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Author Topic: cleaning an ls14 drop saw  (Read 2264 times)

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charles

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cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« on: November 07, 2017, 11:28:09 AM »

HELP!!!!
OK, I need some ideas. It is time once again to clean my old Lortone ls14 drop saw. I've had it since 1975 and it still runs great, however age and a bad back makes moving so as to lift off the motor and blade assemble to clean out the pan a real pain. I've puzzled for a while and I haven't come up with a good way to do it.
I'm open to about any idea that will make the cleaning easier to do. I don't need to have it really clean just to be able to get most of the sludge out.

Charles
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gemfeller

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2017, 12:20:54 PM »

I sympathize since I have similar problems with my ST 10.  I can suggest some possible solutions. 

First, and easiest, is to use a buckethead wet shop vacuum to remove any liquid oil, then manually scrape and clean the pan.  I bought my vacuum from Home Depot for about $22.

Second, if you can rig a table next to your saw you may be able to detach the retaining bolts to the oil pan, then roll the saw assembly sideways onto the table.  This requires some heavy lifting though and you may need help.

Third, you can drill holes at appropriate places on your saw and attach eye bolts.  Then if you can hang a rope hoist from a patio, tree limb or whatever, you can hoist the saw and motor assembly out of the drain pan high enough to clean it out.  I did that initially when my back got so bad I couldn't lift the saw out any longer.  It works but it's a hassle.
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vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2017, 05:18:26 PM »

Yeah, mine's due for another cleanup soon too. I've been using a long prybar to lever it up and then putting some old bricks and two-by-fours under it to hold it up while scooping out the sludge. A real pain in the neck, back, etc. .

Just marked the ceiling joists in my shop last weekend to possibly mount a lifting eye to the ceiling so I could use a hoist setup like gemfeller described. I'm uncertain about trusting screws into the joists, but don't want to cut out the drywall, either. That's been the only thing holding me back, since lifting the thing is such a hassle.

All this makes the vacuum idea sound really good.

Jhon P

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2017, 05:24:55 PM »

How about one of those electric wenches from harbor freight? Mount it on the ceiling with a piece of unistrut. Than You can raise it and lower it with no effort
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vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2017, 06:02:00 PM »

Yeah, exactly. Electric winch like the ones Robin was looking at last week - at Harbor Freight. I think she was tired of hearing me moan about cleaning the saw... .

hummingbirdstones

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2017, 06:08:22 PM »

If you can find one of their sale coupon sheets for their Veterans Day sale, Harbor Freight has a 20% off one item Super Coupon good for Nov. 9 - 12th.  Guess what we're getting this weekend?   :occasion14:
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Robin

charles

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2017, 03:53:17 AM »

Electric winch sounds like a good idea. The only other thing would be drilling a hole through the pan and table top. Putting in a flange and pipe to drain into a 5 gallon bucket and place the pump in the bucket and pump the oil up to the blade.
Pulley sound good too.

any more ideas? :dontknow:

Thanks,
Charles
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vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2018, 02:57:51 PM »

Here's what I settled on. A portable electric winch would be great, but I had a come-along and a couple of old safety belt lanyards lying around from a past life as an ironworker. It worked fine.

Pre-drilled a 30" long 2x4, for a large 4" wood screw into the ceiling joist 3" from each end. Cut a piece of plumber's tape for each end and ran a standard 3" wood screw through it and into the joist on either side of the 2x4. Doing it that way kept the screws running up into the joists farther apart. It held my weight easily so the saw was no problem.

Jhon P

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2018, 03:40:56 PM »

Looks like it works great. You don’t have to lift it very often
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vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2018, 04:15:59 PM »

Yeah, unless yer' slabbin' Picasso Marble. Just had my first experience with that. Had to clean it twice from one 40 lb box of rough. It's soft and put tons of lightweight crap into the oil that didn't seem to settle as quickly as most stuff. It's the first time I ever had so much stuff suspended in the oil that the pump didn't want to push it anymore. It was nasty!

robirdman

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2018, 03:25:11 AM »

Looks like I will need to do also, after years of non-use. Anyone know what brand this is?  I don't remember how I used with the vise.
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charles

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2018, 03:49:19 AM »

Looks like a Lortone LS14 drop saw. As for the vise, looking head on the vise is on the left side. From the way the picture is taken I cannot tell if all of the vise is ther. Could you post a picture taken head on from the front?

Charles
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vitzitziltecpatl

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2018, 06:20:04 AM »

The plate with the blade slot is removable so the cross-feed can move the blade toward the vise for the next cut. You should still have a flat plate with two bolt holes for the top plate of the vise.

Yours looks like it still has factory paint on it. I don't remember last time I saw that.

robirdman

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2018, 06:34:45 AM »

There is a vise and parts for a slab holder.  Not sure if everything is there and after so many years, can't remember how it assembled.
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PhilNM

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Re: cleaning an ls14 drop saw
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2018, 01:34:57 PM »

Saw is Lortone LS-14. Loose parts in second picture are for a different (covington) saw. I have an electronic copy of the owners manual around here somewhere if you want it...
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