Mitering chopsaw upgrade

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We've been using the mitering chop saw so much lately that I decided it was time to upgrade it a little. I'd considered putting a dry cut blade on it when I got but really didn't use it enough to justify it at the time. Lately there's been lots of square tube frames with miters and it's seen a lot of use. So it was time to make the change.  Thus I dug out the browning book and started looking up belt drive specs and searching McMaster for the right combination to make it work. The saw originally had a 2.6" drive and 3.15" driven pulley with double VX belts on it. I'd had some trouble with belt slipping when mitering the 3/16" and 1/4" wall 2" tubing till I tightened the belt tighter than I'd like to. By the same token I didn't want to have to big a pulley on the driven end since it eats into cutting capability.    I originally looked into poly-v belts. I figured they would go around a small motor pulley better than a standard v-belt. But the numbers didn't add up. In order to get enough horse power transferred I'd need at least a 16 groove wide belt. But I couldn't get a pulley small enough with that many grooves. Neither McMaster nor Browning showed any available. Browning showed them in a 6 groove wide but not wider.   Thus I went to the VX section of the Browning book to see the engineering data on them. Turns out they're rated a lot better than the poly-v and even go around the small pulley well. But to get to the speed I wanted with them I needed a 6" driven pulley with the drive pulley that was on the motor. Bigger than I wanted and bigger than McMaster had available. Not wanting to spend time on a special order from my bearing house I looked further. Browning showed that a 2.3" drive with a 5" driven would get me most of the way to my target speed of 1500rpm (I was shooting for that since at least one saw I looked up run at that speed). But McMaster didn't have the 2.3" pulley. They did have the 5" though so I ordered it along with the belts that the Browning book showed to be right for the center distance needed.   They arrived Thurs along with some other needed stuff. Thus thurs night I stayed late and machined the motor pulley down to 2.3" and installed the 5" then tried the saw. Now I'm not totally unfamiliar with dry cut saws. I've had the large Evolution hand held saw since shortly after they came out. I've always thought that the chop saw was a better place for it with much less chance of ruining blades with chatter or mishaps. However I was pretty impressed with how well the new blade cut the 2" heavy wall tubing at a miter that I had to fight with before.   Anyway I finished modifying and installing the belt guard that night. It's been real busy lately so I didn't have time to get back to the saw but one thing kept running through my mind was that large dangerous looking blade there and the hard to work barrel switch on the saw. Just to much temptation to leave the was running. Thus I starting thinking of ways to put a switch on the handle that would force the saw to stop when you let go. I considered a push button on the end of a pipe handle (the handle was originally pipe but had been busted multiple times before I got the saw so I made a solid one). But my thumb is a bit sore right now (don't know what I did but that's normal) and I didn't like the way it felt pulling the handle and holding my thumb on the end. Plus it was to easy for something to hit the end of the handle by accident. I wanted something more ergonomic with a safety guard of some kind. So I started thinking about putting the push button where it would work as a trigger. But I wanted a good rubber covered push button and they only come in large sizes so no room. Then started thinking toggle switch. I generally keep spring to center toggles in stock since they're used on a lot of hay beds for controls. I didn't have a good quality one but I did have one so I started thinking about how to do that. Thus I came up with the idea that I used of putting the toggle on top with a box around it and using it like a trigger. I've got some of the good quality oil tight toggles on my next McMaster order but the one I had will work for a good while.   Anyway I spent a couple of hours this afternoon (after fixing a bad solenoid on the stove) making and installing the handle for the saw. I think it came out great. Attached ImagesMillermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Nice job.  I enjoy reading your posts and projects.Walt
Reply:Your a very busy man IrishHope it works well for youBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Originally Posted by stuk4x4Nice job.  I enjoy reading your posts and projects.Walt
Reply:let it spill irish. Its good for the soul and makes a good read.
Reply:Originally Posted by irish fixit Wow sorry. Sometimes it just comes spilling out when I don't mean for it to.  Anyway I think I've managed to do pretty well getting this far considering how little I started out with.
Reply:Originally Posted by CarlHlet it spill irish. Its good for the soul and makes a good read.