Unisaw

[Ray McCullie]

Well I saw a post on CL two days ago for a (among other tools) "delta cabinet saw". Guy wanted $475, said new 3hp motor and bearings. Long story short it's in the back of my truck now.

For all intents and purposes it's a Unisaw but dating it is impossible. The motor has been replaced and the switch plate is gone. The only thing left is the bevel scale which has S/N: J214 stamped on it.

It has the original fence, a Grizzly 3hp "A" graded motor ("F" grade is the highest FYI "A" is lowest, unless there is no grade...) and new switch box with a homemade sheet metal motor cover.

Any advice?

Which addons will work and what am I looking for? Or should I just turn it around to someone else who's gonna love an old saw and use the money towards a new one?

I'm not sure what to do with it at this point.

[David Nelson1]

A pic would be nice.

[Ray McCullie]

Sorry, working on it now. Just took the tarp off and getting the truck backed up to unload it.

Here we go:

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2868.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2868.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2867.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2867.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2865.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2865.jpg)
http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2864.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2864.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2861.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2861.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2860.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2860.jpg)
http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2858.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2858.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2857.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2857.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2856.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2856.jpg)
http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2333.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2333.jpg)

I took the fence off a few minutes ago so it wouldn't get damaged while moving it. No inserts or blade guard with it.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Any advice?


nice.
Now make some sawdust

[Bruce Page]

nice.
Now make some sawdust

I agree, but put a new blade on it first.

It looks like an older Unisaw. I wouldn't worry about the motor rating.

[Carroll Courtney]

I think you did good,just look at some of the bench type saws at HD,cost more than what you paid for a cabinet saw.If you brake the cost down you could say 100.00 dust cover,100.plus for the fence and rails,homemade motor cover is around 100 bucks,then the griz motor and switch maybe 200 buck,the cast iron base say 75 bucks and the cabinet itself goes 50.00 then all the old case iron parts inside the cabinet maybe 100 plus which is on the low end including the hand wheels.So if you sell it for parts you will turn a profit,but if you keep it then it will be the last saw you ever need.go to www.owwm.org (http://www.owwm.org) for more on this saw.Take alook at mine that I restored about 1yr ago,its fantastic----Carroll
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=120499&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1244831763 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=120499&d=1244831763)

[Ray McCullie]

Got the thing unloaded, thanks to my neighbor's help. Phew. Thank goodness for neighbors. On a mobile base and waiting, now all I need is to rewire the garage for some 220 outlets.

The fence looks to be the original, in pretty good working order but the rails are a little bent. I think I'll try replacing it. Since it's been fixed up already, rather then a full restore I'll go for modern addons.

The locking knobs on the height and bevel don't seem to lock it at all but I'm not sure why. Doesn't look like the threads are stripped or anything.

Any ideas on what to add or tips? I figure there are at least a few around SMC that have been there and done that on this type of saw.

[David Nelson1]

Good find ole man!!

[John Thompson]

Great price.. ya don't need a new saw.... just some wood! ;)

[Chip Lindley]

Really nice-looking ol' Unisaw! Appears to be well worth the price!

Add Ons? A Biesemeyer fence would be the best investment you could make in this saw.

Although that homemade motor cover serves it's purpose, It looks kinda funky Thereis a fiberglass version of the original motor cover marketed by an OWWM guy on eBay for about $89. But, I'm not sure your larger motor will fit inside an original-shaped motor cover.

A 50T Freud Combo blade would be a great upgrade. It will do 90% of all you will probably need to do. And, a blade guard with dust collection would serve you well too. Enjoy your "new" Unisaw!

[Dave MacArthur]

Saw looks to be in good condition, a little work and you're set! I actually like that motor cover a lot, the prior owner clearly put some effort into it. You can make an insert quickly, and there's a thread here just 2 weeks ago about making a dust boot for inside the saw to collect most of the dust on an old unisaw, search will find it.
I like a biesmeyer fence, there may still be folks around here who bought the home-depot deal fences a couple years ago, now looking to do something with them.

Nice!

[Chad Stucke]

Make or buy a throat plate and start sawing to see if ya want to do much else with it.

