Restoring my grandfather's DeWalt MBF

[ShawnE Curry]

284083284084

I posted about this a couple weeks ago. This was my grandfather's saw, given to him for Christmas by my grandmother in 1958.

I replaced the motor bearings earlier this week and just got my Mr Sawdust table installed last night. Table is nice and flat and it's now level with the arm. It was almost perfect when I first set it in place; in retrospect if I had just tightened it down it might have been right on. Spent a few hours tinkering with it before I realized I needed to tighten the nuts a bit from the bottom to help draw it flat to the base while I made the adjustments.

There was a trick to it: assuming you have a level base and the arm is straight, the table would just need to be level with itself. So I used my combination square to carefully position each adjustment nut at exactly the same distance from the cleats, before ever dropping it in place.

I also discovered a trick for realigning the circular "cover plate" and "bearing cap" in the motor. I heard about a lot of people struggling with that; I had the screws back in within about 1/2 hr. I used a few toothpicks to keep the holes aligned, and a couple more between the fan and the "bearing cap" to keep that tight to the "front" of the motor. Then I could use the toothpicks as levers to move the "bearing cap" around until I could start the first screw. I think it actually took longer to draw all four screws tight than it did to start them.

[Myk Rian]

Nice table.
It would help keep it together if you posted everything in one thread.
Just a suggestion.

[ShawnE Curry]

I considered that, but I think the title of that thread was about a missing key, which has been found. So it was a little off topic. Just wanted to show her off :)

[Sandra Mart]

I like your job Shawn.. thats great table..http://watchfree.me/11/w.png

[eugene thomas]

With the family story have feeling even if it just becomes sawdust catcher over time will stay in the shop.

[ShawnE Curry]

Well there's at least one plan for it - going to build a triple bunk bed for my nephews - my sister's got #4 on the way (finally a girl!). Probably going to use 2x6 or 2x8's for the bed rails, and my CMS can't cut those. Perfect job for the RAS.

[Charlie Velasquez]

Looks good. I see you went with a single back table. I did the same with my 7790. I had two back tables on my 7740, but found I seldom adjusted to the smaller board.

The front table looks a slightly different color than the back table. I can't tell from the photo if that is because the front table already has the sacrificial cover or not. The front was wrapped, so I assumed it was not covered yet, although some people do wrap it after putting the cover on. I did not notice any nails or screws. If it is covered already, how did you attach it?

[ShawnE Curry]

This had the original maple top on it, with the split back table and the arbor hole for using the shaper knives or raising panels. I just went with a single piece for now, I figured if I ever had a need to set it up that way, I could always rip it later on - I didn't put any steel in the back table.

The back table is cut from the same piece of MDF I used for the front of the table. The front has a sacrificial 3/16 "hardwood" sheathing over it, and the trim is oak. I ripped the trim so that when the sacrificial top was installed, it would sit just proud of the trim. I attached the trim with glue and 1.25 brads, and there's just a handful of .75 brads holding the sacrificial top at the corners and to the left of the blade.