power hacksaw info?

[Anonymous Poster]

Anybody out there ever seen a Dayton brand power hacksaw? I bought it cheap to cut steel for projects. It consists of a cast hacksaw frame that slides on a hinged steel arm above a cast iron table, a gear drive with an offset pin to push the blade back and forth, and a cam arrangement with springs to set the cutting pressure.
It doesn't seem to be set up right, even though it cuts semi-ok. I am hoping to get some info on it if possible.
I would appreciate any help you folks could give me.
Thanks,
DaveL

 

[TOMLESCOEQUIP]

I've seen a few power hacksaws but never owned one myself.....The dayton brand was sold by W W Grainger.......Try their website.......They may still offer blades and parts............TOM

 

[Mrwurm]

Dave, Wholesale Tool Inc. in Warren, Mich sells blades for power hacksaws. Maybe they could help. They have a website, but I don't have it bookmarked.
I used a power hacksaw in shop class in High School. I now use a 14in metal cutting chop saw to do the same kind of cutting, but, I remember being amazed by the usefullness of the tool when I was in school. Good luck.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Dave I have an old 7x8 capacity power hacksaw in my shop. In fact yesterday cut a 7x7 solid shaft for a customer. set it tun it on and go do something else till ya hear the thud. A few things can be wrong with one, One is the blade may have the wrong tooth pitch for the work. THe thicker the metal you can use a courser tooth the thinnier you nedd a finer pitch. Another thing is on the back of the drive an eccentric drive It should have a roller or a cam to bump the saw frame to add bite to the out/cutting stroke. Wich is its importan to have the saw teeth facing out from the machine or the cutting strokke works against itsself. I couldnt live with out mine i bought it from the scrap yard and made a roll around stand from 3 casters and a truckframe channedl. WHen its on short steel it wants to walk around the shop.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Jerry, thanks for the source. I've got some blades but will need more.
Taylortractornut,
Do they all cut on the out stroke? When I got it, I noticed that someone had hung a big piece of shafting on the end of the arm. Knowing it would chew blades up pulling back against the blade with weight on it, I took it off and figured out the spring arrangement to relieve the blade is on the forward (yes forward) stroke. It pulls the bar down when pulling the blade back towards the motor which surprised me. Stuck a blade on it facing back and tried it out and it seems to cut really well now, but I wonder if someone had assembled something wrong in the past and has the cam for the spring backwards?

Other than that, plus fishing a shim out and resetting the clearances, its a neat little saw.
Paid $40 for it with about 40' of 2 x 2" angle thrown in for good measure. I think you are correct; it looks like it will be right handy around the shop /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
DaveL

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Dayton in this case may not be a WW Grainger product, I don't recall them offering a power hacksaw over the last 40 years. Mine is a Buffalo, and is well over 70 years old, still cutting fine.
I got it for hauling it away 40 years back, because the guy who had it was too dumb to keep oil in the hydraulic system that lifts the blade on the backstroke, and damps the blade from dropping from the raised position.
Can you post a picture of your machine?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Sounds like you got a heck of a deal on that Buffalo. No camera at this point so no luck on posting a picture.
Looking at this machine at first I thought 1960's or so but it may be older. The belt cover has the Dayton logo on it, a desription of belt position for 65 or 90 strokes/ minute ( the step pulleys were both in the same direction so I reversed the motor pulley to get two speeds) and nothing else as far as model, etc. The blade pressure setup is mechanical, with a cam follower and arm and 2 springs, one light one above the saw arm with the cut pressure knob, and a heavier one below attached to the cam follower arm. The larger one below allows you to raise the arm to latch in a home made rest someone had built for it.
I think I should go through the drive unit to figure out why it cuts pulling back and not forward. Maybe this saw was designed this way /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif? I don't know. Does your Buffalo cut on the forward stroke as well?
Thanks for all the info. You guys are great!
DaveL

 

[Taylortractornut]

It may be designed that way to cut on the pull stroke. Mine can be adjusted either way, On thick T1 steel I cut off for making tree cutter blades it works good on the pull stroke.
I cut alot of hydraulic cylinder rams for machining and the hacksaw does great just a wee bit slow but it gives me time to go run the lathe or weld. To save the blade from premature failure is after a new blade is in place and the slcak taken out run it on a peice of stock and tighten the blade whiles its cuting, it will stretch a bit over time. If the slack isnt takeen out it may hang and break.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

You are right on the blade loosening. I've been cutting short pieces to check everything out and square up the vise and have touched it up a couple of times already.
I also looked at the cut direction and finally flipped the motor rotation. It now cuts on the forward stroke. I guess I could rig a switch to flip the windings for either direction. Any advantage in doing that for use on mild steel and such?
I greatly appreciate all of your help.
DaveL

 

[Anonymous Poster]

In over 40 years of cutting iron with these saws, I can't recall one that was set up to cut on the back stroke, with the possible exception of a small portable sold by Sears.
Cutting on the forestroke, makes particular sense in a machine with coolant, it drops the cuttings at the end of the machien it is easiest to clear them from.
Most only cut in one direction, and lift the blade on the backstroke. The blade lifting eliminates the teeth from contact with the metal being cut and cuts blade wear tremendously. It also cuts down on blade chatter.
Most machines are 2 speed, but the higher speed is only effective when cutting soft metal, such as brass.
If you look on Ebay, there are several hacksaws, and you might get more information.