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Experience Talks onWoodworkmg 



The Care of Small Circular Saws 



I,, .;,.v tiMiiii>--ii< ill .ill lT:imlir> of iii.liiMn i-.ifli vi'iir, inontli 



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An old (;r".v !'">'■<'"' V"?'*""" ot tlio filiiiK room oiui> st:iU'.l that 



when ho first licijnn his career u» n filer, the only pct in use was the 



spring '■ot. I-!it«T eanie the " half spring and half swage " set, an.l 



thoi ■' advent of Uic "full swago" set. 



\ that time — about fifteen years ago— its real value was 



not xi.ili. • tIv I'S it is now, there arc many today who still 



fail to r. i.-rits of the full swage set as it is valued by the 



more progresMv u-s among practical millnien. There are two 



distinct classes of sjiw fitters who are termed by their friends and 

 acquaiutJinces as pros;ressive hcadliiiers, and intuitively they often 

 feel secure in their friends' belief. 



One class believed that any deviation from the old way of doing 

 things, reu'ardlcss of results, is a sure stop forward in the right direc- 

 tion. IVrsonally, they believe as soon as it is possible to get along 

 without it, any old method should be discarded at once. In the 

 other class will be found the more conservative ones, who believe in 

 adopting new methods only when the merits of the new idea are un- 

 questionably visible: yet retaining the old as long as it continues 

 to be useful. 



It is true that the former class do many great things in its own 

 great way. .\nd usually its efforts are either a marked success or a 

 miserable failure. The latter makes progress in a way that is 

 scarcely iierceptible from observations of a day, or perhaps a week; 

 yet each year will usually find new methods adopted, all of which 

 are real improvements over the ones discarded, and all have— as the 

 old saying goes — "come to stay." 



In the case of the spring-set, it was the easiest way to give a saw 

 clearance with so few tools to do with ; and naturally first to be used. 

 Then with the advent of the swage-bar and upset swage, came the 

 "half spring aiid half swage" set, then the full swage set. The 

 perfected full-swage was quickly recognized as the most efficient 

 method of giving a saw clearance, yet with only crude tools to work 

 with, it was a tiresome and somewhat uncertain task. 



As the band-saw came into use, the primitive methods of swaging 

 were too slow, and the tools inadequate ,: and lor some time band 

 saws up to three or four inches wide were being operated with 

 spring-set for clearance, and consequently with more or less indif- 

 ferent results. FinaUy the idea of the machine swage was made a 

 practical thing, ard probably few, if any, tools on the market today 

 as complicated as the swage were developed so quickly, and improved 

 on so rapidly, and made to do practically perfect work in so short 

 space of time as the modem machine swage. 



Efficiency in the band-saw demanded its development mm.1 inven- 

 tive geniuses made good. Yet after all these many years it has 

 been in Mse, its efficiency can be greatly extended in the majority of 

 manufacturing plants with a good showing of better results. Of 

 course, there are some who are making good use of its advantages, 

 and are doing everything possible to profit by the swage wherever 

 its work can be made profitable; on circular saws as well as on bands. 

 On the other hand there are many who believe swage was made 

 for the band alone; :uid fully realize that only by its use good re- 

 sults can be obtained, yet are letting the possibilities of the full 

 swage set in smaU circular rip saw slide, thinking the spring set is 

 good enough and more easUy put in dnd believing the swage set too 

 tcdius to be considered; while in reality it is a saving of labor when 

 properlv equipped with appliances to do the work with. 



Located in the filing-room of a factory where they get from .'JOO 

 to 500 saws per week to be sharpened, has proved decidedly that the 

 swage set in all kinds of rip saws on which it can be used, insures 

 better running saws and is a saving of labor in the filing-room. Of 

 course, the outfit for swaging and sharpening circular saws must prac- 

 ticaUy correspond to the outfit for swaging and sharpening bands. 

 One outfit can not successfully do both. While it may lie possible 



— IS— 



if one uses good sense in self i.i.- ;,,; -„.iod to do both circular 



and band fitting, yot a separate outfit for each is much more prac- 

 tical. 



As ali practical saw fitters know, an aiituniatic grinder is absolutely 

 necessary where a machine swagi- is being used ; for unless the teeth 

 are perfectly uniform in size, length, pitch and general outline the 

 iiiacliino swage will fall far short of doing its best work on any saws 

 and will prove a comparative failure on small circular suwn unless 

 the teeth are kept uniform, by using an autonmtic sharpener. 



The circular cmtflt in this filing-room consists of an automatic 

 grinder, machine swage (with extra large die), side dresser, swage, 

 shaper, filing-vise, (heavy, strong and adjustable). 



The circular saws range from 12 gauge by 12 inch diameter to 

 18 gauge by 40 inches diameter, and two machines use 17 gauge by 

 .'50 inch diameter. 



Much of the work calls for extra smooth jiawiug and straight lines, 

 whicli can be much more easily accomplished with swage than spring 

 set. One very strong point in favor of the swage, in any saw that 

 cuts lengthwise of the grain, whether in the factory, sawmill or else- 

 where, is, when the saw comes in contact with a spike, nail, rock, 

 gravel or any hard substance. Of course the corners are ruined or 

 some of the teeth at least, and if spring-set is being used, it calls 

 for a lot of grinding to get down to where the points are good again. 

 It is nearly impossible to get it back in good condition on a single 

 shapening, while if the swage is used the corners are drawn out on 

 the first sharpening and made as good as before it came to grief. 

 Consequently, the saw makes its regular run as usual, while the 

 poorly sharpened spring-set would soon be returned for a second 

 sharpening. Here is one example of a saving of labor in caring for 

 swage set with the profits of a good running saw wliile on the ma- 

 chine thrown in. 



It is, no doubt, a fact that it requires some more skill and a little 

 more work to maintain a swage set in any saw band or circular 

 either; but if the results are fully considered the actual saving of 

 labor, with corresponding results, are all on the side of the swage, 

 for the saw will run longer and do better work. 



In the case of fitting band-saws it has long been an establislied 

 fact. But in the small circular its merits are greatly overlooked by 

 many "Qod millmen and saw fitters. 



Coal should be purchased on a basis of heat value, and the par- 

 ticular method employed must, of course, be adapted to the local 

 conditions. This method of purchase has been gaining in favor, both 

 with the user and seller for a number of years and has for its 

 chief recommendation the fact that the consumer pays for what he 

 gets. There have been specifications and contracts made under this 

 system, which were unsatisfactory but are due entirely to the 

 system not having been fitted to the conditions. 



It has been found a good plan to have the millwright inspect all 

 line and countershafts at least once a year, and also tighten up all 

 the wood pulleys. If the oiler will fill all the oil cups at night, while 

 the boxes are warm, it will require less oU, and also lessen the lia- 

 bility of burning out a box, as the oil will flow around, and shaft will 

 have some lubrication to run on in the morning. It is a good idea 

 to fill oil cups about half full of some good cup grease and pour the 

 oil on top. This is much better than placing waste in the cup to keep 

 it from feeding too fast. If the men operating heavy machines will 

 oil up before noon and night whistle sounds, they will have no trouble 

 in starting their machines; it is not so much the amount of oil you 

 use as how you use it. 



A knife or a saw that will carry its cutting edge twice as long ^s 

 another kind is worth about twice as much, and yet many a man will 

 sacrifice quality of this kind to pinch a few pennies out of the first 

 cost of such articles. 



