I'm trying to get a Foley model 32 re-toother back into service and things would be a lot easier if I had the gauge that determines the offset required between the carrier bar and the toothline of the mounted saw. It looks something like the below picture from the handbook. All I really need are the dimensions and I can fabricate one, but I'd really appreciate it somebody had access to one and could post some pictures of it.
Not sure if you need this still but here is a link for measurements. http://foleyfiler.blogspot.com/2012/03/foley-retoother-gauge-click-here.html?m=1
If you're using a Foley, the gauge sets the teeth 3/4" above the carrier. You can do the same by using a piece of 3/4" wood, just set the carrier on the top of the board and allow the saw plate to slip down to your bench, and then tighten the carrier up. I don't think it's that critical, but I use a 385 retoother, I believe 3/4" will work. Try it.
Hi, I'm new here and realize this is an old post but if you're still in need of one, I recently bought a retoother and it came with a couple of home-made gauges as well as a genuine one, I'd be happy to send you one if you like. Cheers Matt
Thanks for considering this, but I managed to make up a suitable gauge by scaling off a catalogue picture. Thanks.
Good skills! I'm after a spare punch and die should one ever cross your path. Also, i'm considering making some ratchet bars as i'm missing one and it seems that they're something that quite a few people are looking for, give me a shout if you ever need any. Cheers, Matt
Until recently you could still order spares from Foley. The punch is easy enough to make, the die is another issue. I've made ratchet bars to 15 ppi, the problem is the steel stock. They shouldn't be to hard to fabricate if you've got a tilting head mill, although I did mine by hand.
Hi Dusty, appologies for the late reply, life's been crazy busy recently. I've got a good friend who happens to a surface grinder, a lot of spare time and a can-do attitude. I'm really hoping that when the time comes for my toother die to need replacing he'll be up for the challenge, To be fair to him, he's yet to fail me on any of the many seemingly impossible requests i've made. Regarding the ratchet bars, I do have a tilt-head mill so it really wouldn't be too much of a chore, i'd likely gang cut a half-dozen or so just to make myself feel better about spending that long twiddling knobs and watching the DRO screen, it cant hurt to have a few spares knocking about can it? Alternatively I suppose you could draw the file and get the waterjet guys to squirt them out of some 6mm plate. You were keen doing yours by hand! What was your tecnique? Layout blue, scribe lines and lots of filing? It's an impressive feat however you managed it. Matt
Layout blue, paper templates, a Dremel with a slotting disk and three days with a 5 XXS File. And it works beautifully. Worth all the effort. I'm going to do a 16 and an 18.
Now that's commitment! I don't have any spare time untill later in the year but when winter rolls around i'll have a crack at milling some. If you haven't already made them yourself by then i'd be happy to send you one. How fine do you recon the ol' foley would cope with? I don't think you'd be able to go much above 18tpi without running into issues with it skipping, I modified the feeder pawl on mine a little and gave it a slightly heavier spring than it had when i got it as it would occasionally skip a tooth on the finest ratchet bar, I'm sure a little balancing here and there and a heavier bench would help too. I've no particular wish to go much above 16tpi if i'm honest, I just don't have the requirement for it but it would always be nice to have the ability to do so if needed, The die and punch on mine would certainly need replacment before attempting anything that fine.
I've reshaped the feeder pawl tip as well. You have to keep the grooves clean of gunge as well. It's hardened. I think 16 is the very finest the machine can handle, and only if working well. The results are pretty ragged at 15 unless your punch is new and clearances small. I treat the Foley as a spacing template. Run it through to notch the plate. Blue it up, joint, then a pass or two to deepen the gullets and get it just right. My Foley is set up with the 56 degree punch and die so it's pretty fast to clean up.
To be honest, i've never used my toother to do anything finer than 12 point other than messing around on scrap saws, Most of what i use it for is hand saws and panel saws that i'm restoring for sale, i use it much like you do yours by te sound of it. Most backsaws i'm doing nowadays are either clean and tidy or in bad enough condiotion that i replace the plate with a waterjet cut one, the customer stuff with finer teeth tends to be in good enough shape to just need filing. All the same, it'd be lovely to have a toother with a fresh die and set up to do the finer stuff. Might keep an eye out for a second machine, one as a workhorse, one for delicate stuff.