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Thread: Old Woodworking Machines

  1. #76
    Registered User Walt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    I'm popping in for tool recommendations on another thread and I figured I ought to share the latest OWWM project.
    This one is a 1967 Powermatic 1150. It's allllllllmost done--I just need to mount the VFD and hook up some external switches. This one was an adventure. I got it home and found out that someone broke the main head casting several years ago and tried to hold it together with braided wire. Several pieces of the original casting were missing and, needless to say, it was irreparable. Luckily, I found a donor head casting in Utah (it cost as much as the entire machine) and it's up and running again.
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  3. #77
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Since we're still trying to enable old tool nerdiness among the crowd....I'll repost these:

    I sold my Yates Y30 and brought home an Oliver 217 bandsaw.

    I also impulse purchased a pretty cool State 24" disc sander....all for the price of an import mandolin....!
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  4. #78
    Registered User zookster's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    There is nothing like vintage tools in any kind of woodworking, for their ruggedness and accuracy. However, that means a machine that is fully functional, and not abused. If you have a shop, you learn quickly how to diagnose and fix your equipment, but I also try to buy machines that are in good shape to start with. I have several Delta/Milwaukee tools from the late 40s up through the early 60s, as well as Powermatic. Solid, reliable, and they produce results. Most of the time I am doing lutherie, but my shop can handle a number of related projects for my house or church. Scan CraigsList for bargains, because they are out there. Best of all, a host of parts are still available from sites like eReplacemnt.com, as well as owners manuals (with the all-important parts list) at several sites. These machine were designed to last, and they do.

  5. #79

    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    The impetus to cheapen a product for the market isn’t anything new. I have many ‘vintage’ tools that were never particularly good and haven’t magically improved over time. Presence of a quantity of cast iron seems comforting to some of us, a sure indicator of quality, but this is only vaguely valid. Sleeve bearings that actually do wear out, overweight but inefficient motors, finicky leather belt drives, drip oilers…even on industrial machines. Amateurs worship the concept of industrial tools, which as a rule, tend to be sturdier than home-use ones, and there is a significant community of collector/restorers out there going to classic car levels of detail. Like repro decals and exact paint colors.
    That said, old power machinery is really inexpensive, or more often, free for the carting, and is often simple enough to keep running. VFDs have made three phase machines economical to run on home juice rather than scrapping the motors, and some things, like the giant bandsaws of more than a century ago can be decorative as well as operable.
    Just a mention about broken castings. Good local welders are sometimes skilled in cast iron welding and brazing as long as the starting material isn’t too cheesy and the breaks do not alter the important alignments. Tinwork, like shrouds and covers is definitely a vanishing art, and highly skilled, so I would avoid a machine that’s lost these parts, often tossed for better access.

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  7. #80
    Registered User Walt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    That big Oliver bandsaw is seriously cool. Did you make the mahogany table extensions for it?

    I bet those big disc sanders come in handy. There's a Yates double disc sander a couple of hours away I've been looking at--I think the Yates is 16" on either side.

  8. #81
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by Walt View Post
    I'm popping in for tool recommendations on another thread and I figured I ought to share the latest OWWM project.
    This one is a 1967 Powermatic 1150. It's allllllllmost done--I just need to mount the VFD and hook up some external switches. This one was an adventure. I got it home and found out that someone broke the main head casting several years ago and tried to hold it together with braided wire. Several pieces of the original casting were missing and, needless to say, it was irreparable. Luckily, I found a donor head casting in Utah (it cost as much as the entire machine) and it's up and running again.
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    I have the same model, from '71, owned it now for 40 years. Great machine. Someone must have whaled on it, to crack the casting. Nice save!

  9. #82
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    I am looking for a DiAcro 12" roller mill(or similar), to use for sizing bar fret stock. Also, perhaps, a long shear, for slicing sheets of celluloid, for binding strips. Any leads will be appreciated.

  10. #83
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by Walt View Post
    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.

