Parts for a double mitre chop saw old enough to survive the Yucatan Extinction

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Cavalier

Cavalier

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Posts
872
Loc
Waterville, ME
So, the sale went through smoothly, and, as of 1 January 2014, my husband and I own the shop. One of the best equipment we've inherited is our ancient double mitre chop saw, which needs this little guy because the hex is stripped:

Angle One
Angle Two
Angle Three

There's this sticker as its only marking:

Straight forward, right?

Nope.

I did find a service and instruction manual for Omega Equipment Manufacturing; of course, the 800 number is no longer in service and the regular number, out of Seattle, Washington, is now a movie theatre. So I called up Presto and spoke to Peter, who, after stumping him, finally figured that it wasn't so much Omega as perhaps OMGA, a brand that they didn't carry for long. So sometime during last millennium, Harry (who was the owner prior to Bill) either managed to buy this saw from Presto in that minute window they carried OMGA, or slapped a Presto label onto the casing from ordered length. I tried calling OMGA, but I'm still waiting for them to call back.

Any ideas where I could get this part?

Thanks!
 
OMGA? As in Oh My God Amy ain't gonna get this fixed!

The photos don't show up on my computer could you post them directly to the GRumble?
 
Yeah, the photos aren't showing when clicking on the links.
 
To see photos, be sure to log in to you google account.

I would take the part to a local machine shop and see if they can fabricate one for you.

or

look at the parts lists for other double mitre chop saws. You might be able the match a part
 
Yeah, check out a local machine shop they should be able to fab a new one for you or even tap that and insert a new hex head. Like putting a helicoil into a VW motor. A helicoil insert would be really cheap, a new nut shouldn't be too pricey either...
 
Well, one would think "Share with anyone with the link" would mean just that, but I digress.

IMG_20140212_115339.jpgIMG_20140212_115314.jpgIMG_20140212_115239.jpgIMG_20140212_101904.jpg

Yeah, I'm thinking machine shop, now that I'm still looking for info.

Thanks, Bob, for the vote of confidence. ;)
 
mik said:
look at the parts lists for other double mitre chop saws. You might be able the match a part
Click to expand...

That might be a more realistic option that you think.

I just had to purchase a new pilot assembly for my gas fireplace which is I find now a somewhat obscure brand 10 years after the big box store quit carrying it. Found the part # and type it into Google and find that it is a pretty generic piece found on many brands of gas fireplaces.
When I called a local place I had to convince them just to look for the part by # instead of by the brands they carried and despite their protests they had the part.

If you find the part #, you might only have to type that # into Google and you might be surprised what turns up.
 
I used to have an Omga saw and got parts once thru a local woodworking supply who carried their saws. It was Timber Woodworking in Mesa AZ. Just around the corner for ya. A Google for Omga saw parts brought up a lot of hits.
 
So what does this "thingee" do. Is it a fastener that holds the saw blade into the arbor of the saw? If so, any replacement bolt the proper size and a anti wobble washer for a saw will do. Note, it might be left threaded vs the standard right threaded.
 
IMG_20140212_143205.jpg

Here's the guts of the machine. The "Made in Italy" was the only other hint we were able to glean from the artifact. Also, the gent from OMGA is forwarding the information to his tech support.

I'll double-check the threading when I go out to the machine shop on Friday.

Thank you so much, everyone!
 
JFeig said:
So what does this "thingee" do. Is it a fastener that holds the saw blade into the arbor of the saw? If so, any replacement bolt the proper size and a anti wobble washer for a saw will do. Note, it might be left threaded vs the standard right threaded.
Click to expand...

They hold the blade in place and are called a "Spindle Nut"

Those "thingee's" not be cheap. When I got my EMN-12 a few years ago, the ones on mine were shot. Not the threads but the holes used to loosen them (poor design of the spindle nut and spindle wrench caused them to degrade - the wrench didn't connect well with the nut and the metal around the insertion holes was worn away because the wrench would slip out).

