Do you have a "quest machine" or tool

[Van Huskey]

First, I imagine most of you know or can figure out what a quest machine is but just in case, a quest machine is one you really want and have been searching for. Generally it would be a used machine since if you can buy it new it is just a quest for the money, since the machine can be easily found.

So what is your quest machine? What machine is the center of your Craig's List universe.

Many of you might think mine is a bandsaw and you would be correct, however it is doubtful you would guess it. It isn't a Yates American Y36 Snowflake, nor a Tannewitz GH, not even an Oliver 115. My quest machine is an aluminum framed Canadian "mini" saw that weighs in at a healthy 125#! It is the Beaver 3300. It has machine turned aluminum wheel which are smooth in the center and the upper and lower doors have a cut out where you can see the wheels spin. The saw has many nice little details even some small ones left over from the Art Deco machine days. They aren't extremely rare (in Canada and the Northern parts of the US, though I rarely see them in the South) and don't command a premium but I want one! When I actually get around to the true serach, hopefully later this year, I doubt I will have much problem finding one and they can be easily transported in a car trunk so distance isn't a big issue.

If I had the room and money there are probably a dozen bandsaws I would like to have besides the ones I own now but when I get my Beaver I will feel complete on the bandsaw front.


Below are examples of the little Beaver 3300 14" saw:

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=12072

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=13443


I often wonder when I get the 3300 if I will feel compelled to get its little brother the 12" 2300

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=8553


So what machine is your quest? For those that don't have a quest machine do you have a quest tool?

[mreza Salav]

Mine is a bandsaw too, but an italian one, either MM or Laguna and I want 16 or 18". I can buy new but a LT16HD here costs $4k (outch) but MM16 is $2900.
So Van, given that I'm here up north, how about the following trade: I find one of those you like, you pay for it and I will ship it to you and you find me a good Italian BS
and I pay for it and you ship it to me. That we we both solve our problems :D

[Don Jarvie]

Mine is a Northfield 12 inch Medium duty Jointer. I'm looking for the 12 inch width but not the long tables since shop space is tight. The Northfield is the best of both worlds.

[Rod Sheridan]

Mine is a bandsaw too, but an italian one, either MM or Laguna and I want 16 or 18". I can buy new but a LT16HD here costs $4k (outch) but MM16 is $2900.
So Van, given that I'm here up north, how about the following trade: I find one of those you like, you pay for it and I will ship it to you and you find me a good Italian BS
and I pay for it and you ship it to me. That we we both solve our problems :D

Van, ignore the above post, he's from much farther away than me, I'll make you the same deal and save you some money on shipping.;)

Regards, Rod.

[Van Huskey]

Mreza, that is also a fair approach, seraching for a specific used machine even if it can be bought new if you are not willing to pay the new price.

When I first started reading your proposal I thought you were going to propose you send me a Beaver 3300 and I send you my MM20... :p

To be honest where I am at the newer Italians are few and far between also, the ones with a little age and before the taller resaw machines started to hit the shores do come up but they don't have the resaw height and the HP we so covet!

[Jerome Hanby]

An old iron, aircraft carrier jointer. that Northfield mentioned above looks pretty good too!

[shane lyall]

After seeing the wheels in the pics of Van's post I'm off to my shop to see if I can put hubcaps on my Delta's wheels! Cool looking little machine.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I was questing for a bandsaw and jointer but bought those new thanks to MS cashback a few years back. I then went on the hunt for a larger DC. Willing to spend a few hundred on it. I landed an Onieda component system for $125 at auction with lots of ductwork and elbows (most too small). I'm currently prowling about for a WS3000 and/or Makita 9820 Sharpener (for jointer blades), a Sawstop TS (I can afford to wait for the right price as my current saw works perfectly fine), and gear reduction wheels for a '64 Gravely tractor. Oops, sorry that's not a woodworking tool.

[David Kumm]

Oliver 12 for the price of a 166, although the Martin T52 on WoodWeb is about as quest as a jointer gets. A short stroke Felder KF7 compact from the late 1990s or a Knapp kfs 1500 saw shaper would work for a backup combo. Dave

[Stephen Cherry]

Those Eager Beavers look like nice little saws. If I had one, and some extra dinero, I would think about a micro v belt, 3 phase motor with vfd, and an inca style base. I'd resist the temptation to get a resaw king blade.

