50's Craftsman Table Saw Redux

[seagiant]

Hi,
Don't know if there are any wood workers here? I thought I would show a pic of a 50's old iron saw that I rebuilt for myself. I used to have a light weight aluminum modern affair that had been sort of pushed on me in a trade to get something that I really wanted and finally could not take the light weight junk anymore!

This saw is not that big,which is good in my crowded shop but it is a little beast and I run it with an older 1 HP Dayton motor that I put new bearings in and also put new arbor bearings in the saw with a quick repaint. It's still not a beauty queen but with the new Freud Diablo saw blade runs pretty good!

I just ordered a Delta T2 fence system to go on and with that I should have a pretty nice saw all the way around!

[John Allen]

It looks great with the prices on real table saws now you can not beat a clean old one.

[seagiant]

It looks great with the prices on real table saws now you can not beat a clean old one.

Hi John,
You are correct! Sir! I was looking at older Delta Unisaws but in my area people are pretty proud of them and I actually traded the modern saw I hated for this saw and another peice so I came out pretty well. I'm also rebuilding a 50's Craftsman 4" jointer. Both of these were really made by King-Seeley Corp. That was bought out by Ridgid!
http://www.old-woodworking-tools.net/craftsman-table-saw-model-113-27520.html

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

Nice saw. I have an old blue 10" Craftsman saw that is belt driven. Its twice the saw that my newer 12" ChinaCo is. I don't believe you can kill an old saw like that.

[Bren R.]

Nice looking saw.

Back when things were made to last!

Bren R.

[Wayne Smith]

Yeah, I was gonna ask if it is 8" or 10" blade. If I remember right my Dad's was an 8" blade. He had the 4" jointer too. Nice saw.

[John Allen]

I have a similar problem I can not leave an old hand plane at a garage sale if I find one. I have to take it home and clean it up. I can not help myself.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Yes this is a 10 inch saw which is nice as saw blades are easy to come by. I ordered the Delta T2 fence system tonight. Was $178 shipped but It has VERY good feed back and can be mounted on this saw with a little pre drilling! When this saw is finished I'll have about $225 in it and it will do all I need!

[wv109323]

I have used a saw that appears identical to that one. Nice saw. The one I used belonged to my uncle but it was in my fathers procession for 10-15 years while I was in high school. It is good to have a separate universal motor instead of propriety one used for just the model of saw you have. If the motor dies you have a lot of options. Ours had the Craftsman base as well.

[seagiant]

Hi,
I have an old Dayton 1 HP that I'm using now and think it is fine but if I found an older 1.5 I might swap it out! The old Dayton had bad bearings so I went to a Pump Motor shop and got some new ones. Took it apart and blew all the crud out,swapped bearings and she was good to go! I like the older motors with the old machinery if possible. They also seem stronger than the new stuff?

[Sweetpea]

We used to have an old Rockwell saw... that was one heavy beast!

I sure wish we still had it...

[smoked turkey]

I love the old stationary tools like your saw. You have done a nice job on it. It will last as long as you need a saw.

[P.K.]

I have a similar problem I can not leave an old hand plane at a garage sale if I find one. I have to take it home and clean it up. I can not help myself.

A few years ago my better half would have a fit with me spending time going over every old hand tool I came across. It only takes a week w/o power for someone to come around when all the honey do's still get done.
My affliction is draw knives, adz's and other "rough" working tools.

[seagiant]

Hi,
I don't do alot of wood work but have about 8-9 old planes for different jobs. My main go to plane is an old Stanley/ Bailey #5 jack with a corrugated sole! There's nothing like the feel of a sharp plane set just right shaving wood!

[P.K.]

Hi,
I don't do alot of wood work but have about 8-9 old planes for different jobs. My main go to plane is an old Stanley/ Bailey #5 jack with a corrugated sole! There's nothing like the feel of a sharp plane set just right shaving wood!

That is one rugged plane! My grand dad on me Da's side had a Joiners box, talk about a hand tool heaven. I'll have to ask him if he still has it somewhere and get some pics of that old shipwrights tool box.

[7Acres]

I love the look of that old saw with the T2 fence system! My father found me a 1950s Craftsman table saw sitting unloved in his neighbor's garage for $180. I jumped on that immediately. Drove 4hrs one way to take ownership. Wire wheeled off the light rust, applied Boeshield T9 to the bare metal and JPW over that. Put a new link belt on the original motor. So quiet, purrs like a kitten. Such a joy to use. Mine has 3 cast iron wings (2 on RH, 1on left). I consider myself very fortunate to own a 60yr old Craftsman table saw!

