# Bought a 1940s Montgomery Ward table saw. I need help!



## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

I hit a yard sale today and happened upon a 1940s Montgomery Ward table saw. Absolutely love it. It's built like a mac truck. It's in fabulous condition with a couple minor issues, like the arbor bearings are fairly dry and so I decided to replace them. As soon as I got it home, I tore it apart. Cabinet is going to get painted up, but I'm having real issues getting the sealed bearings out of the arbor. The problem is the shaft. On one side I have the backing washer for the blade, and on the other side of the hub is the pulley, which came off after a great deal of struggle. I removed a "C" clip on the shaft up against the bearing, and attempted to drive the shaft through but it absolutely is a no go. The blade backing washer likewise seems to be a no go either. I've resorted to using wedges and then center hitting the shaft but it's not giving at all, and I'm holding back on account of not wanting to do any damage. I've soaked the bearing to shaft points of contact with WD 40...... contemplating using heat since it's all cast iron and hell for stout. Any thing I'm missing here? I'm sorry I have no photos, the camera batteries are dead. Thank you to anyone who can coach me. Wisdom at my age has nudged me to stop and seek advice. So I'm in a waiting pattern!  
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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Howdy Tractor Beam,

Seventy years of rust/corrosion may require heat to break the bond.


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## bbirder (Feb 26, 2006)

Tractor beam,

WD won't get it. You need a good penetrant. Try PBBlaster or Kroil. I've also used a 50/50 blend of acetone and auto transmission oil. It works well on rusted bolts, but like sixbales said, it might take a little heat to persuade it.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Before you do that,look for a set screw,...they were noted for using them !
Also,they used the roll-to lock collar type of bearings,where you had to tap the collar CCW to release it!


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Thanks guys. I'll dabble with it tonight after work. The shaft and the bearings look brand new I swear it. I popped that "C" clip off and there is a flat spot on the pulley side of the shaft for the set screw which was missing. I was contemplating putting a wrench on that flat spot and somehow holding the backing washer in a way as to not damage it, and see if I could get it to turn. This saw is really sweet by the way. Stunned Montgomery Ward ever made something this well. When I was a lad, my mamma bought everything from Wards and Sears, back when they were still huge, and still did catalogs. Here's the photos from the peoples ad on craigslist. I'll have photos as soon as I get a battery for the camera..........Enjoy!


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## bbirder (Feb 26, 2006)

D*mn John, 
I'm older than you and I should have thunk about that. I guess my thunker is not working as good as it used to. :dazed:
Seriously, it looks like a good piece of equipment tractor beam. Hope you can get it apart without damage. All of the mailorder houses had better quality back in those days than you what you can buy today. :usa:


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

jhngardner367 said:


> Before you do that,look for a set screw,...they were noted for using them !
> Also,they used the roll-to lock collar type of bearings,where you had to tap the collar CCW to release it!


It looks just like a regular sealed cartridge bearing. You can see the inner race turning with the shaft, the shield and the outer race. There is clearly something holding it in, I mean that I've tapped on it hard enough that something should have given by now but you can still see the "C" clip groove on the shaft still right up against the outer portion of inner race on the pulley side, and the bearing on the blade side about 3 inches away, on that hub, the outside portion of the inner race is smack up against the blades backing washer. It looked like the backing washer, which is about a half inch thick at least, perhaps 5/8s was slipped on the shaft, but I'm thinking it's one piece. I drove wedges in behind the washer up against the shaft housing which is cast iron and this thing is not budging.  Going to go out here in a bit and hit it with some heat, which will surely destroy the bearings on both sides.


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## bbirder (Feb 26, 2006)

Tractor Beam,
checked out ome youtube videos and it seems like a press fit, so you will probably need a bearing puller. Check out 
'pull the arbor" and "install the arbor".
About half way in on the first he shows how to make a puller. Good tips on both even if the model is different.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

tractor beam said:


> It looks just like a regular sealed cartridge bearing. You can see the inner race turning with the shaft, the shield and the outer race. There is clearly something holding it in, I mean that I've tapped on it hard enough that something should have given by now but you can still see the "C" clip groove on the shaft still right up against the outer portion of inner race on the pulley side, and the bearing on the blade side about 3 inches away, on that hub, the outside portion of the inner race is smack up against the blades backing washer. It looked like the backing washer, which is about a half inch thick at least, perhaps 5/8s was slipped on the shaft, but I'm thinking it's one piece. I drove wedges in behind the washer up against the shaft housing which is cast iron and this thing is not budging.  Going to go out here in a bit and hit it with some heat, which will surely destroy the bearings on both sides.


Try to see the bearing numbers,before doing that,and see if they have them available.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

I finally had to destroy the one bearing totally, in order to send in a large screw driver to drive out the shaft, then carefully grind off the inner race from the shaft. Nicked it once, but got it off. The bearing was physically so close to the backing washer that you couldn't get it with any gear puller. Anyways, I took the bearing I had to destroy and was able to mic it and get some Japanese made bearings, not Chinese made...........you know me........ Anyways, the saw is going back together. Photos soon.......


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