[Bruce Page]

Van, I’m starting to think you are the Jay Leno of bandsaws! :)

My first quest is for a larger shop that I could fit my second quest into... I have dreamed of having a nice surface grinder in the shop. There’s a nice little Brown & Sharpe with an 8”x14” mag table that pops up on CL every few months. If I only had the room..

I understand your quest for the Beaver 3300, that is one cool looking machine.

[mreza Salav]

Mreza, that is also a fair approach, seraching for a specific used machine even if it can be bought new if you are not willing to pay the new price.

When I first started reading your proposal I thought you were going to propose you send me a Beaver 3300 and I send you my MM20... :p

To be honest where I am at the newer Italians are few and far between also, the ones with a little age and before the taller resaw machines started to hit the shores do come up but they don't have the resaw height and the HP we so covet!

I know, I was in Chicago last year (for 1 year) and kept looking but nothing came up that interested me.
My problem is, the longer I wait the bigger I want it to be. First I was thinking of getting a (new) LT16-3000. After seeing one up close and next to a LT16-HD I said
if want to buy one it's going to be LT16-HD. Now I am thinking about an 18".

Rod: I disagree, Edmonton is certainly closer to LA than Toronto. ;)

[Mike Cruz]

Van, I won't even ask why you want THAT band saw... because it doesn't really matter. ;)

Honestly, I have pretty much want I want/need. Not that it is all the best stuff by any means, but good enough for me. That said, there is one thing I would LOVE to have, but is unlikely to happen anytime soon...a Byrd head for my 20" planer. And there is one thing that I am looking for, but just can't seem to find used...a Woodpecker's Sidewinder Router Lift. They just don't seem to pop up used...

[Gene Waara]

8" jointer. I'll keep my 6" but an 8" would be really nice for face jointing. I kick myself for passing on a really nice Powermatic a year go but I wasn't quite ready. Also missed out on a lightly used Grizzly when I was out of town on vacation recently. Damn the LOML that insisted on a little R and R! Sorry, gotta go check CL........

[Van Huskey]

Mine is a Northfield 12 inch Medium duty Jointer. I'm looking for the 12 inch width but not the long tables since shop space is tight. The Northfield is the best of both worlds.

I actually have looked at a couple of Northfield MD 12" jointers recently. Very nice bed length at 74". Interestingly, as I assume you know, the Medium Duty used to be called the Light Duty until the late 40s and they changed the name, from a hobbyist point of view there is nothing light nor medium duty about them.

[Van Huskey]

Van, ignore the above post, he's from much farther away than me, I'll make you the same deal and save you some money on shipping.;)

Regards, Rod.

Ok sound good... not. :p

[Van Huskey]

Rod: I disagree, Edmonton is certainly closer to LA than Toronto. ;)

If you read closely the LA I am in is NOT in Cali-fornia...

[Van Huskey]

Oliver 12 for the price of a 166, although the Martin T52 on WoodWeb is about as quest as a jointer gets. A short stroke Felder KF7 compact from the late 1990s or a Knapp kfs 1500 saw shaper would work for a backup combo. Dave

I expected you to chime in with some interesting ones! BTW a T52 popped up on the Denver CL yesterday... $7250

http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/2862284990.html

[Van Huskey]

Van, I won't even ask why you want THAT band saw... because it doesn't really matter. ;)

...

Well, there is only one reason, I think it is cool.

To Bruce, if I had Jay Leno's money I would have a bandsaw AND car collection. There might be as many bandsaws as cars but then again every bandsaw (and other machine) I have ever remotely wanted could all be bought for the price of the first car I would buy with his money, a Ferrari 250 GTO, but since the last one sold for over 30 million I guess that alone would put a dent in even Jay's wallet!

[Larry Edgerton]

F410 or equivalent with a Tersa head.

I have a bug to have another Volvo 240 wagon/5 speed lately that has been taking up more of my search time.

Van, there was a beautiful Oliver bandsaw for sale up here but I just did a search and it is gone. I have seen the saw, the fellow used to work for me and every once in a while he will put it on Craigs for a day or so when he is tight I guess, then take it off. If you are interested in such an animal I'll let you know next time it is on. He wants $3900, but it is awesome.

