36" in Seattle

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Beats me. The manual is mostly for assembly, but I'll take a look at it. I'm not tempted to mess with it. I'm may not understand various prescriptions for tightless/looseness as suggested in the forum and wouldn't really know what tightness to shoot for, if you see my meaning. Unless everyone else's HF saw of the same model is actually different from mine (which I doubt), I probably won't be easily convinced to tinker with it. Do you have this saw?

[fxpose]

Re: 36" in Seattle

You mentioned a very tight belt. This can eventually lead to drive train failure. Can you adjust belt tension on this unit?

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Seems to me that the lateral force on the key is extremely weak. A bit of duct tape over the end of the spindle ought to be sufficient to hold it in place...not that I would advocate such MacGyvery.

[dmun]

Re: 36" in Seattle

If the loose set screw becomes a chronic problem, if, for example the threaded hole is a little oversize, and the key keeps coming loose, Loctite makes a specific product for holding screws so that they can be removed when needed.

[vintagemx0]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Happy to hear it was a simple fix.

If it makes you feel any better, I broke a water pipe that tees-off the main water supply pipe in my garage (plastic) while stacking bags of wood pellets in my garage. I'm guessing about 15 gallons of water all over the garage floor before I got the valve turned-off. Happened just tonight, so no water until morning to allow time for the glue to cure. Arggggg! At least it's above freezing right now.....

Ken

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Bought a new key, put the saw back together, works like a charm. My HF 1-year replacement plan lives to see another day. Then, while cleaning up, I found the old key on the basement floor. So I didn't break it by forcing the saw too hard. It just worked its way out. The radial allen screw that held in place had obviously come loose.

False alarm.

Cheers!

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Oooooooooh. I saw the "key" in the exploded view in the manual, but I thought that referred to the small hex screw that entered through the spindle radially to lock the spindle to the shaft. I didn't realize it referred to the square piece.

I admit, it seems ridiculous to replace the saw for this. This seems like a relatively simple repair...but whatever. It's up to HF. I don't care.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Neil2]

Re: 36" in Seattle

"That little locking piece (the square piece) is just gone."

The "key". On some machines the key is made of a softer metal and is designed to shear before other, more serious, damage occurs.

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

I have been forced to slow down due to cold weather and other obligations. However, I did manage to cut the arch merge bricks for the fourth curved course, which has sat 95% done for a week or two now. I also planned and cut most of the bricks for the fifth course (first course constructed from 1/3rd bricks instead of 1/2th bricks). However, before I finished my HF tile saw broke!!! As you can see in the photos, the spindle on the moter end of the belt-drive is fine but the spindle on the blade end is shot. That little locking piece (the square piece) is just gone. I was sawing along, then suddenly I heard a lot of clattering and that was it. The belt has a lot of tension so the blade still spins when the saw is turned on, but clearly it won't have much pull now.

Thankfully, I sprung for the $20 1-year replacement plan. I already called HF. Other than the trouble of packing up a 150lb saw and driving it to Bellevue (which is far enough away to be a nuisance) I should be back up and running by tomorrow.

Sigh.

[Millstone Man]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Could be mistaken for a small nuclear reactor meltdown. (.3 mile island) Great picture and your determination is inspiring.

[fxpose]

Re: 36" in Seattle

I see a peaceful Mt Fuji behind Vesuvius....

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Yeah, if you look at the schematic cross-section of my oven design (attached), you will see that my design encompasses about eight tilted courses, plus some cruft around the keystone.

I hadn't noticed that this is atypical of FB-styple Pompeii ovens, although now that you have commented on it I'm sure I will notice. Perhaps you are merely referring to an arbitrary numbering convention. I'm calling my most recent course the fourth course, but it is actually the fourth tilted course. It is the sixth true course where the bottom two (three actually, but one is at floor level) courses are vertical side-walls replacing the conventional soldier course.

Also, note that I am making a 36" oven while many FBers make a 42" oven. Perhaps on a smaller oven you "get up higher" faster.

[tfasz]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Glad to see you going strong. You look a lot higher up than most for your 4th course - I'm guessing because of your soldier course? It looks like you'll be done by your 7th or 8th.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: 36" in Seattle

the "oven vesuvius" takes shape

Cheers
Mark

[kebwi]

Re: 36" in Seattle

Fourth course is almost up, minus arch merges. This photo shows what happens when you set bricks in thirty degree weather with warm water. The halogen makes a nice effect. The whole oven looks like a gurgling volcano.

Cheers!