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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Here in Connecticut, where the history is centuries of metalworking, but there’s much other history, old machines, especially big and heavy ones, mostly go begging, even the many that originated here. I’ve been a member for decades of the CT Antique Machinery outfit in Kent, where reside things like steam engines with 12’ flywheels, and where, each summer, festivals bring all sorts of exhibits and vendors, and tens of thousands of people: women even. Picked up an Emmert there just for fun (it’s not as great as it seems), and from a Pennysaver ad, a 15” two-knife planer, no name, but maybe 1880s, gasoline powered when I got it, but probably originally overhead shaft. Took the 8hp Briggs off and introduced it to -electricity-, and then a repurposed heavy DC gearmotor drive for the feed. Never actually found a use for it!
Some of the bigger ancient bandsaws, with curved frames and CI embellishments are very decorative, especially with exposed wheels. But steam engines are poetic.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jim simpson
I like the see-through blade guard!
I saw a big bandsaw like that running once, and I was impressed with how slowly the wheel was turning. You don't need many rpms to move a lot of linear feet of blade when the wheels are that large.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rick Lindstrom
I saw a big bandsaw like that running once, and I was impressed with how slowly the wheel was turning. You don't need many rpms to move a lot of linear feet of blade when the wheels are that large.
Large bandsaws give us several advantages. The blade bends around a larger radius wheel than a smaller saw, and that means that there is less work hardening/metal fatigue, so fewer broken blades. The blade bends around the wheels fewer times per cut, and that means that there is less work hardening/metal fatigue, so fewer broken blades. The longer blade has more total teeth compared to a similar blade operating on a smaller saw, and that means blades stay sharper longer. More throat clearance means more versatility. Added mass means added smoothness. Etc. etc..
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Getting pulled back into the world of Old Woodworking Machines.😀
I just picked this one up. I’m going to build some cabinets this weekend, then will hopefully have some restoration pics soon.
Has anyone used one of these Powermatic 66 table saws? Was looking for a unisaw but could never find anything local. This seems to be a pretty solid saw, though.
Attachment 197415
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
I used one of those way back when I made my first instrument! It was a great tool, and though I own and use a Unisaw, I think I liked the Powermatic a little better.
I recall an article in some woodworking magazine in the late 70s or early 80s that compared the two (Powermatic vs Unisaw). As I remember it, their conclusion was: 'Do you want a green saw or a gray saw?'
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sunburst
I used one of those way back when I made my first instrument! It was a great tool, and though I own and use a Unisaw, I think I liked the Powermatic a little better.
Nice! I'm excited to put it to use. I plugged it up for the first time last night and it's quiet and smooth. Just need to track down a good miter gauge for it.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
You can gift your new saw with a (homemade) sliding miter table, complete with safety guard and end block so the blade can’t get your thumbs. The miter insert can be made removable, which could be useful if you get into polygons numbered more than four. I’ve made two of these, but can’t report doing much with them.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
'Just got off the road traveling over to Virginia this week (amazing fall colors still holding strong!) and picked up a 16" Walker Turner bandsaw with all of the art deco goodies for a friend of mine who said he was tired of waiting years asking for me to finally sell mine. Since I was the passenger for the drive, I brought along a new mandolin that was unfinished in the white and a box of handtools. By the end of the day, I had it strung up, the setup dialed in, the neck profiled, the soundholes cut, and a nice pile of shavings and sawdust at my feet on the floor of the van!
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
j. condino
'Just got off the road traveling over to Virginia this week (amazing fall colors still holding strong!) and picked up a 16" Walker Turner bandsaw with all of the art deco goodies for a friend of mine who said he was tired of waiting years asking for me to finally sell mine. Since I was the passenger for the drive, I brought along a new mandolin that was unfinished in the white and a box of handtools. By the end of the day, I had it strung up, the setup dialed in, the neck profiled, the soundholes cut, and a nice pile of shavings and sawdust at my feet on the floor of the van!
Sounds like a pretty fun day for you!
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
I used a Powermatic 66 with a Biesemeyer fence for many years. A very solid, accurate beast of a saw. You can do just about anything with it. Time spent tweaking the adjustments will be well-rewarded.
Obligatory plug here for the Forrest Woodworker II saw blades. (No financial interest, here, just 25 years as a happy user.) Expensive, yes, but the cut edges come out perfect and ready to glue.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
j. condino
'Just got off the road traveling over to Virginia this week (amazing fall colors still holding strong!) and picked up a 16" Walker Turner bandsaw with all of the art deco goodies for a friend of mine who said he was tired of waiting years asking for me to finally sell mine.
I just saw a WT 16" listed for sale in Virginia. I wonder if it's the same one? It was very complete--had the original pulley cover too. That sounds like a fun trip.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
It was over in Virginia Beach; pretty cool because the seller had a completely rusted out dead one, the middle quality one that we bought, and a top shelf restored one with a big 3 horse 3 phase motor that resawed 10" like it was cutting fresh bread. Yes, it was a very fun day for a lot of reasons. I cannot emphasize enough how amazing the fall colors were the entire day.