[seagiant]

I love the look of that old saw with the T2 fence system! My father found me a 1950s Craftsman table saw sitting unloved in his neighbor's garage for $180. I jumped on that immediately. Drove 4hrs one way to take ownership. Wire wheeled off the light rust, applied Boeshield T9 to the bare metal and JPW over that. Put a new link belt on the original motor. So quiet, purrs like a kitten. Such a joy to use. Mine has 3 cast iron wings (2 on RH, 1on left). I consider myself very fortunate to own a 60yr old Craftsman table saw!
Hi,
Cool! Any pics? My saw is in the first post. I just ordered the Delta T2 fence for it. The saw with the Delta fence is just a pic I found to show the fence I'm getting. This Delta fence has a VERY good rep with guys trying to save/use these older 10" saws! I was looking for an old Delta Unisaw but they were out of my price range and a little bigger than I really need. I traded a guy in Alabama for some rough cut Red Oak and CherryWood. Need to make my wife a table top for her sewing machine!

[7Acres]

Hi,
Cool! Any pics? My saw is in the first post. I just ordered the Delta T2 fence for it. The saw with the Delta fence is just a pic I found to show the fence I'm getting. This Delta fence has a VERY good rep with guys trying to save/use these older 10" saws! I was looking for an old Delta Unisaw but they were out of my price range and a little bigger than I really need. I traded a guy in Alabama for some rough cut Red Oak and CherryWood. Need to make my wife a table top for her sewing machine!

Hi seagiant! After looking for photos of the saw after I cleaned it up I came up with nothing. But I did put together this album (https://plus.google.com/photos/111194866330664064450/albums/5838957457626460321?authkey=COeD5d773M-1IQ) of "before" photos my Dad took so I could see what shape it was in before buying. I, too, put a Freud Diablo blade on mine. It still has the power switch located on the motor. But I've got a safety motor power switch from MLCS waiting to be installed on the front of the saw.

Maybe this will motivate me to finish that project and get some nice "after" pics to post!

[seagiant]

Hi,
Wow! That is a VERY nice saw! You have the original fence in good shape. On mine the front alum. toothed rail was busted and someone ran the saw blade into the side of the fence so I said to hec with it and ordered the delta fence! The 1 HP motor seems to work great to me and is what the original manual says is good for "Heavy Duty" use! I need to get the red linked belt. That will help get rid of a little vibration I have from the old stiff belt that is on there now! Thanks for sharing. I will post some pics when I get the new fence on mine!

[7Acres]

:-) My father has an early 70s Craftsman he bought new when he got into woodworking. He swells with a sense of pride what he found for me when I flip the switch and the saw spins up to a tight whirrrr. I'll say though, it spits sawdust out of every orifice. I want to fit a custom panel to cover the back opening as well as build a nice table with lockable casters to catch 100% of the sawdust below. A zero tolerance throat plate insert is also in the future. Priorities, priorities! In the meantime, the saw performs well just as built in the early 50s!

[7Acres]

The saw was sold almost 30 years before I was born! If only we could go back to those days when "Made in the USA" was a symbol of excellence.

[cylinderman]

Yep, have one like that from my father also, has the original craftsman base. I believe its a 9" but you can run a 10" blade if you leave off the blade guard. Had the motor freshened up about 15 years ago and they said that 1hp motor will out work one 5 times its size by today's standards and I first hand know it.

[Bren R.]

I'll say though, it spits sawdust out of every orifice. I want to fit a custom panel to cover the back opening as well as build a nice table with lockable casters to catch 100% of the sawdust below. A zero tolerance throat plate insert is also in the future.
Just breathe heavier, that'll keep the sawdust from getting on everything in the shop! :kidding:

As for the zero clearance insert - make your own - I wish I would have thought of this guy's idea for using screws to level the insert.

http://woodgears.ca/delta_saw/insert.html

Bren R.

[nekshot]

Keep those cast iron extensions tight(real tight) and that saw will treat you good. When a table saw is set up right you do not need a miter saw or a shaper with proper jigs.

[seagiant]

Keep those cast iron extensions tight(real tight) and that saw will treat you good. When a table saw is set up right you do not need a miter saw or a shaper with proper jigs.
Hi,
Yes I agree. Here is a pic of a picture frame I built out of 100 year old Loblolly (sp) pine wood from S.Georgia. It came from a picket fence at my father's old Grammer School out in the country. You can see the nail holes! A friend and I did all the cuts on a table saw and then I sanded and finished. All buildings were built using this wood as it can almost be classed as "hard" wood! It also has so much pitch that the bugs can't hardly eat it. Of course if a house made of this ever got lit off you could not easily put it out. All you can do is wet everything around it to keep the fire from spreading!!!

[pipehand]

Seagiant, my Dad has the same saw, but with the OEM rolling chassis, fence and bed extension. You just cant find those cast iron beauties anymore. Dad also has the Craftsman 6' Drillpress, radial arm saw, and vertical band saw of the same vintage.

[seagiant]

Seagiant, my Dad has the same saw, but with the OEM rolling chassis, fence and bed extension. You just cant find those cast iron beauties anymore. Dad also has the Craftsman 6' Drillpress, radial arm saw, and vertical band saw of the same vintage.

Hi,
Cool! I have a CM drill press that I have been using for 25 years. I bought it for $75! That makes it a bargain! I tore it apart and replaced the bearings in the press and the motor a few years ago and figure it's good for another 60 years! Hopefully some kid will be making something with it after I'm gone to another Astral Plane! Hard to beat cast iron!