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    I've had one for 40 years, from '71, been a great saw. Used it in my cabinet- and furniture making business. I only wish it had the earlier era pea green paint, instead of metallic green. It's semi-retired now, as I now only do instrument repairs: my bandsaw gets way more use these days.

  11. #84
    Registered User Walt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    I picked up this Emmert Pattern Makers Vise this afternoon! It has spent the last decade laying on the ground in the middle of a pipeline right of way in Waskom, TX.
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    I came across a FB post for a few old machines. There were a couple of nice machines pictured: a 24" Crescent planer, an Oliver double 34" disc sander, some old jointers, etc. I called the guy and bought one of the small Delta disc sanders over the phone and told him I'd be there the next evening to pick it up and probably buy some more stuff. While I was driving over, a guy from Dallas called the seller and bought up the entire lot. When I arrived the original owner said, "You can have your disc sander, but [buyer] told me not to let you touch or look at anything." Since I had driven two hours to get there, he followed up with, "But I honestly don't care if you look around."

    It was the craziest thing I've ever seen. There were forty to fifty machines stacked up in the weeds in the middle of a pipeline right of way. Multiple jointers, planers, lathes, drill presses, disc sanders. I was heartbroken--I found the motherlode and missed it by a couple of hours.

    I had been in touch with another guy through FB who drove out the day prior and had bought a few things (no machines, just small stuff). He mentioned that he found a few vises on the ground and bought them for next to nothing. I asked him what they were and he coyly said, "Emmerts."
    So I had to get something to soothe my soul after missing out on all of the other machines--I bought this one (for a mere 1500% markup, lol).

    It turns out there were a total of four complete Emmert Pattern Maker Vises laying out there. The first guy found two of them, and the buyer from Dallas found two more while he was moving some of the machines out. Some folks have all the luck!

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  13. #85
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by Walt View Post
    I'm popping in for tool recommendations on another thread and I figured I ought to share the latest OWWM project.
    This one is a 1967 Powermatic 1150. It's allllllllmost done--I just need to mount the VFD and hook up some external switches. This one was an adventure. I got it home and found out that someone broke the main head casting several years ago and tried to hold it together with braided wire. Several pieces of the original casting were missing and, needless to say, it was irreparable. Luckily, I found a donor head casting in Utah (it cost as much as the entire machine) and it's up and running again.
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    I have the same Powermatic press, only from about 1971, in metallic green and a white racing stripe(what were they thinking?). I much prefer the earlier 'pea green' color of Walt's example. Nice save and restoration of a great old press. I've had mine since 1983, purchased form the original owner, and it has served me well through 40 years of cabinetmaking and now stringed instrument repair.

    Oops, I see I already posted earlier about this press...apologies!

  14. #86
    Registered User Walt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richard View Post
    I have the same Powermatic press, only from about 1971, in metallic green and a white racing stripe(what were they thinking?). I much prefer the earlier 'pea green' color of Walt's example. Nice save and restoration of a great old press. I've had mine since 1983, purchased form the original owner, and it has served me well through 40 years of cabinetmaking and now stringed instrument repair.

    Oops, I see I already posted earlier about this press...apologies!
    Nice, Dave! I have a Powermatic table saw in the metallic green/white stripe, and I’m like you—I prefer the older pea green color. I’ll probably repaint the table saw when I get around to restoring. I end up using whatever rattle can is closest at the hardware store.

  15. #87

    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    I'm considering buying a thickness planer, and I'm looking for advice from the group. Punchline: my head says new 13" DeWalt 735 lunchbox planer, but my heart says Parks 12" planer.

    Woodworking is a hobby, not a necessity, for me. I make instruments and some furniture. I have a heated barn with a selection of basic tools, including an older, janky 12" Ryobi planer. I like the idea of the DeWalt's plug-and-play nature, and I like its dust/chip collection. I'm not sure how durable or how easy to fix they are.

