Keller Die Filer

[EdT]

I just acquired a Keller die filer made in the early '70's. It's equipped with the little 'blower" that is meant to blow the filing swarf away from where you're working. Mine does not work and, while I can imagine how it works and what's inside, the "guts" appear to be staked into the main casting. So, I thought I'd try to learn what's in there before I do minor surgery on the casting along with some other dis-assembly to excise the thing and try to fix it. Any one have an idea of what's in there?

 

[Mohawk Dave]

On my Leten band saw there is a little vane pump that is driven off a belt. My vanes were all goo-ed up. I cleaned everything, lubed, and put back together without issue.

I'm guessing you may have something similar.

 

[tool_scrounge]

I just acquired a Keller die filer made in the early '70's. It's equipped with the little 'blower" that is meant to blow the filing swarf away from where you're working. Mine does not work and, while I can imagine how it works and what's inside, the "guts" appear to be staked into the main casting. So, I thought I'd try to learn what's in there before I do minor surgery on the casting along with some other dis-assembly to excise the thing and try to fix it. Any one have an idea of what's in there?

Here is an exploded parts diagram, but it does not show the blower.

I suspect it works like this:
When the ram of the die filer is lowered on every cycle, it pushes air out of the main body casting. This air is routed out thru the blower tube. I suspect the blower tube has a check valve (or flapper) that prevents air from being pulled back sucked back into the hose, buy maybe not. Keller tended to design things super simple as they were at the bottom of the machinery food chain. Check to see if the hose is plugged.

Keller die filers seemed to run quite fast for my likes - hard on the file teeth. If I still has a Keller I would put a DC motor on it and a variable speed control. Even an 1140RPM motor would be an improvement.

 

[EdT]

Tool-scrounge/Dave,
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I am quite sure you are correct on the basic function of the blower. I have not been successful in finding any construction details of the blower and all I can see on the machine is a staked in, round nylon block in the casting where the oscillating shaft comes out of the main casting. Presumably, the guts of the blower lie below that block or maybe the block is just a filler installed after the original parts failed. Anyway, maybe Ill do some exploratory surgery today and see if I can figure it out.

 

[Hagatronics]

I've got a 1946 DoAll bandsaw with the same problem. I'm ditching it to put in shop air via a solenoid valve and regulator.

 

[EdT]

Well, I did some exploratory dis-assembly today and found that, if there ever was a blower fitted, it has been replaced by a simple lip seal attached to/retained by a nylon cylinder about 5/8" tall. Probably item 15 on the parts diagram above. I didn't pull the seal assembly out of the casting since there would be little to gain by doing so. I imagine the pumping stuff lived in the space now occupied by most of the nylon cylinder. While I could probably figure out what was there originally and/or come up with something that would fit, it may not be worth the time at this moment. I am pretty sure that the filer originally came with the blower feature since it came with the hose stuck into the point on the casting where it should be and there's a hose retaining rivet that intersects the hole.
Any additional input would be welcome.