A circular saw is a device that is used mainly in industry, but you can find people using it in private home settings. Some people try to make it themselves. The most important part here is the shaft. Most often, the shaft for the circular is made to order. To do this, you need to contact only a highly qualified turner. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to find something like this today. However, such work will be quite expensive. There are alternative methods to solve this problem. The easiest way is to create a shaft for a circular saw with your own hands. Of course, this requires a lathe.
Circular shaft drawing.
It is even possible that it will be numerically controlled. You will have to acquire some additional tools. You can't do without materials here.
Options for manufacturing the shaft and bearing assembly for it, with and without a jointer
There are a huge variety of options for making circular saw shafts. They all vary in cost, reliability and practicality. The main options for manufacturing such a unit are:
- shaft with open bearing pair. The simplest and most frequently used option. It is characterized by its relatively low cost, ease of maintenance and the ability to easily and quickly change parts. The disadvantage of this model is the need for constant cleaning and maintenance due to contamination of the bearings with sawdust;
- shaft with closed bearing group. Used in industrial machines. This is due to the complexity of maintenance and repair, as well as higher cost. Despite this, this model is wear-resistant and extremely reliable;
- shaft with carpentry equipment. A special feature of its design is the presence of several knives mounted on the shaft axis. In addition to driving the saw blade, it can be used for planing boards as a planer or jointer.
Additionally, the shafts can be manufactured with a right, left or central drive pulley arrangement.
DIY miniature machine made from a washing machine engine
But as for the motor from a washing machine, this is perhaps one of the best motor options for assembling a circular saw at home. Washing machine motors are distinguished by their long service life and endurance. Low shaft speeds are entirely compensated by the design - most washing machine engines have a groove for the pulley key, and the housing itself has convenient holes for fastening. You can increase the speed of the saw blade by installing pulleys of different sizes on the motor and working shaft, or take an electric motor from the centrifuge of the same washing machine. By the way, you can make a machine with a direct drive from a centrifuge engine; such a motor usually has a long shaft, and a small-diameter saw can be mounted directly on it.\
But the main advantage of a washing machine engine is its power. It is designed for a long period of work, and for a circular saw this is the most important thing.
What can you do without a lathe?
It is best to make a shaft for a circular machine on a lathe. This is due to the fact that such a part requires special manufacturing precision.
If it is not possible to make a shaft on a lathe, you can make it yourself. To do this you will need the following set of tools:
- angle grinder;
- inverter welding machine;
- sharpening disc;
- hand drill or drill press.
Before starting work, it is necessary to measure all the original dimensions and transfer them to the workpiece. To make a shaft, you must perform the following steps:
- Weld guides made from a metal rod to the end parts of the workpiece.
- Fix one of the guides in the chuck of a drill or drilling machine.
- Turn on the drill, giving the workpiece a stable rotation.
- Using a grinder with a sharpening disc, grind the workpiece according to the pre-applied dimensions.
It is better to carry out work on the manufacture of a shaft for a circular machine with outside help, since it is inconvenient to hold the drill and at the same time grind the workpiece.
Tools and materials
In order to make a circular saw shaft with your own hands, you need to provide the following tools and materials:
- Cutters for various purposes. Here you will need not only a standard tool, but also a groove cutter.
- A cylindrical shaft of appropriate dimensions, which will be made of 45 steel.
- Measuring tool. In this case, a clear caliper may be needed. Only with its help can you take the most accurate measurements in order to get the perfect part at the end.
Basically, this is enough to make a shaft for a circular saw. In some cases, additional measuring tools may be needed.
Making a shaft for a circular saw with your own hands
If you have the desire and free time, an inexpensive shaft for a circular saw can be made at home from scrap materials.
What is needed for making
The manufacture of such a shaft does not require special tools or special metalworking skills. The required set of materials includes:
- round steel pipe;
- rod from a car shock absorber;
- rolling bearings 6004;
- retaining rings;
- metal strip;
- wooden block;
- fastening hardware.
In addition, you need to prepare a drill with a set of metal drills, an angle grinder with a cutting and cleaning disk, as well as an inverter welding machine.
Deciding what we will do
Such a shaft is suitable for a household circular saw, which will be used to cut small boards and prepare firewood.