    There's a Parks for sale near me, but it's not running and would need some work. I don't mind working on old arn; I've done varying degrees of work on my Delta 220 drill press and 1960 Delta jointer, and I completely tore down and rebuilt my 1948 Delta 14" band saw, which I love.

    Everything I've read says a Parks in well-tuned condition is a much better machine than a DeWalt in good condition. I am drawn to the character of the Parks, but this reminds me of what someone said earlier in this thread--I'd be committing to work on machinery instead of working with wood. That's OK, but just a different goal. I know there are good guides at OWWM for working on the Parks.

    Finally, I think the Parks would take up more room in my small space, and it FOR SURE would make a bigger mess than the DeWalt. I dislike sweeping any more than is necessary.

    I considered posting this question at OWWM, but that'd be akin to asking a butcher if I should buy beef or vegetables. Asking here is similar but maybe not quite as bad?

    I am hoping someone can convince me that the Dewalt is the right way to go. I worry that the well-informed, talented people here will give me compelling arguments for both tools, and that I'll just keep wishing for the Parks.

    Thanks

  16. #88
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Posting the question at OWWM would be an exercise in foregone conclusions.

    If you intend to use it in production and have the time and the ability to rebuild the old machines then it becomes part of the joy of woodworking to rebuild the old machinery. If you're looking to plane a few boards a year get the Dewalt.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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  17. #89
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    The Parks is a good machine, durable and up to the challenge of fairly heavy use, but as you know, it is the type of thing we must learn to set up and maintain the old way rather than using built-in guides and stops and such. I have one (labeled Craftsman) in the shop that is not in use yet (I need to sell my 15" Bridgewood to make room for it). The portable planers that I have observed and used over the last 35 years or so have also been good machines capable of delivering very good results.

  18. #90
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    I’d get the Dewalt. For the small amount of material you’re likely to put through in a year, probably less than 500 board feet if not much less, I think it’s the best. A good support table and out feed table will make it fairly easy to use. I don’t think you’re planning on running 2x8 16’ oak boards through very often, certainly not a unit at a time (1K FBM).

    I love big old equipment as much as anyone, and spent over 20 years running it, but for infrequent, small work the Dewalt seems the best choice.

    Most importantly, stay safe.
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  19. #91
    Registered User Walt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    As much as I love owning and working on OWWM, and as firmly as I’m currently stuck down the rabbit hole, I personally own the Dewalt 735. I’ve come across several old planers that I’ve almost pulled the trigger on, but old planers seem to be a big commitment even if you’re into working on OWWM. And most of the ones I’ve wanted are more or less impossible to move by yourself.
    I ended up just going with the Dewalt 735 a couple of years ago, and I think it’s great. And there is an aftermarket helical head out there for it. It probably costs as much as the planer, but that could be something you upgrade down the road.

  20. #92

    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    This place is the best.

  21. #93
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    I hope this post is within the guide lines of this forum, and if not, I will understand its removal.

    <Removed by Moderator. It's not within the posting guidelines. You can't promote your ad under Other in the classifieds for woodworking machinery. Thanks for understanding.>
    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Jan-14-2024 at 6:16pm.
    -Newtonamic

  22. #94

    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Simonson View Post
    I hope this post is within the guide lines of this forum, and if not, I will understand its removal.

    <Removed by Moderator. It's not within the posting guidelines. You can't promote your ad under Other in the classifieds for woodworking machinery. Thanks for understanding.>
    I think you’ll better with a general listing, like Craigslist, since it’s not really luthier-specific stuff or terribly antique — except for the Walker Turner; there seems to be a rabid bunch of W-T collectors out there. Correct to bundle it all together. Much less bother.
    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Jan-14-2024 at 6:17pm.

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  24. #95
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Old Woodworking Machines

    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Simonson View Post
    ...
    <Removed by Moderator. It's not within the posting guidelines. You can't promote your ad under Other in the classifieds for woodworking machinery. Thanks for understanding.>
    Well done!

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