Larry

[Tom Wassack]

Greetings from NC!
Quest Machine for me? I've been looking for a vintage oscillating spindle sander for 3+ years now. If anyone has a lead on one, I'm not picky, needing restoration is okay. Here's a quick list of vintage makes, in no particular order: Oliver, Wysong & Myles, Porter-Cable, Boice-Crane, Max, State, Syracuse, Wonder, and Yates-American.

Anyone?

Regards,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC

[Van Huskey]

Greetings from NC!
Quest Machine for me? I've been looking for a vintage oscillating spindle sander for 3+ years now. If anyone has a lead on one, I'm not picky, needing restoration is okay. Here's a quick list of vintage makes, in no particular order: Oliver, Wysong & Myles, Porter-Cable, Boice-Crane, Max, State, Syracuse, Wonder, and Yates-American.

Anyone?

Regards,
Tom Wassack
Asheboro, NC


Davis and Wells has a couple of American made Max units but they aren't at bottom feeder prices plus cross country shipping. Also they don't update their site often so they may be gone.

[David Hostetler]

I know this is going to sound odd to a lot of you, but a Ryobi WDS1600 Cantilevered Wide Drum sander. It would of course have to be in mint, or as close as possible condition.

Not sure the year or the model, but I remember my Dad had this enormous cast iron bed, legged lathe from Rockwell when I was a kid. But then again, a new mustard monster would be fine too...

A Saw Stop 3HP PCS sold in good shape for a price I can afford would be in that quest too!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Do you have a "quest machine" or tool
I really, really, really want a WWII German Tiger tank....

I'd settle for a decent 14" bandsaw @ a resonable price though.

[Van Huskey]

I know this is going to sound odd to a lot of you, but a Ryobi WDS1600 Cantilevered Wide Drum sander. It would of course have to be in mint, or as close as possible condition.

!

Any reason you want the Ryobi over a Performax or Jet cousins?

[Mark Ashmeade]

A delta Unidrill (like hen's teeth), and a grey Delta 14" bandsaw from the 40s or 50s. The bandsaw should be doable, eventually, but the unidrill is not the easiest item to find in ATL.

[David Kumm]

Best spindle sander ever, Kindt collins with all the spindles and throat plates- and less than 3K Dave

[David Kumm]

I expected you to chime in with some interesting ones! BTW a T52 popped up on the Denver CL yesterday... $7250

http://denver.craigslist.org/tls/2862284990.html

Same one. Dave

[Gary Herrmann]

My quest is to have more shop time.

But I'd love to have an Oliver pattern maker's lathes with all the tooling. One of the big boys like a 20B.

[Matt Meiser]

I know this is going to sound odd to a lot of you, but a Ryobi WDS1600 Cantilevered Wide Drum sander. It would of course have to be in mint, or as close as possible condition.

I have one of those I picked up last year. I'd love to get one of the General International dual drum units to replace it someday.

[Steven Green]

Another aircraft carrier jointer please. Fire sale price and located close to any frilly type attraction so my bride will turn down the volume on the harassment going to pick it up and coming home. That's not too much to ask is it?

[Rick Fisher]

My dream machine right now is a real planer.. I want a 24" SCM, Felder or Martin.. Not fussy, I will go for whichever I find at a good deal.

[Richard Shaefer]

I have three pieces that I've been lusting after: a good 8" jointer (easy to find, but not at a cheap price) an ancient and giant cast iron foot operated mortiser like an Old Yates or Oliver (much harder to to find but still possible), and lastly, I really really want a ship's saw, but try finding one of those.

[Brian Tymchak]

... 50+ watt Epilog laser :) ....that fits my budget :(

[Bryan Cowing]

for 2 years been wanting a Mini Max 20" bandsaw, and a few weeks ago a 3 yr old one turned up 30 miles away. Had minimal use, maybe less than 5hrs. Looked like it just came from the showroom. Picked it up for 1/2 of a new one. :D

[Van Huskey]

for 2 years been wanting a Mini Max 20" bandsaw, and a few weeks ago a 3 yr old one turned up 30 miles away. Had minimal use, maybe less than 5hrs. Looked like it just came from the showroom. Picked it up for 1/2 of a new one. :D

Time for a new quest! I love my MM20!

