The $250 Unisaw... [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Matt Meiser

01-13-2012, 12:50 PM

Several weeks ago there was a Unisaw listed on Toledo Craigslist for $400. It was at a business, lacked details and I wasn't in the market so I didn't pay much attention. This week it was back. The owner and I traded a number of emails back and forth before I learned it was single phase but only 1.5HP. I shot back a really low ball offer of $200 which he declined but countered at $275 + tax (I guess since it was purchased as capital for a business they didn't pay tax then, so they had to charge it now?) I countered back at $250 and they paid the tax--he responded that I had to pay tax so I countered back at $234.19. He bit. Of course the weather was horrible today and I didn't really need a second Unisaw but I present the $250 Unisaw

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Other than being quite dirty and a nice "patina" on the top it actually looks to be in pretty good shape. It appears to need a starting cap as it starts....reallly.....slow....but seems fine when running. If I keep it I'm going to buy a 3HP motor for it anyway. If not a cap is cheap. That's all the origianl paperwork in the original folder on top. There's even a warranty card (maybe I should send it in :).) I can't find anything missing--its even got the original guard for about the next 4 hours anyway. I didn't take a photo, but there's a sticker on the side "Property of Sports Area Inc." so it apparently has some connection with Toledo sports history as the Sports Arena was the home of a succession of minor league teams for many years. I think I saw the circus there about the time this saw might have been new.

Its got a HUGE Jetlock Fence with about 6' long rails. I've got a lead on a Unifence and a friend tells me the OWWM crowd will probably want the Jetlock since its got the long rails.

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I'm leaning toward keeping it and selling my 194x Unisaw. Its a nice saw but I can definitely feel the power difference between my 1HP "bullet" motor and a a friends 3HP saw. I think I can get this one up and running, upgrade the fence, and upgrade the motor and about break even.

Chris Rosenberger

01-13-2012, 12:58 PM

Nice find Matt. I am working on one now that looks just like yours. It also has a 1 1/2HP motor.

Neil Brooks

01-13-2012, 1:15 PM

Yeah ... you're going to have to suck, for that one .... :)

Van Huskey

01-13-2012, 1:24 PM

Excellent score! YOU SUCK!

Homer Faucett

01-13-2012, 1:58 PM

There are no starting caps in the bullet motors, but they are often improperly wired. Rewire for the proper voltage, and I'll bet you don't notice a difference in power with the "3 hp" saw. I've been in your situation, as I have a 1940 Uni.

Ray Newman

01-13-2012, 2:25 PM

Do not underestimate the old Jet Lock fence.

I had an older Delta Contractor's saw, with the Jet Lock and 52" bars. Contrary to popular belief, it held its settings! My 1987 Uni-saw 'sports' the 52" Uni-fence which is very accurate and the High/low fence is a god send, but I do miss the 12-14” micro-adjustment feature on the old Jet Lock.

As H. Faucett posted, check the wiring on the motor.

Matt Meiser

01-13-2012, 2:58 PM

Mike Cruz

01-13-2012, 4:12 PM

Matt Meiser

01-13-2012, 4:21 PM

Yes. They sold the same saw with everything from a 1.5HP to a 5HP motor.

Edit: I just tried it and the slow start does in fact appear to be a problem with the wiring in their building. Starts right up here.

Jason Neal

01-13-2012, 4:55 PM

Matt,I am in the process of rehabbing an old Unisaw with bent rails. Otherwise it is in pretty good shape. I've put a good bit of time into cleaning it up and I am excited to think that someday I can put my Lowes' special out to pasture, but a Biesemeyer or clone is not in the budget right now. So I have been keeping my eyes open for someone with spare rails. Please let me know what you would like to get for them.

Matt Meiser

01-13-2012, 5:10 PM

Just checked arbor runout--is < 0.001" measured as close to perpendicular to the face as I could get by eye good? :D

I found a paper tag still hanging from a wire on the control box with the factory inspector's wiring info. Amazing that was still there.

shane lyall

01-13-2012, 5:30 PM

Yep! That's a "you suck" for sure Matt.

