# Power Hacksaw



## sockjockey (Sep 17, 2008)

*Since* the weekend I am now the proud(?) owner of a Kennedy No 60 power Hacksaw. It is a nice bit of kit but without a means of turning it. I am sure my 1941 Lister D type would oblige but that involves taking up a large section of my modest workshop (read garage). What I am looking to do is graft on an electric motor and mount the lot on some sort of stand. I know nothing about electric motors so I am wondering if anyone can give me a steer on what is required.
This is the link to show you what I am talking about: 

http://www.lathes.co.uk/taylor/page11.html

Thanks in advance
Sockjockey


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## Stan (Sep 17, 2008)

Since the original called for 1/6 HP it should be pretty easy to come up with a motor. The pictures look like there is no reduction gear so you need a low speed motor. Old washing machine or clothes dryer motors would have plenty of power and are usually free.


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## sockjockey (Sep 18, 2008)

Thanks Stan, that was what I was hoping to hear. Excuse my ignorance but washing machine motors rotate at various speeds from very slow to flat out presumably via some clever controller. Is that an issue as I am looking for something that will plug in and go.

Sockjockey


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 18, 2008)

Old washing machine and/or dryer motors are generally 1/3 or 1/4 horsepower, 1750 RPM fixed speed, 110 volt. Thats what you want. Just a simple on/off switch required.---Brian


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## Stan (Sep 18, 2008)

I have two washing machine motors sitting in my garage and they are both two speed (low for wash, high for spin dry) and that would be ideal for a power hacksaw. You wouldn't need multiple pulleys to change speed.

On the other hand, washing machine motors are vertical mount and would need some fabricating to mount horizontally. Dryer motors are one speed horizontal mount and easier to use.

sockjockey doesn't have his location in his profile but I am guessing that he will be using 240 volt single phase motors from locally obtained appliances.


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## rake60 (Sep 18, 2008)

I have a washing machine motor (engine) in my garage that runs at a very
slow speed! It's 74 years old but made my Maytag!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkoII8hsg8w[/ame]

Then again, it may be a little too noisy and smokey for the shop. :-\

Rick


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## Bogstandard (Sep 18, 2008)

Lovely little engine that Rick, it runs very well.

Imagine using it inside in a little cabin or outhouse.

A washing machine, that gives results to die for. 

I suppose they didn't know or care about carbon monoxide in those days.

John


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## rake60 (Sep 18, 2008)

Well in 1934 washing machines were rarely indoors.
Maytag did make a flexible metal exhaust hose to be fitted to their engines
that could be run through an exterior wall so they could be used indoors.

The housewives of that era learned that placing the end of that metal hose in a 
bucket of water would not only muffle the noise, it would also reduce the oily smoke
so the clothes drying on the line nearby would not be soot-ed up.

OK, back to the hack saw thing!  :-X

Sorry for the high jack of the thread....

Rick


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 19, 2008)

Rake--got to disagree with you there. Grew up in Ontario, Canada in the 1940's and 50's, and there was no electricity untill I was about 10 years old. We have 5 to 6 months of below zero weather here every winter, and believe me, the washing WAS done inside. and on wash day, as I walked to school, you could see the little flexible exhaust hose hung out a crack at the bottom of the window going "putt-putt-putt"


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## Stan (Sep 19, 2008)

Big difference in washing machine engines between Canada and US. In Canada almost all engines were Johnson Iron Horse 4 cycle while most US engines were Maytag 2 cycle.

In WWII the little Iron Horse was fitted with a 12 volt generator and the Signal Corps had thousands of them for charging radio batteries.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 19, 2008)

Around 1958 when I was 12, the hydro had come through our part of Ontario, and women would give you the old gasoline powered washing machines just to get rid of them. I was in boy engineers Heaven!! I had an engine on my bicycle, an engine in my paddlewheel boat, an engine on my go Kart---Briggs and Stratton were the preferred engine, as they were quite a bit lighter than the Iron Horse engines. The Iron Horse engines were much sought after by the men in the community to run tablesaws.


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## Stan (Sep 19, 2008)

Brian: The B&S were much later vintage than the Iron Horse. B&S were aluminum engines while the Iron Horse was - well - iron. I had some of each which became museum donations when I moved into the city (along with water cooled pump engines and a car). When I cleaned out my shop the museum loaded up a car trailer load of old parts, mostly from the 1930s and early post war. I used to frequent farm auctions and farmers never throw away anything until they retire.


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## rake60 (Sep 19, 2008)

I had an Iron Horse engine! It ran great after a little resoration work
but it didn't have the sound of the Maytag.
Then again, it was just a pup being made in 1937:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLIQs5pjxLo[/ame]

As for the old cast iron Briggs engines...
The oldest Briggs washing machine engine I ever had was this 1935 Model Y
The bald guy in the video with the cigarette may look familiar.
(I'm sure there is an open beer can near by! LOL)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqi5JuDEYGY[/ame]

About 5 years later Briggs replaced the Model Y with the smaller more powerful
Model WM followed by the Model WMB. They were both cast iron 2" bore engines.
This restored 1940 WMB was one of the best running engines in my collection.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiHE9apZTc0[/ame]

I didn't pay more that $40 for any of those engines bought as basket cases.
They were all restored and along with several other were placed on the eBay
auction block.

The profits became a 9 X20 lathe, an X2 mini mill, a new bandsaw and a larger
drill press. ;D

It was a hobby that financed a hobby.

Rick


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