Hammond Glider Modifications?

[bill1608]

Removed the paragraph causing the error. Here is the rest of the post.

I bought a Hammond G44B last year and am currently working on the arbor. I plan to do a full restoration in a year or 2. I have some observations, comments and questions.

This saw is made more like a machine tool, precision made parts. I replaced the arbor bearings with premium quality motor grade bearings and they seem good enough. Now that I know the arbor inside and out, it is a quick job to replace the bearings if necessary later. The precision machining of the arbor and casting and the light press fit make it easy to assemble and disassemble.

The table guide is nice, but I think something different would be better for woodworking that would enable cutting +- 45 degree bevels. Has anyone ever made a new table guide system for woodworking that will do this? Coming up with something to go from 90 degrees to a forward angle is easy, it is when you bring the left side of the guide back toward you, that the design of a guide becomes more difficult because there is less surface to attach to behind the angle.

Has anyone here ever modified the belt drive on a Hammond to a micro-V belt?

[bill1608]

I was about to modify my Hammond arbor for standard 7 1/4" blades when someone recommended not doing that. They also recommended a source for a high quality wood cutting blade for the saw. So I went that route. I feel now like his advice stopped me from making the wrong decision at the last minute. My main reason for modifying was a better choice of blades, but when I found out I could buy a high quality wood blade, it made it all not worthwhile. And I wouldn't have been able to undo that modification. The saw can now operate as original and still cut wood nicely. I don't care about the limited blade height above the table, 1 3/4" is enough for my use of this saw. And I can still trim much more than that with the arbor raised higher.

[crzypete]

Hi Bill,

I have documented most of my modifications here, but have just made a new arbor solution that allows using a regular 5/8" bore saw blade and easily swapping back to the flat-mounted hammond blade. I will work up a post on this and link from here. link http://machinejunkie.com/forum/viewtopi ... =6427#6427

I don;t cut many angles in my work, and do own the hammond any angle attachment- but don;t find it all that useful. My angle solution has been cutting pieces of wood at the angle I desire and using those against the existing fence.

I guess if I wanted to cut a lot of angles, I'd probably adapt a dedicated saw to something.

Pete

[bill1608]

Very nice arbor adapter Pete! And it gives you easy change blade options.