Mike Cruz

01-13-2012, 5:34 PM

Kinda think if it ain't broke don't fix it... unless you have a bead on a 3 hp motor for cheap. But, having a 3 hp Uni, I understand the draw...

Chris Rosenberger

01-13-2012, 5:39 PM

Matt, that sounds like a rockin' score there! Congrats.

Are you sure that the saw can handle a 3 hp motor? Just asking because it may be more power or torque than the parts (trunion, etc) were meant to handle. If you want a little more power, maybe you could put a 2 hp motor in...that would be more than that 1.5 and twice your 1 hp bullet...

The internal castings of the old style Unisaw are mostly the same from 1938 to the 2000s when the last one was built. That excludes the left tilt. The only major changes were to the cabinet.

Matt Meiser

01-13-2012, 10:48 PM

Well, I've got a motor on the way. The only thing I've found wrong with the saw is a fair amount of rust on the bottom flange where sawdust held moisture against the metal. Nothing to worry about though.

I think I'm going to give it a quick paint job. I'm thinking of doing something custom like painting the body white, and doing the base and edge of the top red similar to how Grizzly paints some of their saws. I'll do the cranks in red too.

Mike Cruz

01-13-2012, 11:01 PM

I was thinking that black would look cool, but I think white will probably look better...good choice. Hehe, it would be pretty funny if you got one of those new Grizzly emblems and put it on the saw. :D

Matt Meiser

01-13-2012, 11:16 PM

Uh.....no. :D

Mike Cruz

01-13-2012, 11:58 PM

Oh, don't make me buy one and ship it to you...:D

Robert Boyd

01-14-2012, 3:48 AM

You really need to keep both saws. One dedicated for a dado blade and one for whatever else.

Mike Cruz

01-14-2012, 4:18 AM

Man, if only I had the room for that! Even if you dado saw isn't a great saw... Man, if I had a larger shop, I'd have another BS (already have two), a second jointer (for junkwood and "rough" facing of stuff that is dirty or may have metal), and a dedicated dado saw. Robert, you have me dreaming again...

Homer Faucett

01-14-2012, 7:52 AM

The motor in the "new" saw isn't a bullet--its a more modern 1.5HP 3450RPM TEFC motor wired for 220. That's not to say the building I was in was wired correctly--could have been 110 or even 208 that they started it on (he made some comment about their wiring but clearly didn't know what he was talking about.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the difference between a 40's 1HP and new 3HP.

I'm not saying that a 1 hp reduction-impulsion motor has the same hp as a modern 3 hp motor. Instead, I was trying to say that you probably won't notice the difference between a 1.5 hp r-i motor and a modern 33 hp motor. They had bigger horses back then when they measured horsepower. ;) since you don't have a n r-i motor on your uni, though, I think you'll like the upgrade.

Kevin Presutti

01-14-2012, 8:43 AM

Nice catch Matt, that's a well deserved "YOU SUCK!". Just goes to show that there are really diamonds in the rough out there :D

Jim Matthews

01-14-2012, 9:34 AM

Am I to understand that you now have two of these?

The Boss should be glad you don't collect steam engines...

Matt Meiser

01-14-2012, 9:50 AM

For now yes. Once the "new" one is set up, the "old" one will be sold.

Joseph Tarantino

01-14-2012, 10:01 AM

FWIW, think about selling that old saw. there's nothing like multiple tools during a project. my 240 sq' shop sports 2 10" contractor TSs, among other tools. i use i for ripping and one for crosssutting.

Matt Meiser

01-14-2012, 10:16 AM

I can't disagree that 2 would be nice but the space requirements is a deal breaker.

An update--I've sold the motor and switch from this saw for $125. Now now its the $125 motorless unisaw (until Tuesday when the new Leeson arrives at which point it will be the $520 Unisaw.)

Jim Becker

01-14-2012, 8:50 PM

Good buy, Matt, and I'm sure that you'll put it to good use, either in your shop or as an "investment sale" after you fix it up nicely. :)

Jim Matthews

01-15-2012, 8:07 AM

I'm going into the business of buying Netsuke (http://www.netsuke.org/) and cleaning them up for resale...
less storage hassle than OWWM arn.

