Old equipment junkyards?

[Larry Edgerton]

I broke a trunion casting on a Minimax SC10 yesterday when putting it back together after installing new bearings. The saw is obsolete. part is not available, but I love the saw as it is very versatile, and was my first new commercial purchase. I took the part to one machine shop and was told they can not fix it, will try others. But.....

If anyone knows of such a place, speak up please.

Thanks Larry

[Dennis Nagle]

Keep trying machine shops. There should be one that can help.

[Bradley Gray]

I broke a trunnion casting on an old delta table saw once and a toolmaker friend fixed it by drilling and tapping for machine screws - worked fine for years.

[Larry Fox]

Don't have anything useful on your original question but if it is cast it can likely be repaired. Give these guys a call. http://www.locknstitch.com/

They did a repair for me on a part to an old Emmert Turtleback and they did a masterful job at a reasonable price.

[Larry Edgerton]

We have a shortage of machine shops up here these days Dennis. I checked at Moran Iron Works but they have gotten so big they don't mess with this stuff any more. Most shops have closed down with the crash of the auto industry. I am still looking today as I need this saw up and running. Sold a couple of saws last week. Have one PM 66 I need to get rid of the static converter on but would prefer to just get this one running. The PM is buried in the storage building.

There is not enough meat for drilling and tapping unfortunately.

Larry I checked out that site, interesting. Their stitch method would not work on this piece as it has no flat areas but I may give them a call if I can not find something more local. I have an idea of how to fix it but do not have the milling capabilities.

Larry

[Jeff Duncan]

If you need it up and running I'd suggest shelving the trunnion as you look for a repair shop and in the meantime why not build a flat table for it? I'd bet you could get by most of the time without being able to tilt the table. Depends on your work obviously, but I don't think I've ever tilted my bandsaw table since I've owned it?

As far as fixing it I think your best bet is the guy working out of his garage/basement. Some of those guys can fix just about anything and usually do so for a very reasonable price. The trick is finding one near you. That part I can't help you with.

good luck,
JeffD

good luck,
JeffD

[Larry Edgerton]

I stopped by the local shop that manufactures DoAll step bits as I know a lot of people that work there. They have their own tool room and agreed to machine the base out and add one in steel drilled and tapped to the old casting, so I am off the hook. By the way, DoAll bits are made for steel but are awesome for woodworking as well.

Thank you very much for the suggestions.

Larry

[Larry Fox]

Larry I checked out that site, interesting. Their stitch method would not work on this piece as it has no flat areas but I may give them a call if I can not find something more local. I have an idea of how to fix it but do not have the milling capabilities.
Larry

Larry - I should have been more clear. I was not recommending them for their stitching but more for their heat-welding for cast. The piece they did for me was round, fairly intricate and they heat-welded it. Apparently what they do is gradually heat the entire piece uniformly (in an oven?), weld it while still hot and control the cool-down process. They have some information / videos on the site that are interesting from a curiosity perspective even if you don't need their services.

[John T Barker]

This http://rudolfbassinc.net/ is a place I visited many years ago. I walked in to their warehouse and they had stock of every woodworking machine ever built. Possibility they might have the part...maybe they could steer you to someone else that is in the business (do people still do that?) I also went to a used machinery place in York, Pa. with a past employer but I can't remember the name.

Have you searched online a lot. Seems there are a lot of used machine dealers that carry parts. Good luck.

[John Upton]

I hang out over here...http://www.hobby-machinist.com/forum.php...there seem to be members from Michigan on the site.
It is worth a try.

[Brian W Smith]

Cast iron comes in a cpl different flavors.....so this is a slight guess.But,the suggestion for finding a shop capable/willing to do it should be taken very seriously.

Tig weld it with Silicon Bronze.It has really worked it's magic here at our shop.Its about half-way between a true "brazing" and a high heat weld,typically with some nickel rod.The "problem" with the former is it's almost universally done with the "blob" method.It's sort of the inverse of silver soldering,and while servicable,it's use in clsely fitted parts causes space limitations.

The latter,is and always will be an option for C.I. welding.It is especially useful when the part is going to see high fluctuations in temps(exhaust manifold).It's not without problems though.It is a high heat weld....so,preheating and postheat become critical,along with a host of other "tricks".Tiggin the part with silicone bronze sort of circumvents a lot of the negatives on the processes above.

Now,for the easy part.Go to your local,pro welding supplier.Look in the yellow pages for anyone selling welding gases,and is a dealer for Lincoln/Miller.Do not call them!!!You need to simply go over there,mid-week and politely ask if there's one of their customers who(possible retired weldor),is set up to Tig weld.They'll know a guy....they're selling him gas/rods.The pro shop will know the difference in a big welding shop and the smaller guy,simply on the gas sales.

Heck,I couldv'e already had the part Tigged in the time it took to write the above.....google silicon bronze and CI. Good luck with your repair.