, thin metal instead of heavy duty and heavy gauge metal parts. It is all about outside finish instead of inside guts of a machine. I'll keep my Bridgeport mill, my Atlas lathe, my Southbend lathe, my old table saw and other over built power tools.