Laguna LT18HD Italian Bandsaw. rack and pinion tight

[Michael Boyet]

Hello,
New owner of a 2001 Laguna 18” LT bandsaw and going through it all to clean years of sawdust out. After putting it back together the rack and pinion which lowers the blade guard and guides seems stiff.. It’s not grinding but feels like it should rotate easier. Any thoughts?

[Bill Dufour]

I would guess the gear needs to be shimmed away from the rack or the gear is rubbing on one end. Maybe a spacer washer is missing. Normally I would say the teeth are gunked up with sawdust and deed cleaning as a first step. It could also be the thing it is lifting is binding. Is it the same force up and down?
Bill D.

[Michael Boyet]

I would guess the gear needs to be shimmed away from the rack or the gear is rubbing on one end. Maybe a spacer washer is missing. Normally I would say the teeth are gunked up with sawdust and deed cleaning as a first step. It could also be the thing it is lifting is binding. Is it the same force up and down?
Bill D.


thanks it’s hard for me to tell which way to shim it or how. Same resistance up and down

[Jamie Buxton]

I have a LT16HD of the same vintage. There is adjustability in that rack and pinion. Look inside the saw to where the rack appears up through the frame. It comes up through a collar which is held in place by two bolts. Loosen the bolts, move the collar a bit, and retighten the bolts.

[Michael Boyet]

I have a LT16HD of the same vintage. There is adjustability in that rack and pinion. Look inside the saw to where the rack appears up through the frame. It comes up through a collar which is held in place by two bolts. Loosen the bolts, move the collar a bit, and retighten the bolts.

thank you. i will try that out.

[Michael Boyet]

it seemed to help a little. it runs smooth. I guess im comparing it to how smooth a planer height adjutment is or a table saw. is yours that smooth?

[Jamie Buxton]

it seemed to help a little. it runs smooth. I guess im comparing it to how smooth a planer height adjutment is or a table saw. is yours that smooth?

I have it adjusted so that the handcrank feels a little notchy as I rotate it. I think I'm feeling each individual tooth. I wasn't being obsessive when I adjusted it. I just wanted it a little looser than it was.

[Bill Dufour]

Any chance you reversed the rack so it is not worn together nice and smooth? Equal force up and down means it is not a stuck counter balance, if it has one.
On my old RAS most of the lock knobs are just threaded bolts pushing into a moving surface to lock it in place. But, many of them have a brass plug under them so only brass is touching the moving part. It prevents scoring the moving part. But there is no pulling action to retract the brass plug. So there is always some drag. Kind of like disk brakes never retract all the way.
Bill D
Bil lD

[Dave Sabo]

It’s an Italian bandsaw, not a Swiss watch.

Which means it’s not been precisely machined to the nth degree.

And the electrics might be dodgy.

[Jamie Buxton]

It’s an Italian bandsaw, not a Swiss watch.

Which means it’s not been precisely machined to the nth degree.

And the electrics might be dodgy.

Hunh? I don't see your connection to the "electrics". The OP's question is about an entirely mechanical issue.

[Dave Sabo]

It’s not a direct connection, merely an Additional observation about Italian bandsaws in general. My first two sentences should have covered Michael’s issue/ non issue.

They can cut smooth, but the creature comforts and doodads of the Asian saw are not there.

[Jamie Buxton]

It’s not a direct connection, merely an Additional observation about Italian bandsaws in general. My first two sentences should have covered Michael’s issue/ non issue.

They can cut smooth, but the creature comforts and doodads of the Asian saw are not there.

Can you provide some examples of creature comforts and doodads?

[Dave Sabo]

really ? ? ?

You can PM me for that discussion if you need the education.

[Michael Boyet]

Hey good suggestion but it isn’t possible to put it in upside it has a stop on one end. It seems smooth enough. I’m just used to using a grizzly that had a wheel similar to a planer height adjustment. It’s not grinding by any means

[Tom Trees]

Does it move freely with the rack adjustment taken apart?

The guidepost on my 1997 ACM machine was stuck when I got it, and took some oil and elbow grease to get it loosened up.

Tom

[Michael Boyet]

yes if i remove the rack adjustment the pinion can slide out with ease

[Rod Sheridan]

Hunh? I don't see your connection to the "electrics". The OP's question is about an entirely mechanical issue.

Like the British Electrical manufacturer, Lucas commonly known as The Prince of Darkness, Italian electrical components are often “dodgy”.

It’s meant to meant to be humorous, I had a friend with a Motto Guzzi, when we were riding together and I rode my Norton, I had my Prince of Darkness Tee shirt on, he had his Italian Motorcycle zrepair Kit Tee shirt on. It had an image of a hand grenade.....Rod