Can anyone date this?

V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
That saw in the lower photo is exactly the same as the one I have. ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€
can't recall the model no. but that was quite a lumper in the Ajax range - was also two speed .. pull out the oval handle below/beside the switchgear ... fast was FAST !!
 
S

Stroppymonkey

Well-known member
can't recall the model no. but that was quite a lumper in the Ajax range - was also two speed .. pull out the oval handle below/beside the switchgear ... fast was FAST !!
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
they're all older models ... the one I had in that pic was a more modern machine IIRC a 10" cut, but could have been a 16" - think I still have some spare blades for it here somewhere? will look
ajax have a long and convoluted history

" Ajax, formed in 1939 and based in West Mount, Halifax, Yorkshire was begun one George Carter and Donald Walker. The name for their new machine-tool company came from H.M.S. Ajax, the Royal Navy battle cruiser that had been adopted by the town.
Original products, not doubt insisted upon by the Ministry of Supply during WW2, included a variety of drilling and milling machines needed urgently for war work By 1950 a new public company, Ada Domestic Appliances had been incorporated and acquired the whole of the issued share capital of the original Ajax company. With a new machine-tool factory built and equipped at Holmfield, Halifax, the West Mount premises were used for the production of the rather less exciting though no doubt profitable washing and ironing machines. In 1953 Ajax became a Limited Liability Company and, following considerable success in machine-tool sales, was acquired in 1958 by the Dutch Electronics Group, Philips International. By the 1960s the Company had changed direction and become, as well as a manufacturer, a well-known importer and distributors of a wide range of what might be described as well-constructed but less expensive industrial machine tools. Items factored included milling machines ranging from simple hand-operated horizontal types through a number of popular Bridgeport Series 1 clones to ordinary but massively-built vertical and horizontal types. Slotting machines, shapers, metal saws, lathes drills and doubled-ended grinders were also offered in a wide variety of models, styles and sizes..
In 1979 the Company moved to new premises in Bredbury, Stockport and became part of the CEI Group, within their specialist engineering sector - a subsequent sale transferring assets to Graseby Plc. In 1992 the Company was transferred back into private ownership following a management buyout from the Graseby Group. By October 2001 the company was in new hands, having been taken over by the Viking Group - who counted amongst their acquisitions Startrite bandsaw and drilling machines. Now based in Birmingham, in November 2002 the company was taken over by its current owner Mr Savin, (who relocated it to Hampshire), to be joined in March 2005 by the long-established Southampton-based machine tool dealership Semco Machine Tools ( Southern Engineering & Machinery Co.) The Company trades successfully to this day
"
 
R

Rob65

Well-known member
they're all older models ... the one I had in that pic was a more modern machine IIRC a 10" cut, but could have been a 16" - think I still have some spare blades for it here somewhere? will look
ajax have a long and convoluted history

" Ajax, formed in 1939 and based in West Mount, Halifax, Yorkshire was begun one George Carter and Donald Walker. The name for their new machine-tool company came from H.M.S. Ajax, the Royal Navy battle cruiser that had been adopted by the town.
Original products, not doubt insisted upon by the Ministry of Supply during WW2, included a variety of drilling and milling machines needed urgently for war work By 1950 a new public company, Ada Domestic Appliances had been incorporated and acquired the whole of the issued share capital of the original Ajax company. With a new machine-tool factory built and equipped at Holmfield, Halifax, the West Mount premises were used for the production of the rather less exciting though no doubt profitable washing and ironing machines. In 1953 Ajax became a Limited Liability Company and, following considerable success in machine-tool sales, was acquired in 1958 by the Dutch Electronics Group, Philips International. By the 1960s the Company had changed direction and become, as well as a manufacturer, a well-known importer and distributors of a wide range of what might be described as well-constructed but less expensive industrial machine tools. Items factored included milling machines ranging from simple hand-operated horizontal types through a number of popular Bridgeport Series 1 clones to ordinary but massively-built vertical and horizontal types. Slotting machines, shapers, metal saws, lathes drills and doubled-ended grinders were also offered in a wide variety of models, styles and sizes..
In 1979 the Company moved to new premises in Bredbury, Stockport and became part of the CEI Group, within their specialist engineering sector - a subsequent sale transferring assets to Graseby Plc. In 1992 the Company was transferred back into private ownership following a management buyout from the Graseby Group. By October 2001 the company was in new hands, having been taken over by the Viking Group - who counted amongst their acquisitions Startrite bandsaw and drilling machines. Now based in Birmingham, in November 2002 the company was taken over by its current owner Mr Savin, (who relocated it to Hampshire), to be joined in March 2005 by the long-established Southampton-based machine tool dealership Semco Machine Tools ( Southern Engineering & Machinery Co.) The Company trades successfully to this day
"
Druid,

Those blades are getting hard to get hold of.

I picked up a load of longer ones, cut them to length with a grinder then annealed the very end so I could drill a new hole. ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€

If the feed rate is set correctly a blade lasts ages. I probably use one a year. The biggest mistake is setting the feed too fast so I keep it set slowly and just manually nudge the feed handle down whilst the auto feed is engaged if cutting say square section tube which can take a higher down feed rate when cutting the vertical faces but will snap the blade if cutting the top or bottom faces too fast.
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
Druid,

Those blades are getting hard to get hold of.