Before starting work, it is necessary to make preliminary measurements and make a sketch of the future homemade product. After this, you need to select the details. They must fit together without gaps or backlash.
Ball bearings must have a closed race. Otherwise, small sawdust formed during the operation of the circular saw will settle in the bearing and cause it to fail.
Step-by-step manufacturing instructions
After preparing the necessary materials and applying markings, you can begin manufacturing the shaft. To do this, you need to perform the following algorithm of actions:
- Press ball bearings onto the rod from the car shock absorber.
- Fix the shaft with bearings in a vice and connect the drill to it and turn it on. This is necessary to preliminary check the quality of the bearings fit on the shaft and the absence of runout.
- Install the cutting disc on the grinder. With its help, according to the markings applied in advance, make radial grooves in the rod for installing retaining rings. Once installed, they will prevent axial displacement of the bearings.
- Clamp the metal pipe in a vice and cut a piece 160 mm long from it.
- Grind the ends and inner surface of the pipe to press in the bearings.
- Fix the pipe in a vertical position. Using a block of wood and a hammer, press in one of the bearings. Its outer surface should be flush with the end of the pipe.
- Secure the pipe in a vice. From the opposite end, insert the shaft into the fixed bearing and press in the second one. After this, they must be secured with locking rings.
- Prepare metal strips measuring 25x6 mm. After this, they must be welded as close as possible to the ends of the shaft casing. Remove the slag formed during the welding process and clean the ends.
- Place the adapter sleeve on the rod and weld them together.
- In the plates that were previously welded to the casing, drill through holes to fix the shaft to the work table.
- Using bolts, secure the pulley to the shaft adapter sleeve.
- Screw an M12 nut, a washer, a circular saw blade and a compensation washer onto the opposite end of the shaft. Secure everything with an M12 nut. To increase the reliability of fastening, it is best to use a lock nut.
- After this, you need to fix the shaft casing on the working surface, put the drive belt on the pulley and start working.
After watching the video, you can familiarize yourself with the manufacturing process of such a shaft and see it in action.
Adapter for electric motor shaft from a bolt
Many summer residents and owners of private houses were faced with the need to process and saw boards, plywood and other lumber.
For such work you will need a circular saw, which will not be difficult to do using available tools.
Such homemade equipment will not be inferior to purchased equipment in functionality and quality of execution, allowing you to save several tens of thousands of rubles on the purchase of ready-made units.
Description of equipment
DIY circular saws can be stationary or portable.
The design of the simplest circular saw will include a metal or wooden supporting frame, inside of which are mounted an electric motor, an electricity supply control unit, a table top and the working saw itself, which is mounted on the circular saw shaft or installed through gears and a trunnion mechanism. The saw is located in a slot in the tabletop, which makes it easy to cut lumber, performing high-quality wood processing.
The table top can be made from lumber or you can use ready-made metal blanks for this.
Smooth easel tables are made from wood; such a table top will need to be covered with a durable metal sheet .
Otherwise, without metal protection, the wood will begin to wear out quickly, and the equipment will last several years during active use, after which complex and expensive repairs will be required.
First of all, you need to decide on the main tasks of the sawing machine. If you need to cut boards or firewood for the winter, then a simple installation of a sturdy table with a slot for a disk will be sufficient.
Some models imply the presence of an additional shaft to which knives, a jointer and a plane are attached.
Such universal machines are equipped with powerful electric motors, which allows you to perform a wide range of wood processing work.
When manufacturing a multifunctional machine, it is necessary to be guided by high-quality diagrams and drawings that will allow you to create universal and reliable equipment.
If you need to perform various types of carpentry work, then set up a coordinate table with guides. The existing stops and guides can be fixed at different angles, which allows not only to ensure safe operation of the machine, but also to perform high-quality wood processing, easily changing blades to saws of different diameters.
Advantages of homemade equipment
Homemade circulars are very popular due to their ease of manufacture, durability and reliability. Today, many summer residents use homemade units rather than buying expensive equipment in specialized stores.
The main advantages of this technique include the following:
- The versatility of the tool.
- Ease of manufacture.
- Possibility of significant savings.
- Reliability and durability of equipment.