[Bryan Cowing]

Time for a new quest! I love my MM20!
Love x 4 now for me
MM L55 stroke sander:)
MM T124 lathe;)
MM S45 18"bandsaw:p
MM SP500 20" bandsaw:D

[Jeff Duncan]

Well your going to think I'm nuts, but my quest machine is a shaper:eek:

Not just any shaper mind you, a Bauerle SFM 2 tilting spindle shaper....it's the kind of machine that makes me drool on the keyboard. I'd gladly trade one of my Martins for one without hesitation.

Someday.....

Jeff

[David Kumm]

Well your going to think I'm nuts, but my quest machine is a shaper:eek:

Not just any shaper mind you, a Bauerle SFM 2 tilting spindle shaper....it's the kind of machine that makes me drool on the keyboard. I'd gladly trade one of my Martins for one without hesitation.

Someday.....

Jeff

Jeff, I understand completely. I'm an old US arn guy but go over to machineseeker and look the old euro stuff over. Bauerle make beautiful jointers, planers, and shapers. They are like woodworking art. Dave

[David Hostetler]

Any reason you want the Ryobi over a Performax or Jet cousins?

Nope. I'd take one of those too... Kind of figure the Ryobi would be more likely to be in my price range... From what I can tell the WDS1600 is just a Performax 16/32 with a different label and paint... I must admit, I'm cheap, I need to get this in as inexpensively as I can...

[Matt Meiser]

From what I can tell the WDS1600 is just a Performax 16/32 with a different label and paint...

No. There are definitely similarities but it's not just a relabel.

[Tom Walz]

A good hand brace (as in bit and brace) for well under $100. I have bought 4 so far and the Fuller is pretty good while the Great Neck looks pretty bad. I would also like some augur bits for these with four sided shanks. Haven't tried the $100 tools but I may have to.

I want an aircraft carrier planer, too. I don't have an aircrft carrier that needs planing but I might someday. How big does a planer have to be to fit an aircraft carrier through it?

[Van Huskey]

Tom, if you had just bought the high dollar brace to begin with... You of all people... :D


Jeff Duncan, now your just showing off... "trade one of my Martins". :cool:

[Jeff Duncan]

Tom, if you had just bought the high dollar brace to begin with... You of all people... :D


Jeff Duncan, now your just showing off... "trade one of my Martins". :cool:

Oh no, actually I think of shapers like you think of bandsaws.....one can never have too many:D

I've got several bit braces and can't imagine I paid more than $5 for any of them. These used to be a staple at any garage sale or flea market. Then again back then so were Stanley planes....and now look at the prices:( Another example of if I knew then.....

When you say aircraft carrier planer.....do you mean a planer in the North American sense (planer), or in the European sense (jointer). If your talking a "planer" then the opening doesn't have to be much bigger than the aircraft carrier your feeding through it. However if it's a "jointer" then you'll want the tables roughly 2/3 of the overall length of the aircraft carrier. Not sure what kind of knives you'll want on there though...probably carbide inserts in a spiral head now that I think of it......cut down on the noise:eek:

JeffD

[Van Huskey]

Oh no, actually I think of shapers like you think of bandsaws.....one can never have too many:D

JeffD

I must admit if there is any machine it makes sense to have multiples of more than bandsaws it is a shaper. I have a friend who has 8 (though nothing like your Martins). He can do three different types of doors with no setups.

[frank shic]

rbi panelmaster for me. one pops up every so often... in another state :(

[Van Huskey]

Best spindle sander ever, Kindt collins with all the spindles and throat plates- and less than 3K Dave


It that the one with the lighted periscope angle gauge? Here I thought you would say 381 instead...

[Myk Rian]

My quest machine is a Delta/Crescent 8" jointer on a cast iron stand.

[Van Huskey]

My quest machine is a Delta/Crescent 8" jointer on a cast iron stand.

One of the Art Deco stands? Those are the bees knees. I actually love almost all machines that have an AD influence. My Delta 28-350 bandsaw has the AD switch (with the on button easy to push and the off button shrouded???) and some ADeque door decoration. Machine manufacturers don't care about style anymore, PM occasionally shows some attention to form but it is very subtle like the base on the 2000 and the curved front of the 882.

[David Kumm]

It that the one with the lighted periscope angle gauge? Here I thought you would say 381 instead...

All the spindles were steel from small to large. The oscillation could be turned off. Smaller footprint than the Oliver. Close call. Dave