I picked up a load of longer ones, cut them to length with a grinder then annealed the very end so I could drill a new hole. ๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ˜€

If the feed rate is set correctly a blade lasts ages. I probably use one a year. The biggest mistake is setting the feed too fast so I keep it set slowly and just manually nudge the feed handle down whilst the auto feed is engaged if cutting say square section tube which can take a higher down feed rate when cutting the vertical faces but will snap the blade if cutting the top or bottom faces too fast.
and not cheap either :oops:
as with all saws, it's all in the feed rate for blade longevity(y)
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
used to have a bank of three Paceras on one base in work ... kept different sizes in each .. was very handy

a pic of a 3 bank base with one missing also with bigger 5/8" heads
View attachment 53352
and talk of the devil
1703782077691.png
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...f=marketplace_profile&referral_code=undefined
 
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Stroppymonkey

Well-known member
Screenshot_20240929-173304_Facebook.jpg

This one is for sale the other end of the county. Looks very similar to what I remember using as a kid. The clamping mechanism isn't in situ.. is that what I see sat in the coolant tray on the side? Not sure what blade size or how available blades are for these?
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
looks like an Ajax , or might be a Qualters and Smith - some did have rack type vice .. what's in the tray looks like bandsaw drop guide set up to me @Stroppymonkey -- blades're available - looks to be a 16" to me - 6" capacity BTLs
gotta eat - will come back with more info. shortly - getting yelled at
 
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V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
1727629733358.png




also available in 14", 18" and 20" .... I have quite a few of various sizes -- DO NOT buy cheap non HSS blades

what're they asking for that little saw @Stroppymonkey - the feed system on those was quite good and mechanical -- the hydraulic systems weren't the best at saving the blades on the non-cutting stroke (needs to lift the blade to prevent the backs of the teeth wearing)

I've had all sorts of 'breeds' over the years -- pretty old hat these days - but OK if it's occasional use .... you also need to pack the work piece regularly to use a different part of the blade, or just one section wears out
 
S

Stroppymonkey

Well-known member
View attachment 65035



also available in 14", 18" and 20" .... I have quite a few of various sizes -- DO NOT buy cheap non HSS blades

what're they asking for that little saw @Stroppymonkey - the feed system on those was quite good and mechanical -- the hydraulic systems weren't the best at saving the blades on the non-cutting stroke (needs to lift the blade to prevent the backs of the teeth wearing)
ยฃ250.. I missed one closer a tad cheaper the other day. Trying to find out if its complete...
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
ยฃ250.. I missed one closer a tad cheaper the other day. Trying to find out if its complete...
looking at that pic I put up, above - it's had a massive repair on the bow ..... trick with a donkey saw is always check that whatever you have in the vice does not strike the bow on the back stroke ... or you'll be repairing the bow too :rolleyes:
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
ยฃ250.. I missed one closer a tad cheaper the other day. Trying to find out if its complete...
's not a lot for one of them ... but at the same time it'd want to be tidy at that too .. they really don't make big money - blades are expensive, they're slow and there are so many cheap bandsaws about, they have become ''old hat'' .. good plodding machine for occasional use

I had 3 x 6" and 2 x 8" sat around in storage when I cleared my w/shop ... hadn't been used for years and were expensive machines in their day

this is a good buy -- and a dealer - gives you an idea of their worth --- IIRC they'm circa 200-ish kgs, so'd go on a 1/4 pallet :rolleyes:

Or try Dave Martin - DRM machinery down your way in Devon - tell him I gave you the lead - see if he has anything, or'd probably find you one cheap enough .... good bloke - known him a long time - have bought from and sold to him many times
 
S

Stroppymonkey

Well-known member
's not a lot for one of them ... but at the same time it'd want to be tidy at that too .. they really don't make big money - blades are expensive, they're slow and there are so many cheap bandsaws about, they have become ''old hat'' .. good plodding machine for occasional use

I had 3 x 6" and 2 x 8" sat around in storage when I cleared my w/shop ... hadn't been used for years and were expensive machines in their day

this is a good buy -- and a dealer - gives you an idea of their worth --- IIRC they'm circa 200-ish kgs, so'd go on a 1/4 pallet :rolleyes:

Or try Dave Martin - DRM machinery down your way in Devon - tell him I gave you the lead - see if he has anything, or'd probably find you one cheap enough .... good bloke - known him a long time - have bought from and sold to him many times
itโ€™s purely sentimental reasons I want one for, reclaiming my lost childhood and all that. My grandfather built a pillar drill from scratch before I was born, I plan to get that out of storage one day . Not sure wether youโ€™ll be horrified or impressed when you see it. Only pillar drill Iโ€™ve ever seen with reverse gear ๐Ÿคฃ
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
if this has got a pack of 10 new blades with it - you've bought the blades with a free saw - 1/2horse motor so an easy change if 3 ph (or buy a VFD and have variable speed) .. also two speed and suds is driven by a belt off main motor, if you want to use it ..

'bout 50 miles from me
 
S

Stroppymonkey

Well-known member
looking at that pic I put up, above - it's had a massive repair on the bow ..... trick with a donkey saw is always check that whatever you have in the vice does not strike the bow on the back stroke ... or you'll be repairing the bow too :rolleyes:
This one looks repaired as well....



1727697395903.png
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
I had a baby Ajax, many years ago (when I had a workshop full of much bigger gear) :rolleyes: and sold it to a mate, as wasn't using it :giggle: -- IIRC it was a 4" -- a real dinky little thing -- never seen one before or since - two of you could pick it up and carry it :oops:
If I can a find a clean decent one without driving too far then a couple hundred not unreasonable. Something else for my kids to have to clear out when my times up ๐Ÿ˜‚
that sort of money wouldn't be out the way for a decent one - I like their mechanical lift/drop control system - so much more reliable than the other make's hydraulic systems (y)
 
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