Jayme Posted November 9, 2022 Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 Hello, I inherited my grandfathers Hawk last year. I’ve done many projects on it. Lately I’m having so many issues with the tension popping and blades breaking during every cut. I am completely self taught in this machine and there is not much information out there on an old Hawk. I bought the upper conversion kit but I can’t get the roll pin out to change it. I’ve adjusted the set screw. I’ve tried every position on the tension rod. I replaced the pivot wedge and washer. I just don’t know why it will cut then it will start rattling then POP the cam handle and blade pop out of place. Any help would be greatly appreciated! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted November 9, 2022 Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 Well, sounds like you did about everything that I would have suggested. You said you adjusted the set screw, how did you adjusted it? It should be adjusted to a point where it gives some resistance about a 1/4” above the upper arm. See my photos and excuse the mess as I work a lot in the shop this time of year. Another thing to check is maybe your thumb screws or set screws need replacing or at a minimum sanded. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayme Posted November 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 Great info! I did not know that about the cam bar so I have that set with some resistance. I put a new thumb screw in the upper blade holder. Now it’s popping from the bottom blade holder. It was cutting ok then it seems when I start doing turns it starts the rattle and then pops. IMG_1580.MOV OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayme Posted November 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 So I did clean up the bottom thumb screw and things seem to be working but if there’s any other info on maintenance I should be looking at please let me know it you have time! I want to keep this machine running as long as possible! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted November 9, 2022 Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 You say you bought a new wedge that goes to the back tension rod.. Did you also replace the nylon washer that goes on top of the wedge? I only ask because it looked like in the video that your adjuster handle had turned some and was hitting the back uprights of the saw.. that hitting could mess with your tension. That nylon washer is supposed to help make some friction to keep that back adjustment lever from turning on its own. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRugerH Posted November 9, 2022 Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 It also sounds like may need to replace your pivot arm. My G4 sounded the same and was popping out the blades. Plus, the bearing in the pivot arm was warn out. I replaced that and the saw got nice and quiet and stopped popping blades. I second the nylon washer. I had to also order the wedge, and the lady on the phone recommended I replaced that as well. Dan OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted November 9, 2022 Report Share Posted November 9, 2022 Never thought about the pivot arm.. I also had this happen once.. It's nothing but a piece of flat stock with pressed in bearings.. Pivot arm is the flat stock that bolts to the motor and to the lower saw arm and is what powers the saw. Just has two sealed bearings in it. Might look at that too as Dan mentioned. The saw is awful noisy, Hawks are normally quiet like a sewing machine when running so you have something going on.. maybe a couple things, LOL OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayme Posted November 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2022 I did replace that washer when I replaced the pivot wedge. The noise does seem to be coming from that pivot arm. I was wondering if I needed to do anything with that. I hope they sell a replacement for it on my old Hawk! Also that noise isn’t constant. It will be quiet then once I’m cutting and starting to make a lot of turns it starts the rattling. Thank you guys for helping me figure this out! OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayme Posted November 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2022 IMG_1578.MOV OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRugerH Posted November 10, 2022 Report Share Posted November 10, 2022 4 minutes ago, Jayme said: I did replace that washer when I replaced the pivot wedge. The noise does seem to be coming from that pivot arm. I was wondering if I needed to do anything with that. I hope they sell a replacement for it on my old Hawk! Also that noise isn’t constant. It will be quiet then once I’m cutting and starting to make a lot of turns it starts the rattling. Thank you guys for helping me figure this out! Yep, same problem with mine when I purchased it (used). I think, when the pivot arm's bearings wear out, it causes that sound with enough vibration that with every down-stroke, it tries to yank the blade out of the holder just a little bit. After a few hundred strokes, it finally gets it yanked out. That's why the saw sounds like it is getting louder the longer you have it running. Once I replaced my pivot arm, the noise went away, and the blade stays put. I would call Bushton directly. They make some parts to order. When I ordered my pivot arm, I wanted to replace the counter weight on my motor as well since that started to show wear marks, and they had to machine it for me. She said it would be a couple of weeks, but I had all of my replacement parts within a week. Nice folks and great customer service. Dan Jayme, kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRugerH Posted November 10, 2022 Report Share Posted November 10, 2022 Actually you must have posted your second video while I was typing out my post. In that second video, you can certainly hear the rattle getting louder before it popped the blade. That's the symptom I was just describing. Dan Jayme and OCtoolguy 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted November 10, 2022 Report Share Posted November 10, 2022 I'm pretty sure it's the pivot arm.. IF the bearings are still sitting tight in the arm ( they are pressed in ). You might be able to take the arm to a bearing shop and buy a couple $5 bearings and not need a whole new arm. Another thing that can cause the blade slippage is a worn upper arm where the wedge rides against.. Some of the newer saws had this area machined out and a steel insert in there that can also be replaced.. IF you're saw doesn't have the insert you can send them the whole arm and they'll machine it and add the insert if it isn't worn beyond repair. But it wouldn't typically make this sound for that so as i said I think it's that pivot arm OCtoolguy and Jayme 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted November 10, 2022 Report Share Posted November 10, 2022 It's nice to hear that Bushton's customer service has finally improved. Must have been "growing pains". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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