Matt Meiser

01-15-2012, 11:36 AM

Yesterday afternoon I picked up a new Delta magnetic switch for it from a friend. Then I came home and tore it down. Other than cleaning some rust in the lower inside corners of the main cabinet, it's ready for primer. The base needs a lot of rust cleanup before being ready to prime but it was too dark by the time I got to it. Hopefully today I can have everything ready for primer.

Matt Meiser

01-15-2012, 10:52 PM

Lots more progress today. I got everything cleaned up and primed except for one side of the floor pan I also fabricated today. Sorry, no photos. I think I've decided on a paint scheme with help from LOML--all red with white handles.

Mike Cruz

01-15-2012, 11:11 PM

We need progress pics, Matt, ppppppppppppplllllllleeeeeeaaaaaaassssssseeeeeee.

Matt Meiser

01-16-2012, 9:43 PM

Pics for Mike.

First painted parts.
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More ready for paint. These are all going to be bright red.

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Guts ready to go back in other than a final cleaning. I replace the arbor bearings tonight. Just need to clean off the dust that was in locations I couldn't get to when I did the first cleaning with the trunions still mounted in the saw.
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The motor arrives tomorrow and I'm picking up the fence on Friday. If things go well, I could be assembling over the weekend.

Van Huskey

01-16-2012, 10:04 PM

Yellow flames???? JK

I think it will look very cool!

Matt Meiser

01-16-2012, 10:21 PM

That would be cool but I don't know how. Maybe vinyl graphics?

Mike Cruz

01-16-2012, 11:02 PM

Matt, thanks for the pics! Re: the flames, go to SignsByTomorrow (or your sign company of choice) and I'm sure they could make you some "flames" to stick on it. That would be too cool.

Van Huskey

01-16-2012, 11:04 PM

That would be cool but I don't know how. Maybe vinyl graphics?

There you go, there are probably several people here that could hook you up, I know some of them do vinyl. You might be able to get a big cool Delta logo on a background of flames too...

Have you ever seen the wood whisperer's custom PM2066? It has a very cool flame job.

Chris Rosenberger

01-16-2012, 11:07 PM

Matt, these always look good with red & white.:)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/IHDecalA.gif

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/IHDecal.gif

Matt Meiser

01-16-2012, 11:23 PM

Jeff Monson

01-16-2012, 11:45 PM

Van Huskey

01-16-2012, 11:48 PM

Chris: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?173482-Joined-the-Big-BS-r-club-today-a-bonus-gloat

Also, regarding the paint scheme, found this tonight: http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2007/12/27/build-your-own-custom-powermatic-table-saw/

I like that white base.

I was already thinking that I might redo the original name plate with something custom. The PM saw gives me an idea.

Woodwerx is the one that did the wood whisperers saw, but alas they don't do them any more. My PM2000 was actually built by PM to be one of these customs when Woodwerx quite making them PM sold the lot to Equipment Sale and Surplus in Washington, and I got it from them, has a US built Baldor motor and supposedly the tables were inspected to be in the upper 10% in terms of flatness. I would have loved to have a full PM "2066" the cast iron legs and cast extension table is VERY cool.

Chris Rosenberger

01-17-2012, 12:01 AM

The Red Powermatic does look sharp.
Nice tractor also. It has been a long time since I drove one of those.

Matt Meiser

01-17-2012, 8:58 AM

Matt, that red PM is sweeeeeet!!! I'd be all over that paint job.

Sure is! I've since changed my mind again on the paint scheme and am going to paint the base white. Haven't decided on the dust door. I'm also trying to figure out how to mount the hand wheels up in my dads metal lathe and polish the outside edge.

Aaron Berk

01-17-2012, 9:16 AM

+1 on the cornbinder logo.

Although I did a flame job on a big roll around tool box once, I used a cardboard template and a rattle can. look awful LOL

Jerome Hanby

01-17-2012, 9:36 AM

Actually Crimson and white....maybe with a big Elephant head on each side!

