Walker-Turner 16" Bandsaw

[Ron Kellison]

I've been looking for a Walker Turner 16" bandsaw for at least two years. I finally found one a few days ago on a Syracuse, NY Craigslist ad. It was poorly written and the photographs were even worse! Turns out the guy selling the old saw lives in Ogdensburg, NY, just across the border from me. I went down there over the weekend, looked the saw over and we struck a deal. Now I just have to figure out a way to get the 650# of cast iron art deco loveliness loaded up and back across the border in my little Honda CR-V! https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/images/smilies/smile1.gif

The saw has been in dry storage for the past 20 years. Based upon the badging, the saw was made in 1940-41. It was used by a contractor during construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway then sold to the father of the current seller. Somewhere along the way it has tipped and the main casting was broken. It has been brazed by an expert and the wheels are in alignment and parallel so I'm not too concerned. The father was a WT fan because he collected a WT shaper, a VS lathe, a small jointer and an absolute beast of a RAS!

As everything seems to be in good shape I'll probably turn it into my daily user and do a teardown/refurb somewhere down the road. I would like to swap out the motor for a bigger R/I motor from the period but this may not be possible if I stick with the current base.

306661 306662 306663

[Rich Riddle]

Honestly, I would put a hitch on the CRV and tow it using a very small utility trailer. The towing capacity for a CRV is about 1500 pounds. U-Haul rents very small utility trailers for less than $20 a day. But if you're into woodworking, purchasing a small utility trailer is the answer as well. I use mine countless times and I have a full size F150. Good luck if you try to muscle that beast in the back of a CRV without damaging either the vehicle or the lovely saw.

[Ron Kellison]

Now there's a thought! I just happen to have a hitch already mounted! So soon old, so late smart!

[Chris Hachet]

Pics when you get that beast set up and operational. I have often thought a nice vintage band saw would be a worthwhile tool.

[Bradley Gray]

nice find. +1 on the trailer. I have 2 walker turner lathes - their machines are awesome!

[Russel De Arman]

+1 on WT in general and bandsaws in particular...I picked up a 12" when we lived in Mass. and it does a nice job with everything I need.

[Mike Cutler]

Nice. What a sweet looking bandsaw!! I love the FLW, "Falling Water" motif on the base.
Congrat's. It looks in really good shape.

[Rich Riddle]

Here one can rent the U-Haul "motorcycle" trailer for $14 a day. It's the smallest utility trailer they rent and more than large enough. just bring enough cargo straps and strap it down good and tight. The saw has a very nice art deco look to it in addition to being awesome.

[Mel Miller]

Those are great saws. When you are moving it around be careful not to put too much stress on the table (using it as a handle, etc.). The tilt mechanism is a weak point on those saws, and replacement parts are expensive.
I actually have a main casting for one of those in my scrap pile, left over from a saw I parted out. We're probably too far apart to consider shipping it however. I still have a few other parts also.
Check the top wheel tilt assembly - they are another weak point on those saws.

[Ron Kellison]

Mel, thanks for the advice! I checked out everything fairly thoroughly. There is a break in the main casting which has been brazed by someone who knew what they were doing. The wheels are parallel and coplanar. There are no other cracks, chips or welds that I could find. I'll be picking it up in a couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to getting it into the shop, looking it over very carefully and then putting some power to it to find out what needs to be fixed, adjusted, etc. My first objective is to find out if I can get a bigger period R/I motor in there. I have several to pick from in my stash but the old motors get very big once you get over 1 HP. I really don't want to put anything other than a period motor in such a great old machine!

I'll be selling my little Inca 342 to make room for this in my small shop. The Inca is a great saw and under-rated by most folks who have never used one but I'm looking forward to something with more resaw capacity. I've bought several pieces of old iron and this one looks to be in pretty good shape compared to some of the basket cases I've brought into the shop!


Those are great saws. When you are moving it around be careful not to put too much stress on the table (using it as a handle, etc.). The tilt mechanism is a weak point on those saws, and replacement parts are expensive.
I actually have a main casting for one of those in my scrap pile, left over from a saw I parted out. We're probably too far apart to consider shipping it however. I still have a few other parts also.
Check the top wheel tilt assembly - they are another weak point on those saws.

