Some Saw Doctor's Tools

Discussion in 'Saw Makers Forum' started by ray, Apr 27, 2011.

  1. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    I was privileged to be able to visit the factory of a Melbourne based saw sharpening business that was closing down and to meet the owner of the business who is retiring after many years.

    One of the main manufacturing operations was the making and sharpening of bandsaws, and a lot of the equipment was geared towards bandsaw production.

    The firm has been in business since the early 1900's they were in the central business district with a large shop front and offices in 1909 at least. In more recent times the factory has been located in the eastern suburbs at South Oakleigh.

    They are clearing out all the equipment in the factory. Sad to see so much beautiful equipment that will probably end up as scrap metal.
    Still, it's nice to beat the scrap metal dealers and rescue a few items.

    I managed to pick up a 200lb saw doctors anvil, a nice fly press, and a few hammers. I also got a belt linisher, and a foley filing machine.

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    The anvil came with a large heavy wooden block mounting, I've yet to figure out how to lift it back onto the mounting block! :)

    A few hammers.
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    The three dog's head hammers and some cross pein hammers, the little one in the middle is a saw setting hammer. There were a couple of twist hammers, (that a friend liked) these are like a cross pein, but with the handle at an angle. The tin-snips on the right are a nice early model Wiss. Also managed to get a few boxes of new old-stock Wiltshire files. A good brand that is sadly no more.

    The Foley refiler, I haven't picked up yet, I'll go back later this week and pick it up. You can see the general arrangement here, the system indexes after each tooth, and there are large diameter wheels either side of the machine for holding the bandsaw blade in place.

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    The Fly Press, is in near perfect condition, but there were no dies for punching teeth, there was a die for 1/2" circles, punches through 1095 plate with no effort.

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    Here's that belt linisher, I mentioned.
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    You can see the huge block of wood for mounting the anvil in the background.

    Regards
    Ray
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2011
  2. lui

    lui Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    77
    Hi Ray,

    Your a very luck man, I love the anvil and hammers, really nice find.

    The straight edge on the anvil must be for some really big circular saws blades.

    Your fly press looks about the same size as mine, and it's amazing how easy it cuts hardened steel. you can get tooling made for it, but it's not cheap.

    I like the linisher, it's good to see health and safety hasn't arrived in Australia yet. In the uk there would be so much guarding on it you wouldn't be able to see the belt let alone get near it.

    Is that your workshop in the background? very nice.

    nice finds

    lui
     
  3. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Lui,

    I think you are right about the straight edge, there were a number of straight edges hanging on nails on the side of the anvil mounting block. I was checking to see how much the anvil is domed, My understanding is that a saw anvil should have a slightly domed shape.

    As far as tooling for the fly press, I'm going to have a go at making my own. I've been studying the pictures you posted of you setup and I think it looks do-able. One of the guys who I was with when visiting the factory also has a fly press and lots of different tooling which I can copy details, like relief angles and clearances from.

    Too late...Health and Safety are here in force already! The linisher might look dangerous but it's not really, there are a few "pinch points" that you need to keep fingers away from, and a few basic techniques so that you grind so that the work can't grab and get flung across the workshop. They are popular with knife makers, so you'll often see then around the knife making forums.

    Yes, that's the workshop, such as it is, I really need to clean up! :)

    Regards
    Ray
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2011
  4. lui

    lui Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    77
    Hi Ray,

    I'm not sure about the flatness of the anvil. I had my block machined flat, and I then polished it. Yours is a proper one so I assume it's correct.

    If I get a chance I'll scan in some of the pages from my Drabble and Sanderson saw doctors book (1925). It has some interesting illustrations of men trueing up large circular saw blades.

    The tooling for the press will be interesting, the hardest thing will be cutting the internal corners in the base plate. What you might not be aware of is the underside of the punch on mine isn't flat, it's raised slightly in the centre tappering to the three corners. I assume this aides in the sheering as it presses through. I assume this is what your calling a releif angle.

    If you want some dimensions off mine your welcome, but nothing beats holding one and measuring yourself.

    Cheers

    lui
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2011
  5. ray

    ray Administrator Staff Member

    Messages:
    671
    Hi Lui,

    The central area of the anvil is flat and smooth, the edges gently curve downwards, but only slightly.

    I might have been a bit misleading with my earlier comment about the anvil top being domed, what the guy (the seller) was telling me by pointing out the slight dome shape was that it was in good condition.

    If yours is flat and smooth, that's going to be a good one. But if you found one for sale that had been well used the center would be dished (concave). Even the slightest concave shape would make it hard to flatten saw plate (I don't really know, I'm guessing here!).

    I think it's possible they might have been manufactured originally with a slight (almost imperceptable) dome shape, but I suspect only to allow for wear and repeated hammering over many years.

    Back to the die, if you have the time, to measure up your saw tooth punch and die, that would be greatly appreciated.

    I would love to see those Drabble and Sanderson photos.


    Regards
    Ray

    EDIT:
    Here is a photo that better illustrates what I'm referring to above.
    [​IMG]

    If you found one that was dished, then I see no problem at all in getting it re-machined it flat like you have done, or if possible you could use surface grinder. there will still be plenty of thickness in the hardened plate, to allow for many re-surfacings.

    Normal Blacksmith anvils tend to have a much harder life than these specialist anvils, and you often see them with deeply dished backs and chipped edges.

    Here's my 300lb blacksmithing anvil,

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2011
  6. lui

    lui Most Valued Member

    Messages:
    77
    Hi Ray,

    Here is the chapter on circular saws, you might recognise some of the tools.

    I particularly like the illustration where the guy looks like he's about to saw off his own head.

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