Dominion Jig saw cast iron !!!

[furnman]

Have just brought this old style jig saw for the low price of just £50 on ebay. The last time I used one of these was at the London College of Furniture where I first started woodworking some 28 years ago and have never seen one since. In the machine shop there we made jigs to use on the over head pin router. I thought this could be useful and well fell in love with it abit however it was one hell of a journey picking it up from oxford with my wife who was not happy about me buying yet another machine :shock: as I am on a strict machine buying ban , it may have only been £50 but I fear the cost could be much higher.

It seems to have some sort of break operated by a foot pedal and a switch cut off the motor ?, also a bit worried about getting hold of blades , you can adjust the height of the head to allow for different lengths.

Interested in hearing from anyone with any experience with this type of machine or any information would be appreciated .

 

[Peter Sefton]

Sorry can't help but it looks great!

 

[9fingers]

Wallace aka Mark might know about these?

Is there a drive up to the top of the blade or is the just a spring to keep the blade taught?power

Or maybe the whole C section arm goes up & down?

Fascinating machine anyway!

Bob

 

[furnman]

Bob, its just a big spring up top, the c section is fixed and it has just a simple crank on the bottom, looks like you could use coping saw blades but still checking it out.

 

[9fingers]

Bob, its just a big spring up top, the c section is fixed and it has just a simple crank on the bottom, looks like you could use coping saw blades but still checking it out.

You could possibly use pieces of bandsaw blade either by softening the ends and adding pins like coping saw blades or modify the blade clamps to accept plain ends is a similar way to some fret saws but scaled up.

Bob

 

[kirkpoore1]

Bob, its just a big spring up top, the c section is fixed and it has just a simple crank on the bottom, looks like you could use coping saw blades but still checking it out.

You could possibly use pieces of bandsaw blade either by softening the ends and adding pins like coping saw blades or modify the blade clamps to accept plain ends is a similar way to some fret saws but scaled up.

Bob

Does it use pinned blades, or plain?

How big is the throat? How much vertical travel on the blade over a cycle?

Looks like a nice robust machine. Probably pretty quiet when adjusted.

Kirk

 

[furnman]

Bob, I did think about using bandsaw blades which would give me a huge range of cuts but not sure how you would put pins into the ends. as you say i could adapt the ends with some sort of clamping system but I think i will and try to find some blades first.

Kirk, I think the throut is 30 inches so huge !!! , the head stock is adjustable by about 2 inches or so so that would give a blade range of about 6 to 8.5 inches in length, not sure on the stroke. At present it is designed for pined blades .

Some told me that it was possible to buy woodcutting hacksaw blades , i never seen or heard of these before , anyone else ???

thanks mark

 

[9fingers]

Bob, I did think about using bandsaw blades which would give me a huge range of cuts but not sure how you would put pins into the ends. as you say i could adapt the ends with some sort of clamping system but I think i will and try to find some blades first.


thanks mark

If you heat the ends to red heat and allow to cool naturally in air, you will be able to drill the ends for a pin which you could braze in place or make them a drive in fit. Once in the machine, the tension will keep em in place.

Bob

 

[podengo]

Im intrigued to know if youve got the machine working yet?

I guess this sort of machine would not be suitable for very fine blades like the Hegner?

Ive got a dominion 24" bandsaw, basic, but smooth running and built to last forever.

 

[furnman]

Hi Podegro
Oh, you are just down the road from me. I have not got it set up yet, i am still trying to make space for it so I can get it wired up properly as its 3 phase. I am still trying to find some blades for it. The only thing I have so far is coping saw blades , bob surgested making some from bandsaw blades but it does seem alot of work.

Your dominion bandsaw sounds very nice, care to share a picture. I do rather like dominions , i think they as good as wadkin's anyday, what do you think?.

thanks mark