Gasoline powered tablesaw

[Bobby A Thompson]

I haven't been on here for quite a while so I wanted to post pictures of this saw. As you can see it wasn't in good shape when I bought it. It took a lot of work to get it in this shape. I matched the colors as close as possible. I would not have found parts for the motor if not for ebay. It is an original Construction Machinery Co. saw. With no records to go by I do not know when it was made. I have a sales brochure that lists the saw. It is a 14" saw and the motor is a 8.5 hp Wisconsin made between 1942 and 1957. They made a smaller version and a 20" saw with a 4cy. motor. I have tried all the online tool appraisers but get no reply so I don't know what it is worth. Has anyone seen one like it? I would like to know what it is worth.

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[Robert Hayward]

I cannot help with a value, but will say that is a real nice looking restoration. Unusual restoration also !

[Bruce Page]

You did a beautiful job of restoration. Is the top cast iron?

[Bobby A Thompson]

No, the top is steel. The foot pedal raises the blade. I don't have the fence or miter gage but I don't plan on cutting anything with it. The blade is only a 12" steel blade, but it has a 1 1/4" arbor. The miter gage, if I had it, bolts to the table top and the blade is raised with the foot pedal, kinda like a upcut saw. One of the things I noticed in the sales brochure is that the guard was optional.

[Peter Christensen]

That's the first time I've ever seen one before. One of the local club members did bring in a gasoline powered circular saw though. Picture a chainsaw motor instead of an electric motor. Yours and his would have been for construction sites without power.

[daryl moses]

I have no idea what it's worth but that is one heck of a neat saw. Great job on the restoration!!!

[Dave Cav]

You may be able to get more info on your saw at OWWM dot Org. They won't be able to give you a value (against the rules) but someone may have more info on it. I see you've already posted it at Vintage Machinery.

[Rick Potter]

Try the vintage tool site. Lots of old stuff there.

Edit: OOPS, didn't notice you already tried it.

[scott vroom]

I'll give you 50 bucks including shipping.

[Ronald Blue]

Nice job on the restoration. Good old Wisconsin engine. In the day they were a very dependable engine. The orange looks good on it but the ones I was around were always gray. Not meaning to split hairs though.

[Peter Christensen]

Bobby does the blade come up and travel along the entire slot, or just up and down?

[Jim Becker]

That's a beautiful restoration! Wow...

I can't help with the questions, but look forward to seeing any answers you do come up with.

[Bobby A Thompson]

Yeah, I am surprised that it is the only CM piece on there. They were heavy into pumps and hoist. I am working on an old Covel surface grinder right now. Had to have parts machined since Clausing has nothing. Their service department did send me some of the original drawings. Waiting on machine shop now. I also have a 1962 Hobart welder and a 32" Crescent bandsaw waiting. A friend of mine who was with the State Police dropped off his new 32' horse trailer and we put living quarters in it. Ain't retirement wonderful.365449365451365450365456365457365458

[Bill Dufour]

I remember years ago looking through the doors at the Knights Foundry in Sutter Creek California and seeing a tablesaw for cutting kindling wood for the melting pot. Interesting thing was instead of a electric motor it had a small water turbine belt driving the blade. I think most of the foundry was water powered. Smog laws shut it down afterwards. When I saw it they were only pouring once or twice a week.
The link is worth checking out for the pattern shop pictures.
Bill

http://knightfoundry.com/sutter-creek-historic-foundry-machine-shop/

[David Dockstader]

Fantastic restoration! If you want new blades with a 1 1/4 inch arbor, that's what Shopsmith uses, but they would only be 10".

[Bill Orbine]

This is a beautiful and unique table saw. I've never seen anything like it! Very nice restoration!

As already suggested, you can check with OWWM and Vintage Machinery (same group).

However, this table saw may have a particular interest among those who deal with old hit/miss and steam engines and tractor collectors. The summer season is a good time to find outdoor show and events where you display or buy/sell. Try googling and see if you can find an event near you in the near future. There are several all over the USA in the next 2-3 months. You will certainly have a lot of people interested in your beautiful saw and someone is bound to have a wealth of knowledge.

[Matt Day]

Very cool saw! Can you post some pictures of the top?

[Bobby A Thompson]

yes the blade comes up through the entire slot. The bolt holes are for the miter gage.
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[Bobby A Thompson]

Here are more pictures taken during rebuild. It will usually start with the first pull, but don't try to pull if engine is on compression stroke. The old motor name plate was trashed so I removed it and took the cowling to Sherwin Williams and they color matched it. I made a new nameplate. I also color matched the paint behind the medallion on the saw. I have a friend that has a sheet metal shop and he fabricated the two end pieces. I found a new piston and rings on ebay. The rod has a babbit bearing so I checked the clearance with plastigage. I also found a nos gasket kit on ebay. It didn't have the magneto or carburetor. I found a mag on ebay and found a nos carb. The apparatus seen in the first pic raises the blade. Included are pages from the sales brochure. It shows a 6.5hp motor which was the predecessor to the 8.5hp. The 6.5hp was discontinued in 1942. Also included is the 4cyl. I would love to find one of them.


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[Bobby A Thompson]

As I bought it.

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[Jim Becker]

That LQ for the trailer is looking really nice and comfortable!!

[mike holden]

I saw a couple of those gasoline powered table saws at old logging camps in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Both were rusty and appeared to be powered by multi cylinder motors. Perhaps old model T engines?
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I also added a shot of early chainsaws
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[Steve Demuth]

Nice job on the restoration. Good old Wisconsin engine. In the day they were a very dependable engine. The orange looks good on it but the ones I was around were always gray. Not meaning to split hairs though.

We had a JI Case A6 harvester (combine) when I was a lad, powered by a gray Wisconsin two cylinder engine. Rope start - when it was cold. All the gods at my old man's beck and call - and he called on a lot of them - couldn't start the thing hot. But for all that, I'd trade my desk this minute for a day in the field combining oats. That stubborn old Wisconsin, a John Deere A pulling it along, pop-pop-bang, and the smell of straw, oil, gasoline, and mashed grasshoppers. Life was good.

[Bobby A Thompson]

just wanted to say thanks for all your great comments

[andrew whicker]

Awesome job! You have a ton of patience : )

So does the table slide or the blade move forwards and backwards? Still not clear on that point. Would love to see a video of this in operation.

[Bobby A Thompson]

The blade moves up as the foot pedal is pressed. There is large wingnut that is used to lock the blade in place. The table will tilt up to 45 degrees.