Matt, these always look good with red & white.:)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/IHDecalA.gif

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o303/chrisrosenb/IHDecal.gif

Bruce Kohl

01-17-2012, 12:19 PM

Nice score Matt. I have the identical Rockwell Unisaw with a 3 hp motor that I bought new over thirty years ago. I used the long bar JetLock rip fence until last year when I found a used 52" Beisemeyer. The JetLock fence worked reasonably well for me (I especially like the fine adjustment), but I do like the Beisey better. As far as I know you should be able to put a 3 hp motor on it, as the internals were the same for saws offered with 1 1/2 through 5 hp motors.

I agree with some others - if you can make room keep both saws.

Matt Meiser

01-17-2012, 8:44 PM

I got the bigger white parts painted tonight.

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I need to pick up a can of white plastic paint for the black handles on the hand wheels.
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First red parts. I just hit the back side of these and one small part with a spray can. I'll spray the other side tomorrow with a spray gun along with the big cabinet parts.
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Jerome Hanby

01-17-2012, 9:53 PM

You've inspired me. If I can get the right colors mixed, I'm going with the Incra Jig/Iron Man Mk 2 color scheme!

I got the bigger white parts painted tonight.

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I need to pick up a can of white plastic paint for the black handles on the hand wheels.
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First red parts. I just hit the back side of these and one small part with a spray can. I'll spray the other side tomorrow with a spray gun along with the big cabinet parts.
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Chris Rosenberger

01-17-2012, 10:12 PM

Looking good Matt.

Neil Brooks

01-17-2012, 10:14 PM

After your original post ... I wondered how you could suck more/worse than you did/do.

Thanks for answering my question :D

That's going to be just beautiful. Will it work as good as it looks ??

Matt Meiser

01-17-2012, 10:15 PM

It shouldwith the new bearings and a new Leesons 3hp motor which showed up today.

Matt Meiser

01-18-2012, 9:01 PM

Got the red sprayed tonight. And cleaned up the spray gun. Ugh...

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Mike Cruz

01-18-2012, 9:36 PM

Man, that's gonna look sharp, Matt. Can't wait to see it all back together...with those flames!

Chris Rosenberger

01-18-2012, 11:33 PM

Matt, that looks very good. What paint did you use? What did you make the pan out of?

Matt Meiser

01-18-2012, 11:40 PM

I used the "professional" Rust-oleum paint with the hardener that Tractor Supply uses. I've had good luck with that in the past.

The pan is just some 16ga sheet metal I had left from another project. I just traced the cabinet onto it and cut it out.

Van Huskey

01-19-2012, 3:21 AM

Can't wait to see the end result, it is going to be VERY cool!

Matt Meiser

01-19-2012, 2:42 PM

I took a late lunch to bolt the base on the cabinet and set the top in place to see how things looked.

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Jerome Hanby

01-19-2012, 3:14 PM

That looks pretty snazzy...

Mike Cruz

01-19-2012, 3:29 PM

That is SO funny you said that, Jerome...I thought the EXACT same word...snazzy! Looking, um... spiffy, Matt!

Mike Delyster

01-19-2012, 3:44 PM

Sure is! I've since changed my mind again on the paint scheme and am going to paint the base white. Haven't decided on the dust door. I'm also trying to figure out how to mount the hand wheels up in my dads metal lathe and polish the outside edge.

The wheel will mount on a 3/4" shaper spindle, then chuck up the spindle in your lathe or drill press, it takes me about ten to fifteen minutes for the whole process which includes removing the handle from the wheel and reinstalling it after. If the wheel has paint on it I start with 80 grit sandpaper and work my way up to 400 grit.

Jerome Hanby

01-19-2012, 3:51 PM

That is SO funny you said that, Jerome...I thought the EXACT same word...snazzy! Looking, um... spiffy, Matt!

Sounds like we should get us some mugs of warm milk and settle down to a nice game of tonk (or dominoes or whatever us old folks is supposed to play) <g>

Mike Cruz

01-19-2012, 5:36 PM

Not sure about the warm milk, but I just cracked open a nice cold Magic Hat Vinyl....mmmmmmmmmm, yummmmmmmmy.