The designs of stationary and mobile circular saws available on the Internet and in thematic printed publications make it possible to produce equipment for processing both thin workpieces and thick lumber. You can choose the simplest options that do an excellent job of processing lining, thin slats and plywood.
Characteristics and power
The functionality of using the equipment will depend on the correct choice of parameters, including speed indicators and drive power.
The power rating is affected by the maximum permissible diameter of the toothed saw. It is believed that to process lumber with a thickness of about 10 millimeters, an electric motor with a power of 1 kW will be required.
Based on the thickness of the processed and sawn timber, you should select the power of the electric motor.
Transmission from the drive in a self-made circular machine is best done using a V-belt. This allows you to ensure the necessary safety of using the equipment. When foreign objects get under the saw, the V-belt drive will slip on the pulleys, which eliminates injuries and jamming of the working disk.
Making a circular saw
Before proceeding directly to the manufacture of a circular machine, it is necessary to think through its structure and design, and ideally, select a drawing diagram according to which all work will be carried out in the future.
When planning the manufacture of the frame, it is necessary to remember that such a design must be stable and reliable . For industrial powerful saws, the base is made of reinforced welded metal structure.
For household models, you can use wooden blocks with plywood for the frame or weld a base from a metal corner.
The choice of electric motor used will depend on what kind of work and what kind of wood is planned to be processed on the machine. The drive can operate from a single-phase electrical network, or powerful industrial motors are used that operate from a three-phase electrical network.
You can make a powerful and easy-to-use circular saw from a washing machine motor. This won't be too difficult. Such motors are compact in size, operate on a single-phase network with a voltage of 220 volts, are reliable and are capable of operating at high speeds.
How to make a circular, maintaining a balance between economy, functionality and safety
Let's look at the main components that make up a home circular saw. You can make them yourself, but only if you have certain skills and tools.
Stand for circular saw
The frame can be made from a metal angle (channel) purchased from scrap metal collectors. If you have the means, contact a metal warehouse. Legs can be made from old water pipes, connecting them with corners.
A good option for a homemade frame made of rolled metal
IMPORTANT! The use of bolted connections is prohibited, since vibration will cause the fastening to come loose.
Electric welding must be used. Be sure to reinforce the corner joints with a jib. The upper part of the frame (on which the table will rest) and the podium for the electric motor are made from a corner with a side of at least 50 mm.
If the machine is equipped with wheels for movement, they must have steel rims and have locks. The higher the weight of the frame, the more stable the machine will be, and the safer the work will be.
What to make a table for a circular saw from?
The working surface is made of steel, duralumin or silumin sheet. It is permissible to use textolite, plexiglass or moisture-resistant plywood. Galvanized sheet metal is placed on top of the plywood.
The main condition is that the material should not crack from vibrations , have a smooth surface and not allow deflections under a weight of at least 50 kg. If the tabletop cracks or warps, the circular disk will jam.
Universal homemade table for a circular saw and router. I recommend watching this video
This will lead to injury and damage to the workpiece. The use of popular materials OSB and chipboard is undesirable. These materials are unstable to vibrations and can collapse at the most crucial moment.
There are two options for making a working groove for a circular disk:
- You can cut a groove.
- or place two halves of the tabletop at a distance from each other.
Popular: Self-sharpening circular saws is a task that is quite feasible for a home craftsman.
The disk should protrude above the table by no more than 1/3 of its diameter.
For any work, from sawing wood to carpentry, a reliable side stop is needed. This can be a metal corner or a block of hard wood. To adjust the working gap, you can provide parallel grooves on the tabletop or simply attach the stop using clamps.
The side stop must be parallel to the plane of the disc. The slightest deviation will cause it to jam.
Which motor to choose for a circular saw?
It is impossible to install the electric motor “by eye”. It is necessary to calculate the power. For a disk with a diameter of 350 mm, a 1 kW motor is required; for a disk with a diameter of 170 mm, 500 W is enough.
A good option is a motor from an old washing machine.
Washing machine motor
It is designed for long-term operation with medium load. If you plan to work with a disc larger than 350 mm, you can use a power unit from used industrial ventilation.
Large electric motors are usually installed on dampers (shock absorbers), which prevent unnecessary vibrations.
Examples of drawings with a brief description
High-quality and durable shafts are made on a lathe from high-quality structural steel.
