Rapidor Saw

I'm looking at re-painting my Rapidor Manchester saw in it's original colours. I've looked on the web for info, but can't find any decent examples. Some people say that the saw was grey with red lettering and cream tray, others say it was green. Any suggestions and maybe photo's would be of great help. Thanks, Mike

Here is a picture of one Best Wishes Martin

Mine is a wonderful shade of dark orange

I should really sell it as i've not used it for some time as I have a Qualters & Smith too.

_Paul_

I have a photo of my machine in green but have no idea how to upload it.sorry can send you an email if you need it.

Bri

I think I have added it in the album section, but this site use needs a bit of dabbling in black magic and I am no wizard.

Bri

My Rapidor wears its original paint is pale green with creamy suds tray and the lettering on the bow also cream. It was built in 1974 and I suspect followed the trend for machines to change from grey to pale green as earlier rapidor machines seem to be grey with red features. The drive system seems to be an indicator of vintage. My machine was manufactured by Alexander of Dudley and has a compact drive motor gearbox made by Newman Motors. The older machines were made in Manchester by Edward G. Herbert of Atlas Works Levenshulme. The drive systems on older machines seem to vary quite alot with some having a clutch, perhaps for drive from line shafting?

Mike

Thanks everyone for the information and photo's, so it looks like I've got a choice of green and cream or red. Guess I'll have to toss for it. Thanks again, Mike

Hi Mike,

Don't forget grey - I used Rapidors in industry and a few schools and they were all Grey/Red colour schemes. They would all have been bought in the 50s and 60s so they didn't succumb to the 1970s 'Reseda Green Everywhere' syndrome. I think that Grey/Red is rather smart (My University's colours) .

Regards

Terry

The one I sourced for my last employment was the same all-over red as Pauls.

It showed no signs of having been repainted, or even primered/undercoated - just red paint straight onto the casting. War Finish, maybe ?

Regards,

Nigel B.

As an aside to this thread, I know that the Rapidor saw is specifically designed to lift slightlyon the back stroke, and because of this, must be run in one direction (rotation) only. Can anyone tell me what the correct rotation is? Mine is running clockwise looking at the belt pulley side, Is that correct?

Phil

How much you want for it Paul

Hi Mike, mine is in three four colours, firstly the motor base and legs are white, the saw body that holds the vice the hydraulic damper and the saw frame carriage is green and the saw frame is black with red (whats left of it) lettering. Mine has what looks like a workshop made guard around the belts and pulleys, which just has grey primer on it. All the paint looks a bit distressed but it still cuts metal OK.

Phil, if I understand your rotation, you have it correct. The rod that pushes the saw frame should be pushing overarm.

When I first started work there was one of these, and that shared line shafting with the carpenters vertical band saw, no special clutch was used, just engaged the dog clutch that is fitted to these saws.

Regards Nick.

Hi, I knew I had a photo of mine. This is how it looked when I bought it and unloaded it off my trailer. It still looks the same, apart from the motor was changed for a single phase one and the stop/start was removed. Currently I just plug in in when I need to use it, but one day hope to put a proper single phase stop/start on it.

I think it was probaly green and red originally by the look of it.

Regards Nick.