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Author Topic: Help w LST-12 Saw needed  (Read 1296 times)

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pkinnetz

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Help w LST-12 Saw needed
« on: August 25, 2018, 11:24:51 AM »

I'm trying to refurbish a recent saw purchase, although I know little about what I'm doing.  The saw is an old 60-70's Lortone LST-12 which needs a new feed box (now on order from Lortone) and a new blade.  I'll probably have need for some input when I try to install the feed box later. The Lortone has a 5/8" arbor and I'm seeing saw blades that are much larger, though some say they can be bushed to 3/4."   Can you buy a bushing separate from blades or am I stuck with what the manufacturer offers? And I'm confused by the term "core" vs rim.  The unknown brand notched style blade (everything is worn off other than some tell tale gold background color) that came with the saw has an inscribed set of numbers (12 x 040) that I'm taking to mean the core. Am I correct in this? There is another set of numbers that I don't  know what they might be (96186 0). Any suggestions as to saw blade I should purchase?
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irockhound

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Re: Help w LST-12 Saw needed
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2018, 09:54:11 PM »

I like sintered blades more than notched.  The blade I use and I think this is very popular is the MK diamond MK-303c and this can be ordered with the 5/8 bushing.  There is a difference between the early gold lortone's and the newer Blue models.  The parts will all work there is just as I remember an extra stop bushing with a set screw that you need on the early model.  No big deal everything works great.  I just gave my early model to my brother since I also had a new model and I have rebuilt the early many times.  Solid saw! 

On the blade the rim is what you normally care about as that is the width of the cutting surface.  Normally on 12" blades .065 is about normal to .050 on the thinner blades.  The 303c is a .065 but boy it is a nice blade.
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bilquest

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Re: Help w LST-12 Saw needed
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2018, 11:58:04 AM »

I have the same saw (pre-blue) Lortone. I bought it about four years ago from an old coot who lived out in the middle of the desert. I should say, I bought a basket of parts from an old coot that was supposed to assemble an old LS-12. What I was able to assemble has cut me many slabs since. I hesitate to offer advice because I'm not sure my feed motor is correct. The motor inside that front box that feeds the saw is only attached to the screw shaft. While there are four mounting points on the motor, there's no place to mount it on the case nor inside the feed motor box. There is a long screw with a nylon/plastic sleeve that stops the motor from twisting inside the box, but other than that, it's just attached to the end of the screw shaft with a hex set screw. It doesn't seem right to me that it was designed that way, but it's been functioning. Like all things old, sometimes it takes a sharp whack with a blunt tool to get it motivated, but once it's going it doesn't stop. Since there's no clutch mechanism, I've determined that the feed is governed by the screw shaft release lever... when it binds, it simply hops a notch and keeps trying. Again, this seems like some questionable engineering, but it works for this backyard MacGyver. There is no auto shutoff but I don't think it would take much to drill a hole through the front of the case and attach a chain to the toggle switch. Last year I replaced the bearings and swapped the round guide shafts. The bearings were standard and I bought the set online for about 40 bucks. The round guide shafts were worn so that when you moved the carriage back and forth, it made a slight dip. Obviously from years of abuse. In reversing them, it was like installing new guides running straight and true.

My best advice is to treat it like the 1968 VW bug you had in high school. It will get you where you're going, and you can exchange parts with your lawn mower, just don't expect it to be a finely tuned instrument. As for the blade, I've only used a cheap, notched (crimped) rim blade. Put exactly 2 gallons of mineral oil in the pan and you're good to go for a season of cutting.
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irockhound

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Re: Help w LST-12 Saw needed
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2018, 09:01:25 PM »

That was the difference in the feed rod where it connects to the feed motor.  It required an extra stop which is why I needed the set screw bushing on the end of the feed rod.  Lortone is great as they'll let you talk with the guy who puts them together and he can tell you exactly what you need.  Other than the extra bushing all the other parts were interchangeable.  Oh and the new arbor shaft has the flange integral where the early unit they were 2 pieces doesn't affect anything
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pkinnetz

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Re: Help w LST-12 Saw needed
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2018, 09:40:34 AM »

Thanks guys, I have already learned a lot from you all.  I tried to special order the MK blade from Lowes as I was told by the online person that this was possible, but found out not in the 12 in size.  So I'm heading to one of the online stores for the blade. Any suggestions?  I know Kingsley North is good, but are there better prices out there? 
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irockhound

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Re: Help w LST-12 Saw needed
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2018, 07:41:25 PM »

I buy mine from Kingsley but there are a lot of choices out there.  Check the usual ebay/amazon and the like and see what you can find.  Even some of the lapidary shops might have good pricing.
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