[Brian W Smith]

We have some really nice W/T machines here,you'll be grinn'n bigtime once you get your BS sorted.Be mindful on those bases.........they use castings for the "ears" that serve to bolt them together,along with where the saw bolts to the base.Because some aren't in perfect phase/alignment,they'll snap off when messing with them......you have been warned,haha.Also,the upper wheel "management"...the sliding arrangement W/T uses is a little funky and frequently broken,so go easy on that as well until you're accustomed to it.If you need colours,check under the motor mounting plate......or anywhere the parts haven't seen the light of day.Good snag,you're going to enjoy it.

[Jim Matthews]

Don't sell the Inca.

I'm just sayin' - you'll miss it.
There's never been a nicer made
set of Man Jewelry than that line of power tools.

[Ron Kellison]

Don't sell the Inca.

I'm just sayin' - you'll miss it.
There's never been a nicer made
set of Man Jewelry than that line of power tools. Jim, I still have the Inca! :)

[Bill Dufour]

Remove the table before you touch the saw. That will make it less top heavy and reduce the chance of breaking the table or trunions. I hope that saw uses standard bearings. Their 15" drill press uses two oddball extended race bearings, but the outer race has a standard number on it. Good find.
Bil lD.

[Bill Orbine]

This thread is three years old! I'm more curious about the Walker Turner today than the Inca. How is the WT doing?

[Mark Gibney]

Ha! I just noticed that indeed this thread is three years old.
How about some photos of the WT now?

[Ron Kellison]

My apologies, folks! I should have updated this thread long ago! The bandsaw was moved from upstate New York on a snowy January day and carefully situated in my shop. It was slowly disassembled, with lots of photos for how things go back together and then the consulting job of a lifetime came my way and I've been working full time since then! Lots of travel over to Abu Dhabi and also lots of "please" projects around the house. Most of those are now finished, with the exception of a kitchen reno and tearing out the master bath and upgrading it.

Back to the bandsaw... the pot metal parts of the trunnion adjustment all had cracks and I've been able to replace those when I get around to putting the beast back together. Also, both tires were absolutely shot so I have to decide if I want to get new vulcanized tires or simply got with the widely available urethane replacements. Vulcanizing isn't cheap but it's supposed to be much less trouble to set up tracking. The wheel bearings seem to be in good shape but I'll pull them, clean out the old grease and repack them before putting things back together.

[Geoff Crimmins]

I would recommend the rubber tires from Woodworker's Toolworks for that saw. They'll need to be glued on and properly crowned, and should then work great. Unlike some smaller bandsaws, I don't believe there is a groove for the tire in the wheels, so I don't think a eurethane tire would work well.

--Geoff

[Dan Jansen]

I would recommend the rubber tires from Woodworker's Toolworks for that saw. They'll need to be glued on and properly crowned, and should then work great. Unlike some smaller bandsaws, I don't believe there is a groove for the tire in the wheels, so I don't think a eurethane tire would work well.

--Geoff
I would second this. Get new rubber from Woodworkers Toolworks and glue it on with what he recommends. You can crown the rubber a dozen different ways but I haven’t seen anything easier than Keith Rucker’s sandpaper on a stick.
https://youtu.be/zz04k-GMF38

[Ron Kellison]

I should also mention that, in the restoration queue, I have 3 1/2 old Buffalo Forge 15" drill presses to turn into one pimped-out personal version and one more to share with someone that deserves special favour from the woodworking gods, a 12" Parks planers with an old R/I motor, and a Wadkin 30" Apprentice's lathe all waiting for my personal touch to bring back to glory.

[Jon Nuckles]

I should also mention that, in the restoration queue, I have 3 1/2 old Buffalo Forge 15" drill presses to turn into one pimped-out personal version and one more to share with someone that deserves special favour from the woodworking gods, a 12" Parks planers with an old R/I motor, and a Wadkin 30" Apprentice's lathe all waiting for my personal touch to bring back to glory.

Hi Ron,
I also have a Buffalo 15 disassembled and partially cleaned up, which is cluttering up a corner of my shop. (I have a larger Clausing press that I found shortly after I acquired the Buffalo, and it needed only some cleaning and new bearings and a belt to be put in service*, so I am less motivated to finish the Buffalo.) When you get around to your Buffaloes (sp?), I hope you post your work to give some guidance and inspiration!

* edited to add: also required a vfd to run in my single phase shop.