Thanks Bill. Never considered up pressure on guide blocks could be an issue. Will keep an eye on that.

I think I’d gusset the support bracket on the left (drive) side. If you just take it off and weld in some gussets it won’t bend or flex. Those nylon guide bushings look like they’ll wear all right. I run a Woodmizer LT 40 hydraulic and the blade guide runs on rollers with what resemble very narrow v-pulleys with square bar in them. They can be finnicky as well but they at least have bearings in them. Maybe you can modify yours to run on roller bearings or something. As far as blades breaking, I usually get 3 or 4 sharpenings out of a blade and then they’ll break. I think it’s work-hardening. My old grinding system won’t get right through the gullet like the new CBN wheels do so maybe that’s part of it although I’ve heard other people say that they don’t get much more even with the gullet ground out to get rid of cracks. I think maybe your mill runs larger diameter blade wheels so I think that would help if it’s a work-hardening issue. Milling is a bunch of work but it’s rewarding in many ways as you say. It can be a hobby that pays its own way and sometimes much better.

If I had the money I would have a woodmizer or a Cooks. There are many quirks with these Norwood machines, You get what you pay for, affordable but with issues.