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Unisaw lubrication

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Unisaw lubrication

#1

Unisaw lubrication

Paul Blackwell

>I queried the group a while back about a noisy Unisaw, and the consensus was arbor bearings. After putting it off for a while, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and pulled everything apart and removed the arbor assembly. I'm currently awaiting bearing delivery, and am wondering what the members feel about lubricating the curved guides that move when the blade is tilted. This is the first time I've had the saw apart, and it looks like they may have had grease of some kind on originally. Seems to me it would collect sawdust. How about dry graphite? It's kind of squeeky now when moved, and I'd like to do something.

Re: Unisaw lubrication

#2

Re: Unisaw lubrication

bill tindal, E.TN

>I took a class from a Delta service rep some years back and the instructor used Johnson's past wax for everything that moved inside the saw. Check out my article on replacing bearings in Articles section. It turned out to be very easy. The bearings are a common size and probably in stock at any bearing store.

Re: Unisaw lubrication

#3

Re: Unisaw lubrication

Howard Acheson

>Most table saw gurus and the mechanic who serviced our equipment in the shop I was involved with used furniture paste wax to lubricate the trunnion heli worm gears. Use an old tooth brush to brush in the wax. Turn the tilting and lowering crank to get to all the surfaces. The wax will remove any existing gunk and leave a coat of lubricating wax on the surfaces. Wax will not attract or hold sawdust as will most petroleum based lubricants.

Lub the tilt and lowering shaft bearings with just a minute dab of white grease.

Lubricate your saw, and other equipment annually and it will run at top performance.

Wax is an excellent low speed, low pressure lubricant used in such things as bicycle chains, etc.

Re: Unisaw lubrication

#4

Re: Unisaw lubrication

gil jones

>I have not tried wax yet (thanks). Powdered graphite seems to do a good job on my Unisaw, and it is easy to "poof" into the necessary places with a plastic squeeze bottle. I may add some graphite to the paste wax.

Gil

Re: Unisaw lubrication

#5

Re: Unisaw lubrication

Charles Self

>My favorite way to go: warm the paste wax until you can mix graphite in, stir, let solidify and brush on.

Re: Unisaw lubrication

#6

Re: Unisaw lubrication

Ron Hildreth, Alta, Iowa

>Paul,

Go to your local auto parts store and pick yourself up a can of Slip-Plate. It's a dry lubricant that won't attract dust, yet stays where you spray it on, and works great. It's dry to the touch, yet forms a slick surface. I use it on my machines, anywhere two metal surfaces touch and/or slide on each other, and think it's the cat meow!

Ron in Iowa

Re: Unisaw lubrication

#7

Re: Unisaw lubrication

Doug Reynolds in Seattle

>Paul: There is quite an article in the October 2005 (#179) pgs 46 - 53 edition of Fine Woodworking that has some guidlines on cabinet saw tune-up. Roland Johnson recommends different types of lubricant for different compnents of the saw.

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