Hudson blade guides

[coldnorth]

Any Hudson owners out there with some discontent with blade guides?  I have an Oscar 30 that works very well for what I do, except I seem to have some trouble keeping the guides adjusted properly.  I have the simple 'Hudson" guides.  I know that make an upgrade 'Carter' guides, I believe, that sells for $150.  Is this a valuable upgrade or is there something better?  Any discussion on this?  Thanks

[simon]

my wife bought me a hudson oscar 18 for valentines day(after researching for a yr and myself owning an old circle mill)...

anyway, mine came with the hud-son shoe guides, which is a standard option now.
i'm happy with mine but wasn't impressed with the wheel guides that used to be standards

[coldnorth]

simon, Thanks.  I believe that is the same as I have.  The gap for the blade seems to widen a bit as I saw.  I tried to tighten it, and it seems better for awhile, but after sawing a bit they are opened up again.  I was hoping someone would have tried the newer guides and verify their improvement.

[arj]

My oscar 36 came with Carter guides I hated them, VERY hard to adjust and after awhile wore a grove in the back wheels. Changed to Hudson guides very easy to adjust. The only problem I had was a blob of weld where the carriage bolt goes through the top shoe. A little work with a small file fixed it, no problems since. I`ve had them about 2 1/2 years.
                           
                                       arj

[WkndCutter]

I have a Hud-son 28 with the roller guides.  I've been looking at changing them out to the upgrade
Hud-son offers or have a buddy make a custom set.  I don't like the way the hud-son guides are built and the way they are adjusted.  I'll be looking at the hud-son guides in the next few weeks and going from there.

Andy

[Radar67]

I have the Oscar 28 as well. The Carter Guides on it leave a lot to be desired. I will change them out eventually.  Something similar to what Linn Lumber offers.

Stew

[logwalker]

I had a Western Sawyer that I installed a set of roller guides from Cook's Saw. Used a drilled bolt they also sell for a post. It can be greased. They are like the ones woodmizer sells too. They have a flange at the back of the roller to support the back of the blade. You would need a flat bar or angle to attach to. They sure changed the way the Western sawed. Like a new saw. I have the same roller guides on my Woodmizer and they really work. Just be sure to get close to a 1/4" deflection on the roller to push down on the blade. They were about $40 each. Good luck. Lw

[sjh]

I have a Oscer 36. I guides are ok, just be careful not to free hand a point on a fence post. Cost me $65 for the broken angle blocks that hold the wear plates. >:(
Scott

[WkndCutter]

I called the dealer and another gentleman who had an Oscar 28 and asked them about the guides.  The reply from the dealer was to follow the instructions that were given with the saw which for roller guides is to have the top roller just touch the blade and the bottom roller have a small gap.  I don't have the instructions with me at this point but I'll follow up tonight.  I got the same line from the other guy I talked to.  He even went  so far as to tell me to put a very slight down force on the blade and ensure a gap under it.  Yesterday I set the saw up just as the instructions read and the saw cut well.  I may look to replace the bearings with larger bearings but I'm going to have the guides custom made to make adjustments easier to make.  I guess the bottom line for me is the Hudson bearing guides work for me but I wish they had a bit more beef to them and were easier to adjust.

Andy