[george wilson]

It looks like the older classic Unisaw,but has had a more recent motor(and cover) added.The old style fence,which I wish you had shown,was made of thick,folded sheet steel. Later,an aluminum extrusion. They always moved some when you locked them down. Many replaced them. I did with a Parralock,which is no longer available. I don't care for the Biesmeyer(sp?) The Parralock used an under the table system of aircraft cables,and did not move at all when tightened. Cost as much as the better known fence,but I guess whoever has the money to advertise the most wins out.

[Ray McCullie]

Here ya go:

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2878.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2878.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2877.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2877.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2876.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2876.jpg)

You can see the micro adjust, kinda neat feature on such an old fence.

http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2875.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2875.jpg)http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2874.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2874.jpg)

Looks like someone was making a beveled cut a little too close to the fence:
http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/th_IMG_2879.jpg (http://s931.photobucket.com/albums/ad153/raymccullie/?action=view&current=IMG_2879.jpg)

[Kirk Poore]

....

For all intents and purposes it's a Unisaw but dating it is impossible. The motor has been replaced and the switch plate is gone. The only thing left is the bevel scale which has S/N: J214 stamped on it.

...
Ray:

Very early Unisaws (pre-1941) had a serial number system like yours--a single letter with a three digit number. The leading letter varied by month--they started with A, then B for the next month, then C, etc, before they finally (sometime in 1941) went to a different SN system. The OWWM.com site's info on Unisaws doesn't explain this very well, but if you go over to the OWWM.org discussion site, you can ask the experts there. (As more of a Powermatic guy, I haven't payed close attention to the real details.)

Anyway, I bet your Unisaw was built in 1940, maybe between June and August. Is that close enough?:)

Kirk

[Josiah Bartlett]

Its certainly older than mine, your plinth has a nice look. (Is it cast iron?)

Mine is a '74 and just has the plain black sheet metal plinth. You got a decent deal. The Shop Fox Classic fence is a good alternative to the Beisemeyer- its pretty much the same design but a lot cheaper.

The original inserts suck anyway. I like the Rockler inserts if you are going to go commercial.

[Ray McCullie]

Kirk, thanks for the info. I looked at the dating article on OWWM.com but didn't see that mentioned. I thought I read somewhere that they started making these in 1939?

Josiah, it is cast iron, quite rusted on the bottom but still solid. The saw must have been stored upside down for awhile because there is a throat plate mark left in the rust.

Call me crazy but I was thinking about a Unifence. Or just keep the old one for a while. Kinda stir crazy since I don't have the 220 to run it yet. I was also looking at blade guards. Isn't there a snap in kind? I've read about riving knife retrofit kits, do you guys think it would fit this saw?

[Jamie Buxton]

It'll do just fine if you use it as is. However, I have a Unisaw somewhat newer than that, and I really like the upgrade to a Beisemeyer-style fence. The great thing about the Beisemeyer-style fence is that the fence locks down parallel to the blade -- no more measuring at the front and at the rear, and tweaking 'til correct. The other really good thing about a modern fence is that has a measuring tape built into it. You can set the fence by the tape to anything you like and darned if the wood doesn't come out that wide! That was a biiiiig improvement for me. I never use a hand-held tape at the table saw.

[Hans Braul]

Ditto what Chip said. A Biesmeyer fence would be well worth the investment (although it will come close the price of the saw!). I recently replaced the original fence on my General 350 and it has really improved the performance of the saw.

Hans

[Gary Radice]

I was also looking at blade guards. Isn't there a snap in kind? I've read about riving knife retrofit kits, do you guys think it would fit this saw?

You might consider the SharkGuard. Not a riving knife but a splitter and blade guard with dust collection if you want.

Nice saw. You are going to like it.

[Jim Andrew]

I agree with all the previous posts, but having had an old fence like that, it was about the best of it's time. If adjusted properly, does work pretty well. The old one I had, just had to always adjust toward the right. If I had to come closer to the blade, just had to come a little extra and push to the right to adjust. It would always come parallel when I pushed the lever down. Looks like a great deal.

