I just picked up a horizontal 5x6 Shop Fox band saw. It's practically brand new, and in fantastic shape, except for the hydraulic feed cylinder. There's very, very little wear on it, and there are no visible leaks, but the cylinder doesn't regulate the rate of descent at all--it's strictly gravity at this point, and the head of the saw is too heavy for a gravity feed, as it deflects the blade. Is there a way to "prime" the cylinder, bleed air bubbles or check the fluid level in it? I'd rather get a little direction before breaking out the line wrenches and snap ring pliers. It came with the factory instruction manual, and didn't have anything in there about the feed cylinder, other than turning the knob to adjust the rate for different materials. -Brad
make sure that the gaurds or blade adjusment brackets do not interfere with the downward movement, they sometimes be adjusted to interfere.
1st I would take the adjusting knob out,then work the blade ***y up and don slowley to see if there is fluid in the cylinder. If no fluid get some in a oil can and fill with the blade aa down and lift slowley to **** in fluid. put adjusting screw back and see if you corrected the problem. good luck!!
Most definitely. But, if it's ****on controlled to lift the head back up, and it does, there should be fluid in the cylinder. There may be a feed adjustment somewhere that isn't working, or simply just not enough fluid to cycle. Pics would help.
Looks like the only way to control feedrate is the knob next to the cylinder. I would say turn it all the way clockwise, see what happens, then turn it all the way counterclockwise and see what happens. Should be a difference.
Sounds like there is insufficient fluid in the cylinder. A close inspection should reveal a fill port. If not call the factory and get the straight scoop. If adding fluid only do it when the cylinder is fully collapsed. Filling when the shaft is extended will over fill the cylinder. Frank
Well, I went and broke out the wrenches... fluid had some air bubbles in it, I topped it off in the down position and turned the knob all the way closed, then again all the way open, then half way, lifted the cylinder half way up and repeated, slowly lifted and filled the cylinder as it went up, bled it, yadda yadda yadda. Basically, every conceivable combination of cylinder travel and knob position. No go. It looks like there might be leakage past the cylinder shaft, but everything is dry on the top of the cylinder... after I spilled some oil on it, there was movement around the oil on the shaft. I wrote to their online tech help, and called tech only to leave a message. I'm guessing there's an internal seal that's blown. -Brad
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