Rick Moyer

01-20-2012, 9:14 AM

Actually Crimson and white....maybe with a big Elephant head on each side!

If he did that Jerome he probably wouldn't be able to push wood across the middle (of the table)!
(Sorry LSU fans, I was actually rooting for you!)

Jerome Hanby

01-20-2012, 9:21 AM

If he did that Jerome he probably wouldn't be able to push wood across the middle (of the table)!
(Sorry LSU fans, I was actually rooting for you!)
Only if he's cutting Yellowheart or Purpleheart <g>

Matt Meiser

01-20-2012, 10:48 PM

Almost there. Luckily the weather forecast overrode the girls' plan to drag me to the mall tonight so I got several hours in the shop. I actually made my first cut with it a short time ago.

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Still on my list:
1) Finish the hand wheels and install.
2) Build a bracket for the starter.
3) Build an extension table and a new outfeed table.

But first I need to clean off my old saw as someone is coming to buy it tomorrow afternoon.

Van Huskey

01-20-2012, 11:08 PM

That thing is SCHWEET Mike!

Mike Cruz

01-20-2012, 11:24 PM

Matt, that was a classy paint job. Very well done. I have to admit, though...what is really impressing me is all the room AROUND the saw!

Rick Moyer

01-21-2012, 7:52 AM

That looks awesome! Now put a yellow extension table on it and call it a McUni.

Curious about the Sharkguard you have on there: will it work OK? it looks like it sits on top of the table (very high).

Phil Thien

01-21-2012, 8:55 AM

That thing looks awesome!

Neil Brooks

01-21-2012, 9:22 AM

Really great deal. Really great resto. Beautiful outcome.

Thanks for sharing the process with us. Many happy years of safe use, huh ?

Mike Delyster

01-21-2012, 9:41 AM

I didn't know what to think of red when I first read thats the color you where thinking of painting it, but I think it looks great. Thanks for sharing Matt.

Jerrimy Snook

01-21-2012, 12:24 PM

Beautiful work Matt! What impresses me most is that the original post was dated 8 days ago! I don't know if that warrants a You Suck or if I should bow in your presence. You have definitely inspired me to do something with the 1946 sitting at work.

Matt Meiser

01-21-2012, 1:40 PM

Yeah, should have taken Friday off and I could have been cutting wood in 7 days! :D

Shark Guard works great. I believe I have a lower splitter but this is the one I always keep in there. From the front the blade is well covered and without the room in the back for make-up air I don't think the dust collection would work as incredibly well as it does.

jay gill

01-22-2012, 12:19 AM

Matt,
Nice score. Looks like the cleanup is progressing nicely. My envy and jealously at the fantastic deal you got would like my fingers to type a friendly and joking note about how much I hate you, but as self proclaimed gentleman, I shall refrain such tawdry comments.

If you need the extra space for your other saw I will gladly store it for you. I'll even keep it setup and in working order, complete with daily/weekly testing, for you to use whenever you happen to be in the Boston area.

Matt Meiser

01-22-2012, 4:22 PM

Other than extension and outfeed tables I pretty much wrapped it up today by polishing the edges of the hand wheels and mounting the switch on a piece of aluminum plate fastened to the back of the unifence rail.

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Jerome Hanby

01-22-2012, 4:48 PM

Well crap, Matt, how many awesomes do you want? Here is another one for your collection. Great job and major kudos on your work ethic. Your start to finish time is just over a week? And you already had a good saw in service if I recall your posts correctly. Call me crazy, but I suspect you had a blast dong this refurb...

Art Mulder

01-22-2012, 5:23 PM

Wow, just found this thread.

Wow, Matt... that is a seriously gloatable deal. I'm stunned first of all that someone priced a Unisaw that low to begin with. Then I'm further stunned that no one else grabbed it and it sat available for several days. I wonder if their electrical problems made everyone think that the saw was broken??

