Used Ripsaw rebuild help.

[AndyR]

Hello all,
I've been watching this site for a while and have taken the plunge into milling my own lumber. I purchased a used ripsaw with carriage assembly from a fellow on ebay last week and it was delivered yesterday. I removed the powerhead and bandsaw from the carriage assembly this evening and in looking things over I noticed a couple of things that I thought I should seek advice on. I'll attach a few pics, maybe that will help.

•It appears to me as though the front of the wheels have been, at least occasionally, striking the front panel covers. There is a round groove in the front panels the same shape as the wheels. It also looks like the blade has scraped up the inside of those panels as well. Is this type of wear normal or was this not adjusted properly, and if so, would this be a bearing problem? My instinct tells me that they are ok with a little deburring, but do these wheels look damaged and if so too damaged to use?

•In taking the powerhead off of the ripsaw unit a flat washer fell out that was pretty well mangled as well as a number of little approx. 1-1.5 cm long rods almost like pencil leads. (Don't laugh I'm new to this stuff) They look like they could be bearing parts to me but again I'm not familiar with them. (ok laugh if you want to)

•The saw? an 036 I haven't really even begun to look at yet. I've worked in an automotive machine shop in the past but have almost no familiarity with chainsaws so bear with me please. The sprocket seems to be really loose, kind of flopping around. My newer echo saw doesn't seem to be this way. What is that an indication of?

•I haven't dumped the gas and oil out of the saw yet (yes, they shipped it full of gas and bar oil). I have a Craftsman compression tester but am unsure how to use it on a two stroke. I assume I just hook it up and pull the cord and take a reading...

I'm planning on replacing any bearings and bushings and blade guides that I can and just cleaning it up good (the ripsaw). Maybe I better find a good shop to take the saw to....

Thanks in advance for any input and or advice. And let me know if pics of anything else might help with a diagnosis. I've learned so much already by searching through past posts, but I fear I have a long way to go...

Andy

 

[woodshop]

...It appears to me as though the front of the wheels have been, at least occasionally, striking the front panel covers. There is a round groove in the front panels the same shape as the wheels. It also looks like the blade has scraped up the inside of those panels as well. Is this type of wear normal or was this not adjusted properly, and if so, would this be a bearing problem? My instinct tells me that they are ok with a little deburring, but do these wheels look damaged and if so too damaged to use?...

That damage to the inside cover is no big deal. It happens when you break a blade. As it breaks it often pulls the wheel out of alignment temporarily as it twists, and thus the scraping. Anybody with a Ripsaw that does not have this scraping on the inside covers has not used the mill enough

Your little pins coming from the powerhead mating surface... sheeesh... needle bearings from the little drive sproket bearing behind your spur sprocket?? The only thing between the ripsaw and that powerhead is that cast aluminum mating surface with the tunnel built into it for bar oil to flow from the powerhead to the gears in the Ripsaw when it's running. Those pieces must be coming from the saw.

I have never seen that blue carriage you have there... is that from Ripsaw or a home made deal?

Ask questions... there are a few of us on here with Ripsaws that might help you get past the learning curve.

 

[AndyR]

Thanks Woodshop

Good to hear my wheels are ok.
Looks like the powerhead needs some work then, or maybe replacing. Yes those needle bearings were in the cup of the aluminum housing where the "female" sprocket sits (on the ripsaw side).

The blue carriage is from Ripsaw. They have it on their website. It seems to be fairly sturdy, though I guess you'd really have to use it to know for sure. It came with track to ride on~15 ft. I also have the aluminum slabbing guide bars (3) and the parts needed to use the ripsaw alone (without the carriage).

Can't wait to give it a try, but I guess I'll have to, until I can get the 036 in order.

I'll post my progress from time to time.
Thanks again.

 

[flht01]

If the clutch hub is loose and you found a few needle bearings I'd start with replacing the bearing that rides between the crank and clutch, a normal wear item and just a few $$. Maybe a quick inspection thru the plug hole and/or muffler cover for scoring and a compression check using the starter rope and I'd give it a try. (see if the saw will hang by holding the starter handle without droping more than a compression stroke or two) (some light scoring has been considered normal wear by some of the "real" saw pro's on the chainsaw site)

The ripsaw mates up to the powerhead using a spur sprocket type clutch hub in place of the rim sprocket. The spur sprocket hub usually has a flat washer and external c-clip holding it on the crank. Mine came with a flat washer that was too large on the outside diameter and it interfered with the drive sprocket on the ripsaw. I managed to catch it and changed it out before using it, maybe yours had the same problem. As long as the roll pins in the ripsaw drive sprocket will engage with the clutch hub and the flat washer you use behind the external c-clip doesn't interfer, you'll be ok.

A few more pictures in that area might help if you still have problems/questions.

BTW, do a search for post's on "ripsaw" and "woodshop" and you'll have some of the best information available on efficient use of this set-up.

Good luck and welcome aboard.

 

[AndyR]

Thanks,
The compression seems ok, it hangs by the starter rope and has a good bit of "resistance" when pulled. An inspection of the cylinder and piston through the muffler look really good, I don't see anything I would call scoring, they actually look almost new (Hard to get a pic of that). My Craftsman compression guage put it at about 90 lbs but I don't know if I was doing it right-I was a little afraid of giving a good pull with bearing parts falling out.

Sounds like you guys are on the money about the bearings though I am unclear about where exactly this bearing sits. It seems like it needs to go on the shaft under the sprocket clutch hub and not under the clutch itself, otherwise nothing would keep it from being loose, is this correct? If so I think this bearing must have been chewed up pretty completelyI think I saw these sprockets new on ebay earlier today with the bearings for $10.00-I'm attaching a pic of that as well. Where is the best place to order these parts from? These aftermarket sprockets (7 tooth) will still fit the ripsaw sprocket?

I'm attaching a few pics if nothing else maybe they'll help someone else out there Googling about this stuff.

One last question-are the places online that sell service manuals on CD legit. Like this one...http://www.dukesmanuals.com/Stihl/index.htm

Anyone used this site? Or can recommend a place to pick one up?
http://www.dukesmanuals.com/Stihl/index.htm
I almost did it, it's only fifteen dollars but didn't want to get burned-then there's the identity theft thing...

Thanks guys, I know this is basic info for most of you but your replys are really helping me out.

Andy

 

[scottr]

Andy , the first picture shows the bandwheel scraper is not positioned correctly . It needs to be centered on the bandwheel . If you didn't get the Ripsaw manual with mill you can download it from their website .

 

[Al Weber]

Manuals

You can also get the manual for the saw head at Stihl.com. There is a page where you can download almost any manual for any model.

I would always defer to Woodshop on diagnosis of symptoms but the blade marks on the cover could also be due to incorrect tracking of the blade. Be careful when you get it running that the tracking for both wheels is at least sufficiently adjusted to keep the blade on the wheels. I bought a used one also and didn't think the blade tracking would be really mis-adjusted. When I started it and jogged the blade, I put it into the blade cover and ruined the blade of course. Just turn it by hand first to make sure you are in the ball park.