I often do the "roadtrip luthier" thing- bring along a top or back or something like that to work on. Put a big towel over my lap to pickup the shavings, laugh and talk and carve away while passisng the miles, and when we stop I shake out all of the wood chips and sawdust. By the end of the day I've accomplished a pretty good amount of work and not really even noticed it compared to a day of intense focus at the workbench.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Just call me prissy, but I’d be a bit worried about having a friend as passenger who’s got a lapful of very sharp tools and a chunk of wood!
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
'Just another reason why you and I will probably never go on a roadtrip in search of old tools & fine red spruce while laughing playing tunes driving through the Blueridge Mountains on a beautiful fall day.... ;)
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Hello,
I do not consider myself a luthier or a real woodworker. I did think at one point that I would have more time to pursue building instruments so I picked this jointer up at a thrift store. It is lacking a motor. I will probably not get around to ever doing anything with this, in fact if anyone in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area would actually use it you could pick it up as it is mostly storing spiders at the moment. Don't pick it up if this could be the final straw in the relationship with your spouse.
"You just had to get a what?!!!"
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Cool jointer, Tug! Check out the owwm.org forum and you can learn anything and everything about it.
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5 Attachment(s)
Re: Old Woodworking Machines
I almost forgot about this project. I can’t share it on the owwm forum because it would be borderline blasphemous to show something that’s not an actual old machine. I took the guts out of a harbor freight spindle sander and made it an Art Deco body out of MDF. It’s actually kind of nice having a big table top for the sander. And it’s a lot prettier to look at.
Attachment 197613Attachment 197612Attachment 197614Attachment 197615Attachment 197616
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Walt
Cool jointer, Tug! Check out the owwm.org forum and you can learn anything and everything about it.
Thanks Walt
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
The school I went to back in the 70s had this massive bandsaw - they said it had originally been designed for meat cutting, as in cutting steers in half, if I had to guess. It cut through hardwoods and sliced them thin and straight without a whimper. You would not have probably fit that in the back of your LUV pickup though.
Not a machine, per se, but I've got an old brace and bit [set] that's 60+ years old (dad used it to build our model train platform) and an even older electric hand drill (Craftsman, though the metal label fell off some years ago). Both still get used. (Used the brace & bit for the endpin jack hole on my old OM just a while back.)
They really don't make them like they used to.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jonathan Ward
...Obligatory plug here for the Forrest Woodworker II saw blades. (No financial interest, here, just 25 years as a happy user.) Expensive, yes, but the cut edges come out perfect and ready to glue.
Forrest, the pride of Clifton, NJ. :)
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Walt
I almost forgot about this project. I can’t share it on the owwm forum because it would be borderline blasphemous to show something that’s not an actual old machine. I took the guts out of a harbor freight spindle sander and made it an Art Deco body out of MDF. It’s actually kind of nice having a big table top for the sander. And it’s a lot prettier to look at...
Ok, that's really cool. I hadn't even thought about the concept of a faux machine. I've been so busy building out functional stuff it never occurred to me to make it pretty as well. I really like that.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Walt
Cool jointer, Tug! Check out the owwm.org forum and you can learn anything and everything about it.
Just a note that OWWM has a Facebook Group as well.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
I really dislike this thread. Every time I see it I catch myself searching Craigslist and such looking for old equipment up here. When I finally slip and buy an old machine and get it I’m telling her it’s this forums fault. You guys and gals are dangerous! I want a giant bandsaw like Sunbursts!
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tug
Hello,
I do not consider myself a luthier or a real woodworker. I did think at one point that I would have more time to pursue building instruments so I picked this jointer up at a thrift store. It is lacking a motor. I will probably not get around to ever doing anything with this, in fact if anyone in the Minneapolis / St. Paul area would actually use it you could pick it up as it is mostly storing spiders at the moment. Don't pick it up if this could be the final straw in the relationship with your spouse.
"You just had to get a what?!!!"
I have a 1950s-vintage jointer almost exactly like yours. Eighty bucks on Craigslist a few years ago. (The woman who sold it was liquidating the last of her late father's woodworking equipment, and was pleased to have the old machine go to a good home.) A few hours of rust removal, rewiring, tweaking and tuneup (including a link belt), and it's a precision instrument. "What are you gonna do with a four-inch jointer?" you may ask. Tops and backs. It'll spit out glue-ready plates all day long. Dust collection happens courtesy of a 6 x 12 HVAC register boot mounted under the table. If I need more capacity, my neighbor has a 10-inch jointer with an eight-foot bed. (I haven't needed more capacity.)
If you decide to take Tug up on his offer, you might be quite pleased.
I do not have a wife, so equipment decisions only have to satisfy a business case.
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Re: Old Woodworking Machines
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Bertotti
I really dislike this thread. Every time I see it I catch myself searching Craigslist and such looking for old equipment up here. When I finally slip and buy an old machine and get it I’m telling her it’s this forums fault. You guys and gals are dangerous! I want a giant bandsaw like Sunbursts!
Yep, this sort of tool porn can make you want too many goodies! But, the “Virtual Weber Bulletin Board” is even worse for folks with a grilling bent. I went from having three grills any really used two to now having somewhere like eleven and mostly using four! I still look for the “perfect one”.