[Josiah Bartlett]

Kirk, thanks for the info. I looked at the dating article on OWWM.com but didn't see that mentioned. I thought I read somewhere that they started making these in 1939?

Josiah, it is cast iron, quite rusted on the bottom but still solid. The saw must have been stored upside down for awhile because there is a throat plate mark left in the rust.

Call me crazy but I was thinking about a Unifence. Or just keep the old one for a while. Kinda stir crazy since I don't have the 220 to run it yet. I was also looking at blade guards. Isn't there a snap in kind? I've read about riving knife retrofit kits, do you guys think it would fit this saw?

Lots of people like the Unifence. It takes a bit more work to develop jigs for than a Bies style, but it is an accurate fence.

[Kirk Poore]

Kirk, thanks for the info. I looked at the dating article on OWWM.com but didn't see that mentioned. I thought I read somewhere that they started making these in 1939? ....

Call me crazy but I was thinking about a Unifence. Or just keep the old one for a while. Kinda stir crazy since I don't have the 220 to run it yet. I was also looking at blade guards. Isn't there a snap in kind? I've read about riving knife retrofit kits, do you guys think it would fit this saw?

Yes, toward the end of 1939. I don't know that an exact month has been determined. For the first 6-8 months (IIRC) they had four cast iron feet rather than the continuous plinth your saw has.

There are after-market splitters, and I think they will probably fit. The internals of the Unisaw changed very little until they redesigned it a year or two ago.

Kirk

[Dave Cav]

The locking knobs on the height and bevel don't seem to lock it at all but I'm not sure why. Doesn't look like the threads are stripped or anything.



Kirk is probably pretty close, if not right on, about the date. Only the earliest Unisaws had the date stamped on the angle scale.

Older unisaws have locking pins or "bullets". The locking pins were probably lost or installed upside down when the saw was rebuilt. There are two brass pins or bullets in the elevation and bevel adjustment shafts. (Two pins per shaft.) One end of each pin was more or less hemispherical and the other end flat or slightly radiused to match the radius of the OD of the shaft. The locking knob shaft end is pointed and when screwed into the shaft, will push the pins out and against the cast housing enclosing the shaft. Unfortunately, the only way to replace the pins is to take the saw pretty much all the way apart. The pins are also no longer available, but they are easy to make out of brass stock on a metal lathe, or probably even in a drill press.

Later and current saws used flat "butterflies" instead of locking pins, but the parts are not interchangable. (For what it's worth, Powermatic uses a single woodruf key arrangemet for it's lock mechanism, which is IMHO more elegant and easier to duplicate if lost.)

Much more information will be found at www.owwm.com (http://www.owwm.com) in the Wiki.

[Ray McCullie]

The other really good thing about a modern fence is that has a measuring tape built into it. You can set the fence by the tape to anything you like and darned if the wood doesn't come out that wide! That was a biiiiig improvement for me. I never use a hand-held tape at the table saw.

I guess I'm confused but how is the measuring tape on a new Biesemeyer fence better/different then the scale on the old one? Is it easier to adjust, I've never played with them but isn't it just a scale on the front rail with a cursor?

[Mike Wilkins]

Nice find at a great price. I had one of those oldie/goldies for 10 years until I got my slider. Great machine. Do yourself a favor and get rid of that rip fence.
A Unifence will bolt up to the table using the original mounting holes with no problem, and it will make your life easier.

[Dave Cav]

I guess I'm confused but how is the measuring tape on a new Biesemeyer fence better/different then the scale on the old one? Is it easier to adjust, I've never played with them but isn't it just a scale on the front rail with a cursor?

The Bies-style fence is easier to zero, and generally easier to read. They have an actual hairline cursor, while the Jet Lock style fence has a pointer. Also, if you put fence facers on your metal fence the setting on the Jet Lock fence will be changed and there may not be enough slack in the pointer to accommodate the difference. Since the Bies style fence already has facers it's not an issue, but if you need to change, you can peel the existing tape off and put another one down; Starrett sells a stick on tape that's very reasonable.

In actual practice I find very little difference. The jet lock style fences are very easy to set with a tape measure or steel scale and the micro adjust knob is a handy feature.