Introduction: Mcgraw - Edison Sabre- Lathe Small Wood Lathe/saw Combo Cleanup and Repair

About: My name is Andrew, I enjoy all sorts of making/crafting and learning new skills! I spend time with dogs, fixing my old mopeds, am a hobbyist machinist and 3d printer enthusiast. also enjoy cooking and gardenin…

I found an old 3 speed wood saw/lathe combo and decided to fix it up for my home shop. it started up after i got it home but was not sounding well when i powered it on, so i decided to clean it up a bit and see why.

This instructable is mostly disassembly, cleaning, re greasing and fan and bracket replacement. unfortunately the small motor fan cracked during disassembly so i had to 3d print and install a new one while i had it apart as well. I also ended up re tapping the holes for the saw bed, whoever owned this last stripped the bolt holes for the saw table.


i plan to work on a small lathe bed, tailstock with live center and tool post and a more reliable variable power supply in the future as well.

Supplies

for this job i used

Philips and flat headed screwdrivers

rubber gloves

rags or towels

air compressor

shop vac

grease

Rubber mallet or hammer


For fan and bracket prototypes and production

Machinery's handbook

calipers

computer

3d printer with PLA filliment

small diamond files

hobby knife

drill or drill press


for saw bed repair

this machine was made in the states so i used standard sized drills/taps/gauges/bolts

spare bolts and washers

taps

thread gauge

drill or drill press

Step 1: Initial Cleanup and Disassembly

first i took off the table bed and dull saw blade. while taking off the table i found the mounting holes had been stripped so added that to the list of repairs. Afterwards I wiped it down well then, using compressed air blew out all of the screw heads, most where covered in sawdust and grease so it took a little searching, and then remove them all after marking the positions on the case.

i like to use magnet trays if i am using compressed air or the shop vac to keep track of the screws for projects like this

Step 2: Internal Inspection , and Cleanup

after removing the mounting bolts and cracking the case open, the motor fan split in half, it was just old plastic, so nothing i couldn't replicate with my 3d printer. Aside from a bunch of old dried grease, sawdust and the fan it seemed to be in good condition with expected wear, just fairly dirty.


I removed the gears one at a time, making sure to document the gearing with pictures to make sure it would be reassembled correctly and began scooping out the old grease with gloved hands and rags. after gear removal i began wiping down with de-greaser ,vacuuming and blowing out all the old crud that had accumulated on the case and motor.

after the body was cleaned, i began inspecting and cleaning the gearing. everything seemed to still be in good condition with the gearing at least so after cleaning i lightly oiled it to prevent rusting

Step 3: Measure and Print a New Fan

after cleaning the machine thoroughly, i began taking measurements for the replacement fan. first i measured the post the fan was press fit on to. i am not going to get into my design methods in this, but the important measurements needed are marked and color coded on the 3rd image

Red- mounting post diameter (for the ID of the fan, we need it to press fit so nearly same size or a tiny bit smaller as the post),

Yellow- the depth of the post mount (how tall finished fan can stably mount)

Blue- Diameter of the case (how wide finished fan can be, needs to be smaller than case to fit!)


after getting these dimensions you should be able to find a fan design to use to create or modify your own for your specific needs


Step 4: Install New Fan and Prep for Re Assembly

after cleaning up and test fitting the motor fan and being satisfied with the results, i lightly tapped it into place on the post with a rubber mallet.

afterwards I greased all the bearings and gears on the machine and after checking my gear references re-installed them in the proper places

Step 5: Electrical Troubleshooting and Bracket Replacement

I closed the machine up, clamped it to the bench and turned the power on but nothing happened. after fiddling with the power switches for a bit i opened it back up to find more old plastic and parts tumbling out. It seemed to be part of a bracket that held down a couple small springs blocks and wires to the motor. It also held another keyed bearing in place with a couple bolts and needs to be replaced. this part was a bit more complex so i just designed a quick solid replacement to print, and drilled and milled the slot and key to size using the old broken one as a guide

After the replacement was test fit and loosely bolted it in place, i re packed the wire and spring holders and tightened everything back down and closed it back up.

Step 6: Success!

Finally got it closed up and running!


Thank for checking out my project!

Fix It Speed Challenge

Participated in the
Fix It Speed Challenge