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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    Default Hercus Hackasaurus - how to make mobile, but stable when in use?

    Hi all,

    Long before humankind evolved on this planet, wilds herds of Hercus Hackasaurii roamed free on the great plains. Now, only a few remain and most of them are confined to home workshops sparsely dotted about the nation. Longing for the days they roamed, they want to be free again and mobile.

    So, to help the old girl, I am looking for clever ideas to assist an old Hercus hacksaw to be easily moveable around the workshop, but when positioned keep it stable for use. Preferably some clever ideas i may be able to make/weld/bodge myself. It won't be moved often, but I loathe the idea of spending $400 on fancy castors or something. At at maybe 250kg of 1940's cast iron it sure is a hackasaurus.

    I'd had a squizz about but haven't gathered too much inspiration.

    All help (and donations of food for the hackasaurus) appreciated.

    Greg.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    71
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    5,945

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    Hi Greg,
    Make a frame to support the Hackasaurus, using wheels (similar to lawnmower wheels) so that when the frame is down, there is approx 3mm under the wheels and about 100-150 centre behind the frame.
    On the front, put a couple of pipes to act as sleeves for a smaller pipe to act as a handle. Or make a plate with a pin about 16mm diam, pointing down. Then make a trolley, (using similar sized wheels), that will go under the pin, as the handle is pushed down, it will lift the front of the frame enough for the legs to clear and the rear wheels to do their thing.
    If you've a trolley jack, you could do this.Trolley jack lifter.jpg
    HTH
    Kryn
    Last edited by KBs PensNmore; 20th Apr 2019 at 08:48 PM. Reason: More details
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    Adelaide
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    Default

    I have one in captivity in my workshop as well.
    .
    It sits in a heavy duty cradle with swivel castors salvaged from somewhere and there are screw-down pads to stop it moving about whilst it is feeding.
    The cradle also holds the coolant tank and pump (an old parts washer)

    saw.jpg

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    South Australia
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    1,656

    Default

    I had the same problem, I sold the boat anchor and bought a band saw

  5. #5
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    The cam operated wheels on my small surface plate bench might give you some ideas.
    //metalworkforums.com/f65/t2024...ce-plate-bench
    The loaded Bench is about 100kg and ir's dead easy to turn each can handle.
    The cam lifters could be made much bigger for greater mechanical advantage

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
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    Kryn - thanks. Nice idea there - though I was aiming for something that felt a little more ad-hoc and mobile. Good for the other equipment though. )

    Gavin - "feeding" ) That is quite an arrangement - it must add a fair amount to the 'floor space' it consumes?

    China - I have a chinesium bandsaw .. hoping to ditch *it*!

    Bob - thanks. That is very clever. I had been googling for cam and castor and lever and all manner of things. That is a good idea.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
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    59
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    A couple of thoughts for you.
    I have a table saw that I put on wheels for a similar reason, and put locking castors on it. Works well. If the hacksaw is a bit heavy for that sort of thing, perhaps a pair of wedges, linked together, so that a wheel can only rock back and forth over a small distance?) even something like a strategically sized U bolt might do the job. The other thing is that a hacksaw is (primarily) only going to move back and forth because that is the motion of the saw. If the wheels were mounted so that they rolled side to side, you might be able to get away with minimal chocking as the action of the saw is pushing sideways against the (fixed) wheels.

    I bought some castors from Bunnings the other day and while I try not to look at the price when buying shed things too much in case the other half asks a definite question, I think the locking casters (125mm, 140kg ea) were around $45 and non locking casters $5 to $10 less. Fixed wheels should not even be that much.

    Michael

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    Laidley, SE Qld
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    Most swap meets I go to there are sturdy old castors for sale for cheap.

  9. #9
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    Aug 2015
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Thanks Michael, Bob.

    Michael - interesting re the 'only moves in one axis so chock it.' thing. I was in bunnings today so had a sniff at their castors. Good selection. I'll get the old girl repaired and working and that could be the go.

    Greg.

  10. #10
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    Aug 2015
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    For a few bucks each I got these at bunnings. Actually, I've had them them for a year but forgot - I bought 6 in case I needed them to help move the Bridgeport around the workshop.

    IMG_20190503_175423~2.jpgIMG_20190503_175429.jpg

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/move-it-...olley_p3940204

    Taking up on Michael's note about 'in one direction' - I put these guys under the feet of the hacksaw facing front to back (square to the motion of the saw). Having quite hard rubber rollers they are as stable as a rock in the direction of saw motion, but still permit rolling to rotate the entire unit about its central axis. They support 150kg each, so maybe more than twice the weight of the machine. Nice.

    They have a convenient hole in them to secure to the hole in each foot, so not too bad. They're not perfect in that maybe they are cheapie plastic. But certainly, they way they feel stable but permit sidewards movement and (importantly) reasonable rotation is a good idea for maybe making some metal ones.

    Hopefully, when hacksaw is back together and operational they'll hold up. )

    So, cool. Thanks again all.

    Greg.

  11. #11
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    Laidley, SE Qld
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    To add, I have an Alba 10" shaper that came with its own trolley. I thought I would be chasing it all round the shed when it was working, but it sits there good as gold.

  12. #12
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by StrayAlien View Post
    Having quite hard rubber rollers they are as stable as a rock in the direction of saw motion.
    The other good thing about the rubber being hard is they are then less likely to develop a flat spot as happens with some softer rubbers.

  13. #13
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    Bob(s) - thanks.

    Got a pic of that alba on a trolley? I have an alba 10" also and on some blocks of wood. Not that stable feeling.

  14. #14
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    Default

    Nothing fancy
    .IMG_0072.jpg

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by bob ward View Post
    Nothing fancy
    .IMG_0072.jpg

    That's a lovely shaper.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

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