I had to wait I didn't have any pictures!!! "TOOL GLOAT"

[Bart Leetch]

I picked up a Delta Unisaw manufactured in Sept.1953 for $250. It was just the case trunnion & top & motor which I have to change out because it is a 1 hp 3 phase motor. It didn't have have the wings & had the old round tube style fence guide system.

I have cleaned out the inside & will clean up the outside of the case & repaint it.

I have a 54" Shopfox classic fence (Biesemeyer clone). I also had to have a cover for the motor which I purchased from Grizzly.

This saw had a bracket made for the motor so it could use a nema 56 type motor which seems to work good it holds the motor just fine & is adjustable to keep the belts tight.

I think this is going to be fun to restore to working condition & then have in the shop to use. It will be painted in grey color that is as close to the original as possible with trim around the bottom painted black as well as the center of the hand wheels.

Someone repainted it to a light green but underneath the switch was the original grey color.

I will make my own wings because I want a router table in the left wing & most Unisaws don't have a cast wing on the right so this will look ok I think. The left wing will be somewhere around 20" wide & the right table will be about 36" wide. Its looking like I'll have about $900 in the saw when it is completed. :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Frank Pellow]

That looks like an ambitious saw restoration project Bart. I admire you for tackling such as task. Please keep us posted with progress reports.

[William OConnell]

Something about it made it more dear to me than buying a new one. I wasnt a purist by any means with the restore. I painted mine teal with gold plate trim and put an Incra T-3a fence on it with a router extension. I really get production out of the saw and every time I use it I appreciate it. Something about old Iron with history feels specialhttp://www.woodworkers.us/tempfolderpics/light%20uni%20and%20cabinet.JPG

[Tyler Howell]

Congrats Bart,

I know you have been after a new saw for a while. Keep us posted.

[Ted Shrader]

Bart -

Good haul! You will have a great time restoring the saw and then using it.

Congratulations on your find,
Ted

[Allen Grimes]

Congrats Bart,

Looks like it's going to be fun and then when you make that first cut, Im betting that it will feel like one hell of an accomplishment.

[Chris Padilla]

Great project, Bart! Fun, huh? :)

[John Miliunas]

That's a great find, Bart! Bringing something like that back to the "living" does have a definite level of satisfaction! And, it will beat the pants off your old C-man!:D :cool:

[Bart Leetch]

One thing I noticed when sanding the case down is that who ever painted the case had painted over light rust there was in little fine pitting & the paint had bubbled up. Tonight I'll use my little sand blaster to clean this rust out you can see it in the 4th & 5th pictures. I'll also sand blast the seams & bottom cast iron trim & the inside of the bottom & outside bottom. Then I'll put a small heater inside to warm the case up before I paint.

Thanks for all the comments & thoughts.

I call this fun really I do.

[Jerry Olexa]

Bart, good haul. Enjoy the restoring process as you bring it to life!

[Jim Becker]

Bart! Candy-apple Red Metalic would look GREAT in your shop!!! :D :D :D Seriously, nice find. Those older UniSaws are the cat's meow when it comes to quality and you'll have a find machine to work with in your shop when the restoration is complete. Please keep us pictorially entertained during the project!

[Jim Dunn]

Bart are you going to have the top ground? If needed, I would suggest a Mattison grind on it. Have noticed that most tops are Blanchard ground hence the radial cross hatch pattern. Blanchard grinding is also inherently a rougher grind.

[Ernie Kuhn]

How come all I get tonite is red X's and no pics?
I re-booted and still same problem. And, I am just a computer neophyte. Please help.
Thanks in advane.
Ernie



Bart! Candy-apple Red Metalic would look GREAT in your shop!!! :D :D :D Seriously, nice find. Those older UniSaws are the cat's meow when it comes to quality and you'll have a find machine to work with in your shop when the restoration is complete. Please keep us pictorially entertained during the project!

[Bart Leetch]

Bart are you going to have the top ground? If needed, I would suggest a Mattison grind on it. Have noticed that most tops are Blanchard ground hence the radial cross hatch pattern. Blanchard grinding is also inherently a rougher grind.

Jim other than some scratches & fine pitting the top is in good shape. We sanded it to smooth & remove minor rust & used scotch bright & WD-40 to finish cleaning it & it will be waxed.

The saw is out at my friends place & I didn't get pictures tonight because I forgot to take my camera with me :eek: :p you picture police will have to wait till Monday or Tuesday its called being extremely tired & the saw will be just as grey then as it is now. I did get the sand blasting done & the grey paint put on. I still need to blast the adjustment control wheels. Ya I forgot to do that too. but I sure had a lot of fun. :D :D :D

[scott spencer]

Well, that ought last ya a lifetime or two Bart! Nice find, and an admirable project.

Last winter I passed up a chance to buy one with no motor for $250....I'm kinda wishing I had grabbed it. It needed some cosmetic work, and the blade raising mechanism was pretty stubborn. Had it been spring and not winter, I'd have been more inclined to get it...that 12 degree shop isn't too appealling in January!

Good luck with the project....I wanna see some "after" pics!

[Terry Hatfield]

Bart,

Way cool!!! :cool: That should be one great saw when you get done with 'er.

t

[Steve Evans]

Bart

ALl you need is one of these http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20789&item=4345844069&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
, only half the price of the saw :eek:

[Joe Scarfo]

Bart,

Like I said in my email.. You'll enjoy that old saw. I had a blast rebuilding mine. If you need one of them motor covers, I know where you can beat that Ebay price for a cast iron one.

I've been been methodically shopping for parts to be as close to the orig as possible. If you want to stay close to orig, it'll be a while finding parts without paying a fortune.

I went crazy w/ mine getting it powder coated and even had the knobs and cranks chromed. I tried to upload a few pics, I hope they came out ok.

If you need details on parts or a manual, I can point you to a site w/ the info.

Do you plan to replace the arbor bearing while it's torn down?

Thanks and enjoy the new saw.
Joe in Tampa...

PS..... I downloaded these pics a while back in another post and I can't seem to load them again. If you want to peek, here's the link. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=10278

[Bart Leetch]

Well my Delta Unisaw/ G1023Z is coming along fine.

I couldn't afford the Delta motor so I purchased the Grizzly G1023Z 3 HP motor it has the same bracket on top & I'm sure it will spin the blade just fine along with that I purchased a magnetic switch.

I also got a machined 3 belt 3" pulley & stick on tape measure because I'm going to have to scoot the guide rails over to the left some & I got heavy duty lockable casters for the mobile base I'll build for this saw. :D :D :D