Below is an assembly drawing of a shaft for a closed type circular saw. Its technical features allow the shaft to be used on circular saws of both household and professional classes.
In addition, using a lathe and milling machine, you can independently make a shaft with jointing knives, the assembly drawing of which is shown in the image below.
Design of a stationary circular saw
A stationary circular saw is designed to perform fairly large volumes of work. The design of the implemented option in two forms is presented in the diagram below. It also shows the main dimensions of the installation, which are recommended to be used as a starting point for self-assembly.
In the drawing, the numbers correspond to the following structural elements of homemade equipment:
- 1 – frame (bed);
- 2 – side panel;
- 3 – starting device;
- 4 – mechanism for adjusting the height of the table, 13 – its stops;
- 5, 6 and 7 – two halves of the sawing table with a base;
- 8 – electric motor;
- 9 – platform for installing the motor;
- 10 – studs (M10);
- 11 – saw;
- 12 – shaft;
- 14 and 16 – driven and driven pulleys, respectively;
- 15 – belt;
- 17 – switch.
Advice! To improve personal safety when operating a homemade mechanism, its rotating parts located under the table should be covered with lids. A protective cover must be installed over the disk during equipment downtime.
It is better to place the starting device in a visible place on the panel (made of dielectric material) so that access to it is free. It is also recommended to equip the machine with an emergency switch. It is convenient when it is large in size.
Focusing on your own needs, you can improve the unit by making it with a jointer or planer. To do this, it is enough to secure a drum with knives on the existing shaft, and make a slot of the appropriate size in the table for it. This will allow you to expand the functionality of the created installation: plan lumber on it, chamfer and select a quarter from wooden blanks.
If you plan to regularly perform carpentry operations using homemade equipment, it is recommended to equip it with a coordinate table with several guides. They need to be fixed at different angles. To organize productive work, it should also be possible to regulate the speed of the electric motor and quickly replace disks if necessary.
What can you buy on Aliexpress?
On the Aliexpress marketplace you can also purchase the necessary shaft for a circular saw machine.
Closed type option
It is a shaft for a closed type circular saw. The body of the product is made of metal and coated with powder paint for greater reliability. Built-in sleeve bearings with a closed race ensure stable operation at a shaft speed of 6000 rpm. For ease of maintenance, oil filler plugs are located in the casing.
The shaft drive is carried out through a pulley, which is equipped with the ability to install two belts. The delivery set includes an adapter sleeve, with which you can change the seat diameter of the saw blade from 25 to 30 mm.
You can learn more about the product and purchase it by following the link.
Why do you need a flexible shaft for a drill?
The design of the product in question is quite simple, but despite this, the device is multifunctional. The flexible drive consists of two elements: a cable with an armored base and a soft body. On one part of such a nozzle there is a special tip, with which the shaft is secured in the chuck of a screwdriver or drill.
The second part, in which the bits are fixed, is equipped with a cartridge or a special retainer for replaceable bits. The presence of a chuck on a flexible shaft for drills allows drills and other types of attachments to be secured in the structure of the device. Such equipment is used in medicine, or more precisely, in the field of dentistry. With the help of the products in question, the functioning of drilling machines is ensured, with which holes are drilled in teeth for installing fillings. There is a factory-made flexible shaft for sale for a mini drill engraver, which is used by craftsmen who repair electronics, watches and other small devices. A flexible shaft for a drill is rarely used in construction, but without it, sometimes it is simply impossible to get to the fastening element in order to tighten it or unscrew it. Cases where a flexible shaft on a power tool is indispensable include times when there is no direct access to carry out work with a drill or screwdriver. The nozzle in question allows you to carry out various types of work:
- Drilling holes in wood, concrete and metal
- Grinding and cleaning of parts
- Screwing in and out of various screws and screws
Using a nozzle (also called a “flexible spiral” or “guta-percha extension”) for drilling holes in concrete or metal is not entirely convenient, since this will require a reliable stop, which a useful device cannot provide due to its design features.
This is interesting! An attachment called a flexible shaft can be used not only on drills or screwdrivers, but also on an angle grinder. However, you need to be extremely careful and attentive with this tool. After all, the spindle rotation speed reaches 11,000 rpm, so you need to work with the use of personal protective equipment.
