Got a squeaking problem

[Keato]

Does anyone know why it’s making this noise?
I know it’s dusty, I’ll be hoovering it tomorrow & giving it a good clean. I’ll also check in the motor bay to see if maybe it’s there.
Also, I only have WD40, I’m assuming I can’t use that on anything on this machine. Only that thick goop grease?
ive attached a video from the iPhone. Not sure if it’ll play because the previous one I uploaded only worked for some people.

 

[Keato]

Oh also it literally just started today gradually from a quiet noise to quite loud.
Obviously gets much faster when I run the speed faster.

 

[Old.bodger]

I can’t identify. But have you tried the ‘ putting a big scwedriver handle to the ear trick’?

I have a stethoscope with a metal end, but you can use a big screwdriver , ear to handle, move it arround, pressing against the saw, the sound will be more pronounced in some areas......amazing how accurate it is, you can quite quickly isolate the area involved.

TAKE CARE you will be working around moving parts!

 

[Doug B]

Sounds like something just needs lubricating ideally with something that has some “body” to it that will stay in place, I find an aerosol can of white grease is a handy lubricant to have for the machines in the workshop.

 

[AES]

@Keato: Never heard my Excali make a noise like that! Have you got the Manual for it? If so look at pages 17 to 19 inc. If not send me a PM and I'll scan those pages and send them to you. There are MANY points to lubricate regularly, and having so much dust around is not ideal.

Lubrication: In brief, you shouldn't use WD40, just as you say. Vaseline is recommended (petroleum jelly) in the Manual. I have an aerosol can of it which is very useful (not just for the saw). When you spray a liquid comes out, but that soon "solidifies" into a somewhat thinner version of what you get in the normal tub of "jelly". I find it very useful.

HTH

 

[Keato]

Hey all thanks for the replies.
I’ve got it out to have a look at.
It seems the noise only happens when I tension the tensioning knob at the back

if I loosen it (obv can’t work like that)the noise goes away but clearly it needs tension to be able to cut properly. I understand that.

so the problem I would guess is with the tensioning mechanism.

I’ll try taking the motor off and running it as is to see if it’s the motor but I think it’s the tensioning knob.

 

[Keato]

Okay it’s not the motor. It’s running quiet

the noise only comes when I put tension on the tensioning knob.
I tried to take a video but the noise didn’t happen when I tried to replicate the issue.

clearly it knows when it’s being filmed. Bloody sentient saws

 

[TheUnicorn]

@Keato: Vaseline is recommended (petroleum jelly) in the Manual. I have an aerosol can of it which is very useful (not just for the saw). When you spray a liquid comes out, but that soon "solidifies" into a somewhat thinner version of what you get in the normal tub of "jelly". I find it very useful.

HTH

You have actual vaseline brand in a spray? where do find it? I'm suprised it exists as vaseline is essential a medical / cosmetic product (or is marketed as such). That said, I find it great stuff for lubrication

 

[AES]

@TheUnicorn: Yes I have got Vaseline in aerosol spray. And BTW, Vaseline is not JUST for medicinal use (and dirty jokes)!

It's petroleum jelly and is called up for lot's of "greasy" lubrication jobs. I bought my little plastic tub in our local DIY place (though you can buy it in the chemist at nearly twice the price), and a little later, the aerosol can in the same DIY place here. For example, years & years ago it was "standard practice" to grease the terminal posts and connectors on your car battery and is still done regularly on quite a lot of aircraft batteries.

The can is marked as being suitable for a water-repelling barrier (one reason for using on battery terminals) and as a general lubricant (gears shown on the little icon on the can, but by no means limited to gears). My can has the brand label "presto" on it (quite well-known here in Switzerland). I can't believe the same (perhaps under a different brand name) isn't available in UK.

FYI the Order No. is 306376 and the manufacturer is MOTIP DUPLI BV, Wolframweg 2, NL-8471 XC Wolvega, Netherlands. www.motipdupli.co; Tel: (+31) 561 694 400.

I can't remember what it cost, but it wasn't "a lot" (but more expensive than the jelly in the plastic tub). The aerosol is labelled 400 ml.

@Keato: Sorry if I sound terse but you're quite wrong to remove the motor on your Excali without reason! Having replaced it have you now adjusted it - by rotating it - so that the blade moves up and down exactly vertically (when viewed from the side)? All clearly as described in the manual!

You are also quite wrong to refer to the black knob right at the back as the blade tensioning knob. It isn't (though quite a few people think that's what it's for)! That knob at the back is ONLY to set the whole arm parallel to the table. Also all very clearly described and illustrated in the Manual.

Tensioning of the blade is carried out ONLY with the little "white plastic" lever at the front top of the arm (near the On/Off switch, and shown in your pic). Again without sounding terse (I hope), I'm sorry to say that you should "RTFM"!!!!!!!!!

If you haven't got a Manual of your own, or have lost it, send me a PM (sorry, Conversation) here and although it's 26 pages I'll happily scan the lot for you and send it you as a .pdf file so you can print it out.

Sorry again to sound so terse, but IMO, from what you've said, AND from the noise it's making, you're well on the way to substantially damaging what is, IMO, an excellent bit of kit (and not cheap to replace either, though spares are easily available and reasonably priced)!

HTH

 

[Keato]

Hey

After a full day trying to figure out where it’s coming from It’s making less noise but still every now and then it squeaks.

I bought some spray from B&Q which says it sprays as a liquid but solidifies and lubricates for a long time.

I’ve sprayed a few places where I thought the noise was coming from.

I’ve also had the motor off before, years and years ago because I wanted to explore my machine. & yep I know about rotating the motor. I’ve never liked the aggressive cutting setting, always had it running without the font to back cutting.

As for the manual, yep I’ve gotten pdf of it from Axminster’s website. Seems I’ve been using it wrong for a few years. Back when I got the machine in 2012 I set that knob thing once and never touched it again. Since then I’ve forgotten it’s purpose & every now and then tightening the tension on the blade with it by setting a new blade in the lower & upper clamps, tightening it in place with the thumb screws, flipping the lever and running the machine for a few seconds. Then flipping the tension lever and checking for any blade bending. If it bent then I’d tighten the knob at the back till it was taut. The machine always worked fine, blades never broke and usually lasted longer than normal.


I’ll check to see if it’s parallel tomorrow.

The odd thing is the noise only appeared when I replaced the lower blade clamp assembly. The previous ones threads were stripped though I hadn’t replaced it in maybe 4/5 years. Fitting everything as normal then the sound appeared after running it for a while. I’ve checked washers, nuts & screws. Everything looks fine.


The noise is baffling