need help with older TS 55 EQ (not TS 55 REQ) tracksaw

[dicktill]

Hi all,

I have managed to break off the tab on the gear housing that hits against the depth adjustment on my older TS 55 EQ (see photo). I did not notice when this happened, and so do not have the broken off tab. The gear housing was $135 last time I looked, and obviously the saw must be completely disassembled to replace it, so costly to fix. I have thought about building up a stop with epoxy and possibly some metal, but since I don't have the missing part, I'm not sure what it should look like. Help requested:
1)  photo(s) of what the original tab looked like
2)  ideas on how to DIY fix this
3)  anyone have a burned out TS 55 EQ for parts?

TIA, Dick

 

[Roseland]

Like this?

AndrewView attachment 1

 

[dicktill]

Thanks Andrew!!!

 

[Michael Kellough]

I’d drill 2 or 3 small holes (1/64” or so to suit) to hold stiff piano wire studs around which I’d mold epoxy putty. I like plumber’s Pro Poxy or Hercules epoxy putty. When you get it mixed (kneaded) just it gets very sticky and with the little steel studs it will probably hold up.

For extra insurance scrape the paint of the nearby corners of the rectangular depressions and scratch the metal to hold additional epoxy as fillets.

I don’t remember what those rectangular depressions do other than hold dust when the vac is not used but if that’s all you could fill the higher one with epoxy for a really strong stop.

An extra benefit of using the epoxy putty is that it can be sanded and scraped to adjust the fit to the depth scale. Just make the post bigger than needed and run a sharp chisel down the front side until it starts to look about the right size and then make a test cut.

 

[mike_aa]

What Michael said makes good sense, but you might want to consider using a "metal" epoxy putty like this one.  Although I've never used the metal putty, I have used their other product called PC-7 epoxy on a few projects and it worked great.

Thanks, Mike A.

 

[dicktill]

Thanks to both Michael's!

I've been thinking of shaping a small piece of hardwood to fit in the upper window (it's just a dust collector as mentioned - actually, it makes good casting sense), and epoxy that in place. If only I were a whittler.  : )