# Power hacksaw



## kevincoxshall (Dec 24, 2010)

I'm well chuffed becuase I've just finished my power hacksaw that i made from angle iron. I'm really supprised how neat the cut is when finished. I was lucky enough to _inherit_ a 240v motor with worm gear box. I think the cost was about £150 in all but i was given the motor. I could have bought one but the postage to jersey is over £100. 
Yippee no more pain staking manual hacksawing. 
merry christmas all.


----------



## AllThumbs (Dec 24, 2010)

without pictures it does not exist.



Eric


----------



## metalmuncher (Dec 24, 2010)

Hi Kevin

     I made a power hacksaw that was in one of the first issues of MEW, it sure saves a lot of sweat. I have hacked though 4inch round brass bar with mine, it took a while but it was a nice straight cut better than handsawing. 

                                  Regards metalmuncher.


----------



## cl350rr (Dec 24, 2010)

AllThumbs  said:
			
		

> without pictures it does not exist.
> 
> 
> 
> Eric



Real, undisputable proof would take the form of a video... ;D

Congratulations!

Randel


----------



## Noitoen (Dec 24, 2010)

th_wwp th_wwp th_wwp th_wwp


----------



## Royal Viking (Dec 30, 2010)

cl350rr  said:
			
		

> Real, undisputable proof would take the form of a video... ;D
> 
> Congratulations!
> 
> Randel



I'd love to see it!


----------



## kevincoxshall (Dec 30, 2010)

here is my saw. 











<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP08POaFTf4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed>

i need to add a little more weight to the saw. It took 56mins to cut through 1.5inch stainless in the photo. It takes about 15mins to go though 1 inch round mild steel at the moment. I cannot believe how smooth the finished cut is. Its no show piece but its based on functionality. I have tried turning the blade around. Note the meccano model i based it on. 
Also i suspect it is running the wrong way but its a fiddely job rewiring the motor. I have read that the expensive commercial machines "lift" on the return stroke. With the current motor direction the force vector is pushing the saw up giving it the lift on the return stroke, but at the expense of pushing down. It works so I'm happy.


----------



## Royal Viking (Dec 30, 2010)

I think you'll probably trade the smooth cut for speed. Of course if you are going to machine it the finish may not matter that much anyway. I recently picked up some unistrut (some of it is presently working as a tire rack). I wonder if I can make something similar.


----------



## cvlac (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi
Do you have any ottion of the final RPM of you saw?I mean what is the final speed reduction?I sit possible to make it with pullays?
Costas


----------



## Brian Rupnow (Mar 9, 2011)

Kevin---Concratulations!!! You did very well, and the saw is running at about the perfect speed for a power hacksaw just as it is. I built a similar power hacksaw about 40 years ago, and used a 1 HP electric motor. The gear reduction was achieved by mating the pinion gear from a car starter to a ring gear from the same cars flywheel. I still use it in my garage today---Its nice that it has a gravity feed system. You can leave it unattended while it cuts and do something else. I can't do that with my bandsaw.---Brian


----------



## Bill Gruby (Mar 10, 2011)

Nice job. How do you control the pressure of the blade on the work piece? All saws I have seen like this have a movable weight to control the down pressure for different materials.

 "Bill Gruby"


----------



## Twmaster (Mar 11, 2011)

Power hacksaws are cool. I have a set of plans for a powered hacksaw. My father used to have one in his truck repair shop.

For a long time I have been looking for a cheap and easy way to do the speed reduction to get 60-80 strokes per minute.... That has been the thing stopping me from building one.

Fast forward to today. This day I got a used old power hacksaw. The *SAME* identical model to what my dad had.

I'm as happy as an 8 year old with a new slingshot! 

Nice saw you've built Kevin. Very nice.


----------



## jct842 (Mar 11, 2011)

I was all set to build a power hacksaw a couple months ago. had the pulleys and some of the parts. while checking prices for more parts at the farm store I noticed they had a dewalt portable band saw on sale for $150. A $326 saw with no box, no papers and brand new. I probably would have really enjoyed building the saw but I just could not pass on it. Going by its use so far it will be the most used tool in my shop for a long time to come.  I may still make a hacksaw this summer. john


----------



## Twmaster (Mar 11, 2011)

Oh, Kevin,

One suggestion... Put a cover or shield over the motor and drive unit to keep the chips out.


----------

