New RBI Barrel Style Blade Holder Clip Doesn't work

[BadBob]

I installed the new style plastic blade holder clip today and took it for a test run using a blade that I was fairly sure I would break sooner or later. I cut with it for about an hour before it broke, and the lower blade clamp is lost somewhere in my shop. I am going to put the old blade holder clip back. The plastic one is very flimsy and much easier to get the clamp in, but the older steel version holds the clamp tight and only lets it go once in a while.

The truth is that I'm getting very tired of hunting for the clamp, and I am considering getting rid of it and parking a shiny new saw in its place.

[Randyw81]

I'm not familiar with the RBI setup, but I started with an old Craftsman saw that had a lower blade holder that would fly off when the blade broke.  It had a small hole in the holder. I used fishing line to attach it to my stand. It was much easier to find on the end of the line than crawling all over the floor looking for it.

[Millwab]

Bob, when the clamp goes flying does it usually go to one side or the other?  When my lower clamp takes a joy ride it always goes off the right side of the saw.  Getting tired of searching the floor for it I used a piece of cereal box cardboard to create a "fence" to contain the clamp. Since I put that up I haven’t had to look beyond the top of the saw whenever the clamp takes flight. 

[BadBob]

7 hours ago, Millwab said:

I used a piece of cereal box cardboard to create a "fence" to contain the clamp.

That is an interesting Idea. I did something similar with a sanding mop.

 

[Sycamore67]

The lower clamp on my Hegner will fly off and hard to find.  Luckily, I have several.

[kmmcrafts]

First off I guess I was under the impression that you didn't have a clip in the first place and why I suggested to get one.. If you had the metal one it was more likely homemade and probably the better one of the two as plastic gets old and brittle over time and either looses it's holding power or just breaks..

When I got my first Hawk with the round clamps and it never even had one on it when I got the saw.. well actually it did but it was just the end part where it screws to the saw arm. LOL. It would fly out of that new one once in a very great while but usually the holder slowed the force down so much that the blade holder would still be on top of the saw. Three year later it started getting weak and was allowing it to escape more and more often. I always wanted to make a metal one like is on my newer saws but sold the saw before I got to that point. I believe I mentioned something about making a metal one.. maybe you made the metal one you have? 

 

[BadBob]

9 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

maybe you made the metal one you have? 

My metal one came on the saw. It looks original. The plastic one is so flimsy that it is almost useless.

[kmmcrafts]

41 minutes ago, BadBob said:

My metal one came on the saw. It looks original. The plastic one is so flimsy that it is almost useless.

I don't believe they ever made a metal one.. Even the Ultras had a plastic one and someone suggested to them to make them from spring steel and they finally did it starting with the G4 saw starting around 2005.. now they make steel ones for the "Ultra" but not for the round clamp saws.. I know lots of folks mention on the forums over the years about the cheap plastic ones getting weak and breaking etc. and they just make their own from metal.. 

[OCtoolguy]

I'm wondering if a Hegner retainer might work. Or at least be a good example to fashion one from. They both function in the exact same way so I think it would work.

[BadBob]

54 minutes ago, OCtoolguy said:

I'm wondering if a Hegner retainer might work. Or at least be a good example to fashion one from. They both function in the exact same way so I think it would work.

I have three lower clamps. The one on the left side came with the saw. The middle one I bought over the phone from Bushton. The third one is new and never used. I recently purchased it after the center clamp went on vacation for a few weeks. The brass sleeve slides off, and without the sleeve, it looks about the same as the center clamp.

The original and the center clamp fit the original holder tightly. The new one with the sleeve would be impossible without removing the sleeve. I guess that these are made to fit two different holders. The newer one fits the plastic holder, and the others fit the old metal holder.

What does the Hegner retainer look like?

 

[BadBob]

•  

Posted 5 hours ago

6 hours ago, BadBob said:

My metal one came on the saw. It looks original. The plastic one is so flimsy that it is almost useless.

I don't believe they ever made a metal one.

The steel one came with the saw, and the paint is an exact match.  The saw is a very old two-speed version.

The steel clamp is very tight.

 

[BadBob]

I used the new clamp with the blue handle and brass sleeve tonight and cut some 3/4-inch red oak using a #3MGT blade. I figured on cutting until the blade broke and find out if this clamp would stay in place. I cut until I ran out of things to cut, and the blade did not break. This clamp fits much better than the others. Here is a photo:

I've been thinking that I might rig up some sort of baffel out of foam board and clamp on the side of the saw so the clamp can't escape. It would be a pain to remove them for blade changes but not near as much trouble as crawling around the floor with a flashlight trying to find the clamp.

 

[Millwab]

9 minutes ago, BadBob said:

It would be a pain to remove them for blade changes …

Bob, when I put my cardboard "fence" up it’s just taped to the side of the saw.  I left the front open so I can put my hand in to change blades. No issues with blade changes and no crawling around hunting for the clamp and/or barrel.