Regardless, it's a smokin deal. And I must say a big thank-you for doing that paint job. I get real tired of all the dark grey and dark green paint that seems to show up whenever people restore a tool. Looks slick, and an especially nice job on the handwheels.

ta,
...art

Mike Cruz

01-22-2012, 6:10 PM

Simply unbelievable...from the find, to the finished product, to the time (or lack of it!) that it took to do the restoration. Just fantastic!

Art Mulder

01-23-2012, 10:21 AM

ps: are you still planning to shift the fence to the right? I found that discussion in another of your threads, but it doesn't look that way in the photos here.

Matt Meiser

01-23-2012, 10:47 AM

If you notice in the first photos with the fence on it is, then in future ones it isn't. I traded a friend who has a stash of Unifence rails my short one and some cash for a longer rail. I found that the longer rail, shifted a little to the LEFT would fit very nicely so I'll have 42.5" to the right and a fair amount to the left should I ever use it there.

Kevin W Johnson

01-23-2012, 9:18 PM

Very nice job on the saw. I'd love to find a similar deal on a similar saw in my area.

Joseph Tarantino

01-24-2012, 5:27 PM

that is one ccoooooolll looking TS! you don;t see many stationary power tools that also make such a vibrant designer statement.

Chris Rosenberger

01-25-2012, 6:27 PM

The saw looks great Matt.

Kevin W Johnson

01-25-2012, 11:37 PM

Matt,

What process did you use to clean the cast table top? Sand it?

Matt Meiser

01-25-2012, 11:51 PM

First I soaked it overnight with a healthy coat of WD40. I then scraped it with razor blades and cleaned really well. From there I sanded with my ROS starting with 180 and working my way to 400.

Kevin W Johnson

01-26-2012, 12:00 AM

Thanks, Matt

I just brought home a Powermatic 66 tonight that I'll be working on. It'll be much slower in progress than your Unisaw. I still need to aquire a 1 phase motor and related parts to change over from 3 phase. I need to find a dust door, and put a good fence on it in place of the original. That stuff will be as I run across good deals, or as budget allows. For now I figure I'll work on the things that I can, like cleaning it up. Theres very little rust though (least that I've noticed), so that'll help.

Mike Cruz

01-26-2012, 12:11 AM

Kevin, if your saw already has a 3 hp 3 ph motor, it would cost $200 to get a TECO FM50 VFD for it. Granted you won't need all the bells and whistles that a VFD offers, but it will do the job perfectly. The other advantage, is that you won't have to buy a motor, switch, or anything else to convert it to single phase. Just a thought...

John Shuk

01-27-2012, 9:40 AM

While you always do an outstanding job on restorations Matt, I'm always more impressed with how quickly you get them done so well.
Nice saw.

Bobby O'Neal

01-28-2012, 10:54 AM

Killer paint job, Matt. Great looking saw.

Bruce Page

01-28-2012, 1:15 PM

I love the look Matt. It has a festive air about it.

Bill Wyko

01-29-2012, 11:07 AM

Excellent score for sure. A little tip, I use barkeepers friend mixed with marvells miracle oil(I think that's what it's called) and make a slurry to scrub the top. Makes it look like new. Good luck with it. I won't say you suck because I got a Powermatic 3hp saw for about the same deal a while back. Congratulations are in order though.

Kelly Colin Mark

01-15-2013, 1:08 PM

Crap. I have a 30s Unisaw, and I also had the idea of forgetting about trying to make it look factory. I had in mind a candy-apple gloss red, maybe like this 50s T-bird
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I wanted to go a little more metallic, however, like this:
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Life got in the way and I haven't gotten around to it but now, my idea seems so much less original. Nice job Matt.

John RStegall

01-16-2013, 12:24 PM

Excellent find Matt! I have a 78 Uni. I bought it out of a counter top shop. 3 hp, the owner told me it needed new bearings. He let me run a couple of boards through it and I thought the problem was the blade they were using. I had to wait until his 5 hp Jet arrived to take possession. When I got it home, I had picked up a good blade and sure enough, that solved the problem. They had jury-rigged a sheet metal connection to their dust collector. This replaced the door which they could not find when I bought it. I still have not replaced the door. 500$ about 10 years ago.