I get bored if I'm not working on something. And not going anywhere these days (much) has prompted me to work on a lot of projects I've had (some of them) for many years. Some I just picked up. As some of you know... I can fix or restore anything. Falcons are the thing I do here, but being a guy who for more than 50 years of my (current) 60, has had his hand on a tool of some sort - I just like it. I have a picture of me at 2 years - looking like I'm trying to disassemble a rotary telephone. Lucky for you (and maybe me) I don't have that picture on this computer.
A couple weeks ago Lila and I drove to an estate sale on the southend side of Tacoma, a horse farm, and though they didn't have much, I saw a pretty cool old power hack saw in the barn. Not that I need one since I have a horizontal band saw, I had to ask what they wanted for it. And dang it, it was too cheap. For $5 they said "Take it. Tomorrow it's going to scrap metal if we don't sell it today." The biggest part of me doesn't want to see cool old tools turned into Fords and Chevy's so I loaded into the van and paid the lady her $5.
It sat for a couple weeks as I worked on other projects and last week I finally pulled it apart. Shoot! The main gear was missing a couple teeth here and there. They still "engaged" a bit, but it wasn't something I would "sell", which is the end-goal here. Sell this when done. So I looked everywhere for a replacement gear for the brand 'as shown on the saw' and nothing, nowhere, nada. Then I found an original ad for the saw I had (attached) and on that page it indicated they sold this same saw through Sears and Roebuck. So I searched for a Sears (Craftsman) Power Hack Saw and - BAMM! - a guy in New York had the gear on eBay... for $50. (Sad face). I hate it when people offer me half-price for things on eBay, so I offered him $40 - and he took it. The gear arrived today and it's like new. Yay! Because I knew a gear was on the way I cleaned, bead blasted, and painted all the other parts and will have it together next week. I had to replace the main shaft and get a new oil-lite bushing for one side, but it's looking good so far. The base (Hand made and heavy) gets cleaned next.
If anyone is looking for a cool old power hack saw... it'll be a cool addition to anyone's shop. And you'll know it was ... lovingly... restored.
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