[kmmcrafts]

Wonder if Hawk used different sized blade clamps at some point.. There are other brand saws that used that same style of barrel clamp.. in fact the new Jet brand saws use barrel clamps but they don't use the brass sleeve... The metal portion is slightly smaller than the Hawk ones.. when Rocky (Les ) had his Hawks he bought the Jet clamps as they are way cheaper than the Hawk ones. I believe he was one of those that made a metal retainer and I also remember JT saying he made a metal retainer.. 

Bushton would probably know if the older saws had a different size clamp.. 

When I first got my new retainer it was very tight to get a new blade clamp in place.. was always a little scared I would break the cheap plastic retainer.. they do fit pretty tight. I used to bend down on the front of it enough to slide the barrel in place.

I don't think a Hegner one would work on the Hawk.. Heck, the Hegner one won't even work on the Hegner.. every blade I broke when first learning / using the saw sent the clamp flying somewhere and I never did find one of them that I think went under the workbench.. Doesn't seem like it'd be all that hard to make a retainer from some spring steel.. One could probably shape it around the clamp to get the shape of the plastic one but out of metal..  

[BadBob]

1 hour ago, Millwab said:

Bob, when I put my cardboard "fence" up it’s just taped to the side of the saw.  I left the front open so I can put my hand in to change blades. No issues with blade changes and no crawling around hunting for the clamp and/or barrel.

Do you have it on both sides?

I'm considering using foam board and possibly magnets to hold them in place. The foam board is $1.00 for a sheet, and I have lots of magnets. One 1/4 neodymium magnet would hold it in place.

[BadBob]

@kmmcrafts

Is ther some secret method of getting the the blade in the slot that I am unaware of? I always struggle with this.

 

 

[kmmcrafts]

I feed the blade up through the slot in the table, then angle it toward the front of the saw and use the holder to press downward on the plastic retainer enough to slip it into the spot and rotate the blade back into position.. not sure if any of that made sense to you.. but I tried... I'm sure there are many different methods to use but that is always what worked for me if memory serves me correct.. I haven't owned the saw for a couple years now and the new hawk you don't need to remove the holders typically..  When the plastic retainer was new I would have to use two hands sometimes as it was a little stiff to bend down that far for enough clearance for the blade holder to fit in there. I'd use left hand to press down on the retainer while placing the barrel in on the right hand side. 

[BadBob]

7 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I feed the blade up through the slot in the table, then angle it toward the front of the saw and use the holder to press downward on the plastic retainer enough to slip it into the spot and rotate the blade back into position.. not sure if any of that made sense to you.. but I tried... I'm sure there are many different methods to use but that is always what worked for me if memory serves me correct.. I haven't owned the saw for a couple years now and the new hawk you don't need to remove the holders typically..  When the plastic retainer was new I would have to use two hands sometimes as it was a little stiff to bend down that far for enough clearance for the blade holder to fit in there. I'd use left hand to press down on the retainer while placing the barrel in on the right hand side. 

Very clear. That is pretty much what I do. It is a tight squeeze, and I have bent blades while installing them.

This saw is my backup and does not get used much.

[kmmcrafts]

40 minutes ago, BadBob said:

Very clear. That is pretty much what I do. It is a tight squeeze, and I have bent blades while installing them.

This saw is my backup and does not get used much.

Yeah it takes a long time to get used to these with the barrel clamps.. I used to have to bend down and many times get off my stool so I could see what I was doing but eventually got it without getting up or even looking.. That was after several months of using only that saw as a primary saw over a slow business time... at the time if I had a rush order or something I had the DeWalt which was my primary saw for several years. The Hegner is a lot like the Hawk and I think that is why my learning curve went pretty smooth.. I broke the first few blades but now I rarely break them on that saw. I'm not sure if the Hegner needs a new retainer or if that's how they are but not one time did the blade clamp stay in the saw when I did break those few blades..

[OCtoolguy]

On my Hegner, I've not had that problem so your retainer may have gone weak. Time to make/buy a new one.

Edited March 12, 2023 by OCtoolguy

[Millwab]

23 hours ago, BadBob said:

Do you have it on both sides?

I'm considering using foam board and possibly magnets to hold them in place. The foam board is $1.00 for a sheet, and I have lots of magnets. One 1/4 neodymium magnet would hold it in place.

For whatever reason the clamp always flew to one side so I didn’t need to block the other side.  And it never came out the front so I could leave that open for my hand to get in.  I like the magnet idea and may try that in place of the tape I’m using now. 

[BadBob]

I finally broke a blade. The new style holder didn't keep the clamp in place. Fortunately, it didn't hit the floor.

I'm going to try putting some foam, boards on the sides to catch the clamp.

 

[rjweb]

On my jet saw I have a barrel clamp, if a blade broke the clamp stays in the spring metal holder, RJ 

[BadBob]

19 hours ago, rjweb said:

On my jet saw I have a barrel clamp, if a blade broke the clamp stays in the spring metal holder, RJ 

My Hawl clamp stays in the holder sometimes. When the clamp comes out it will occasionally go flying. Since it is round it can bounce and roll across the floor usually ending up underneath or behind something.

 

[kmmcrafts]

Can't remember what the retainer thing looks like on the Jet saw.. maybe it's a better option and can be adapted to the Hawk.. Though it may be too small as the Jet clamps are very slightly smaller than the Hawk ones.