Kalamazoo horiz. band saw counterweight springs

tom in nh · Feb 3, 2013

Have a 9AW (new to me) bandsaw that needs new extension springs - one is missing - might as well put two new ones back on.
These are the headweight compensation springs part number 9A-170. Looks like a heavy gate type spring - not your average screen door type.
Who makes them for Clausing / KTS? Got to be a cheap source somewhere....I have spent a few hours looking - not having any good luck.
Cost for aftermarket ones are to the tune of $160+ for the pair. I would imagine Clausing wants more. This cheap bastard would prefer to save that excess dough.
I assume these constantly break, given that these are consumables that wear - anyone have a better solution? A friend uses a counterweight (beam with assorted drops hanging on) on his smaller saw. Gas charged cylinder?

Anyways, I measured the remaining spring for future reference (approx. dimensions):

body length: 8.75"
free length: 10.375"
wire diameter: .156" (5/32")
length between outer loop coils: 10.063"
number of coils: 56
inside diameter: .84375 (27/32")
outside diameter: 1.156"

Does anyone know of a cheaper source or better counterbalance method?

Thanks,
Tom

matt_isserstedt · Feb 3, 2013

Wondering if you could adapt this (model #346)

W.B. Jones Spring Company:springs manufacturer, coil, compression, torsion, extension springs

tnmgcarbide · Feb 3, 2013

sounds like a job for mcmaster:

McMaster-Carr

tom in nh · Feb 4, 2013

I will order the ones from Matt's link.
Tnmg: I checked them out already. However, mcmaster part number McMaster-Carr has the same values at Matt's link except it has closed loops instead of open loops. I dismissed that one because of that issue. I suppose one could carefully cut the loop to make it fit.
Thanks for the effort, mates!

tnmgcarbide · Feb 4, 2013

that's cool your saw has reasonably easy to find springs . my kazoo 816 has a torsion spring , which is a pia to adjust , and
i suspect it's getting soft .
if / when it fails i'm probably going to mod it to use some other type of spring arrangement where i don't have to pull out the
sump to adjust the thing .

tom in nh · Feb 4, 2013

tnmgcarbide said:
if / when it fails i'm probably going to mod it to use some other type of spring arrangement where i don't have to pull out the
sump to adjust the thing .

Having never seen a model 816 - how about modifying the sump instead?

strength and pow · Feb 5, 2013

Century Spring in Los Angeles. Pretty sure if they don't have it, it doesn't exist spring wise

Fabitfast · Feb 5, 2013

Try to check Bandsaw parts; Band Saw Parts for Marvel, Doall, Hydmech and Hem Band saws; We specialize in Marvel 8 Bandsaws . They have a counter spring for Kalamazoo 9AW . You may even want to give them a call.

tnmgcarbide · Feb 5, 2013

this is the spring and adjustment lever on my 1967 816w . impossible to get to . you can't just 'reach in there and adjust the thing. there's no
clearance between the lever and tank . easiest way to adjust is to set the spring tension w/ a pipe cheater , then jack up the end
of the saw , then tip the empty sump into it . not a fun one-man job .

extension spring(s) at the end of the saw could buffer the thing enough that i could lose the tensioner from the frame .

Kalamazoo Head Weight Compensation Spring

tom in nh · Feb 8, 2013

That does look like a pain in the ass, tnmg.
Too bad the design was not extended to the outside of the sump.
Could that be done?
Tom

PaulM · Feb 8, 2013

On the 816 torsion spring - my suspicion is that the "sump" was really and afterthought (whether factory of owner installed). I have the same saw but the dry model (older with the name cast into the covers) - no issue in getting to the handle. That said the adjustment of the handle has about 4 or 5 positions which just move the lever of the spring a relatively small amount. It should be possible to make an adjuster that works from above adjustable by bolt or similar.

Paul

shoprat2 · Apr 10, 2020

816 torsion spring

PaulM said:
On the 816 torsion spring - my suspicion is that the "sump" was really and afterthought (whether factory of owner installed). I have the same saw but the dry model (older with the name cast into the covers) - no issue in getting to the handle. That said the adjustment of the handle has about 4 or 5 positions which just move the lever of the spring a relatively small amount. It should be possible to make an adjuster that works from above adjustable by bolt or similar.

Paul

I have an old Kalamazoo 816 and that Part No. S70 Spring just broke. It's the Feed Pressure, or, Head Weight spring that is set with the adjustment lever on the front of the machine. I got a lot of service out of it, though. I bought the machine used in 1981 and rarely has it gone more than 2 or 3 days without being used since then.
But, it's a heavy torsion spring made with .437dia wire wound into 3 - 4 coils of about 3 1/2" dia and I'm having trouble finding one. Searching for it is how I found this thread.
Are any of you guys still on this forum? I would greatly appreciate any info you can give me. I think it's unlikely I will find a new one, so, I'm going to make one. Can anybody tell me what material to use? Everything seems to be at a standstill right now with this corona virus, so, I didn't think this would be an urgent problem, but, I just got a job today and I have to cut a bunch of pieces out of bar stock. I need that saw!
Richard
Berco Precision
[email protected]
661-295-5171

Jack Burk · Nov 26, 2021

tom in nh said:
Have a 9AW (new to me) bandsaw that needs new extension springs - one is missing - might as well put two new ones back on.
These are the headweight compensation springs part number 9A-170. Looks like a heavy gate type spring - not your average screen door type.
Who makes them for Clausing / KTS? Got to be a cheap source somewhere....I have spent a few hours looking - not having any good luck.
Cost for aftermarket ones are to the tune of $160+ for the pair. I would imagine Clausing wants more. This cheap bastard would prefer to save that excess dough.
I assume these constantly break, given that these are consumables that wear - anyone have a better solution? A friend uses a counterweight (beam with assorted drops hanging on) on his smaller saw. Gas charged cylinder?

Anyways, I measured the remaining spring for future reference (approx. dimensions):

body length: 8.75"
free length: 10.375"
wire diameter: .156" (5/32")
length between outer loop coils: 10.063"
number of coils: 56
inside diameter: .84375 (27/32")
outside diameter: 1.156"

Does anyone know of a cheaper source or better counterbalance method?

Thanks,
Tom

We have been using a Kalamazoo saw for about 20 years and have changed the springs a couple of times. We need to replace them now and have just ordered a pair from Kalamazoosawparts.com for $24.00 each plus shipping.

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Kalamazoo horiz. band saw counterweight springs

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