Pistorious was still in business then and I ordered new spindle nuts along with a new Front Fence. Don't remember what I paid but there definitely was some sticker shock but I am sure glad I got them before their ship was sunk. Am treating those puppies with mucho respect so they will outlive me.
 
Thanks for the head's up, Larry. I've been thinking about keeping my mind open about costs when it comes to the spindle nuts.

And now, for something similar, my [strike]dungeon dweller[/strike] framer, after replacing the saw blades, came up with one of the nozzles of our Accu-Lube Precision-Drop Applicator, which had snapped off whilst his maintenance. I went down to check it out, and found that one of the previous owners -- could have been Bill, could have been Harry, which now picture me shaking my fist at the sky, shouting, "Which one of you did this?!" -- had used electrical tape to repair it previously. At least I found the company, but, yep, the model hasn't been made since the Spanish Inquisition, and now I'm just waiting to hear back from the tech peeps to find a comparable parts list.

I'm still smiling, though. Just sayin'.
 
That is what I thought they were. I was just having a "senior moment" as to what they were called. Most single miter saws are 2 part retainers (bolt and HD washer). You might check with those manufacturers.... such a Makita, Black and Decker etc.
 
Larry, the Pistorius spindle nuts tightening scheme is a lot more robust that the Omga one. Why didn't you just have two more holes drilled in the nut's face 90 degrees to the old ones? No sticker shock there.

As far as the nut in question, I'd have the face drilled to accept a common spanner, or better yet a marine deck plate key from West Marine.
 
Warren Tucker said:
Larry, the Pistorius spindle nuts tightening scheme is a lot more robust that the Omga one. Why didn't you just have two more holes drilled in the nut's face 90 degrees to the old ones? No sticker shock there.
Click to expand...

Would that I could.

Here is what I had.

p1.jpg


p2.jpg


p3.jpg


This would have required drilling 4 holes, not 2. I'm not sure that 4 holes could be drilled and still leave the spindle nut structurally sound.

Although there was some sticker shock at the time, I am very glad that I replaced them. Should I outlive them, I still have the old ones that I can experiment with.

I still don't understand the design on this. If the nut is tightened very tight, it takes a lot of pressure to loosen the nut. The spanner that is used is inadequate and is too short to exert much torque on the bolt. Its very easy for the spanner to slip out of the holes; hence the damage you see in the first photo. I treat these well. Every time I change a blade, a little WD-40 goes into the hole and the blades are only tightened as much as needed.

They should have used the traditional design used on all radial arm and chop saws - a bolt that uses a traditional wrench. This design just seems silly and poor as evidenced by the photos.
 
The company that made Corona Mounting Presses & a CMC machine that I don't reminder the name, made a double mitre saw & was located in Seatle. It used many off the shelf parts. Check McMaster-Carr or Grainger. Or try Ledsome. They make a very similar saw.

Bob
 
Those are still usable Larry. Most people over tighten the blades and then it requires use of the wrench. When changing the blades you only need the bolts to be finger tight and cut a scrap of moulding to finish the job. To loosen the blades insert a tool (large screw driver) into the holes on the outside of the spindle and use a gloved hand to rotate the blades loose. No wrench needed on or off.
 
Jeff, you're right about people over tightening arbor nuts. I always stressed wrist tight if not finger tight. And then we got a saw with an electric break... 25 years later and I still am reluctant to describe what happened the first time we stoped that saw (SCMI SI150) after a blade change. While the 12" blade didn't manage to escape the arbor it did manage to increase its kerf to 3 or 4" and cause me and the guy standing in front of it to need an urgent underware change. It wasn't really hard braking but it was enough.
 
"Clean Up Needed in the Back Room"

Yes a brake would change the dynamics a bit Warren.
 
Call me chicken, but I wouldn't get within a mile of it when you got it "fixed"; unguarded saw blades are up there with rabid dogs and railingless balconies for causes of irrational fear for me. :shutup:
 
Chicken.

I don't think it's probably unguarded though. The pic with no guard said "here's the guts", so I take it we were treated to something you don't usually see.

But, I got to call you Chicken with no reason for repercussions, so who am I to complain?
 
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