Foley sawmill

[AlmondFarm]

I'm trying to assemble my foley Belsaw and I can't seem to separate the arbor from the collar to put the blade on. It has sat for a few years so they might just rust bonded. Was wondering if there is anyone who maybe have had this problem and what worked best. Thanks 

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Have you looked at the "Similar posts" mentioned at the bottom of your posted page?

Have you searched the forum for more info?

Member @moodnacreek has, I believe, experience with starting out with such a Foley Belsaw mill.

[reride82]

Did you get the collar nut off? One half of the collar is removable, the other half is adhered to the arbor. If the outer collar is stuck after removing the nut, I would use penetrating oil on the outer collar and a few blows with a hammer should release it so you can install your blade.

Levi

[Don P]

Yup, the inner is the "fast" collar and the outer, under the nut is the loose collar. If none of that works... and Rust Reaper is the deepest penetrating oil I've ever used, you'll find them under the LogRite link to your left, I'd try gently heating the collar till it pops off.

Where are you, I think I have a spare if it goes south.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Any chance it is reverse thread? (Just asking.)

[NaySawyer]

Can you post a pic?
Would a 3 legged puller work?

[moodnacreek]

A stuck loose collar should never happen. The insides of the collars, the threaded area and both sides of the saw are to be cleaned and the rim [of the collars] lightly sanded where they touch the saw. Then coat with bar and chain oil. Every time the saw is taken off there will be no oil where the collars touch the saw indicating the proper contact as the collars only meet the saw on the outer edges. This is a delicate area so don't bend the loose collar trying to remove it. A puller would only work if there was no saw mounted and should not be used anyhow. I would tap on it as mentioned and perhaps try to turn it with a hammer and chisel at the thick part near the shaft.

[DanielW]

A few of my old mills have had the loose collar seized when I got them. a little heat and a chain wrench usually break it free. It should slide over the shoulder without binding, but it has to have pretty limited clearance, so it only takes a little rust to seize it. The collar faces have to be machined perfectly - usually about a 2-4 thou taper on the outer 5/8" of an inch, then hollow in the centre. They also have to be machined equal/opposite, and have limited clearance on the mandrel so the faces of the loose and fast collar press equal and opposite to each other; if the loose collar is too sloppy, it could be slightly offset and not be pushing perfectly against the fast collar.

Chances are you'll find the collars need to be machined, but you may get lucky. Whatever you do, don't pry between the mating faces of the collar, or you'll definitely mark them. A tiny bit of surface imperfection on the collar faces makes a big difference on how the saw behaves. Sometimes you can get away with polishing and running paper on them (a ring of oiled newsprint around each collar face).

I'm assuming you have the nut off - Belsaws are LH threads because the mandrel goes beneath the carriage tracks. Belsaws also don't have guide/drive pins in the collars, so you need to make sure you're clamping well with the mandrel nut. The Foley/Belsaws aren't the fastest nor most precise mills, but they're fun. I have 6 circle mills, and even though my two Belsaws are the slowest/smallest/flimsiest of them, I find I use them more than any others because they're easy to use by myself and fun. Good luck with it