My new to me Northfield 12" jointer PICS

[Steve Mathews]

I picked up my new to me Northfield 12" jointer yesterday. The seller couldn't have been nicer and helpful in the loading process, always a major plus in the buying process. It seems to be in excellent condition and was in use up until I purchased it. My first inclination before laying eyes on the jointer was to go through a restoration process, which was inspired by some who have done the same and posted pictures on the Vintage Machinery website. After seeing the jointer I'm sort of happy with the way it looks as is. The original paint and decals are still intact and there is little to no rust. I'm also less interested now to install a helix cutter head. The seller produced some fine looking furniture with it so if it was good enough for him it should be good enough for me too. Hope you enjoy the pics.
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[Jim Becker]

Nice, sturdy machine! Congratulations!

[Derek Arita]

That's a beauty! Put it thru it's paces and if you find it does a good job...well, I wouldn't touch or replace a thing. It looks so cool the way it is, minus maybe the rust. How much? Ya, I'm a masochist.

[Steve Mathews]

That's a beauty! Put it thru it's paces and if you find it does a good job...well, I wouldn't touch or replace a thing. It looks so cool the way it is, minus maybe the rust. How much? Ya, I'm a masochist.

Thanks. What appears to be rust on the table is actually flash rust from the fence that was taken off with a Scotch-Brite pad. It was from the fence sitting on my truck BedRug that was slightly damp from transporting something else earlier. The rust developed in just 4 hours while in transit. There is really no other rust on the machine. However, I did find an old dried up mud wasp nest under the stand. $1500

[Mike Kees]

Good deal. Enjoy it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Congratulations! May it serve you well!

[Edward Dyas]

I don't believe it is the original paint though. I've never seen any Northfield machinery that wasn't green.

[Matt Day]

At least Whoever painted it appears to have not slathered it on and covered the badges. Even if you keep the current paint (personally I hate that color grey that for some reason EVERY shop had) at least spray some simple green or something on it to freshen it up.

Nice machine. I’m one of the guys on OWWM that stripped it down and painted it.

[Steve Mathews]

The gray paint is definitely original. Northfield apparently changed from gray to green paint around 1967 according to the Vintage Machinery website. I still may restore the machine and paint it the current green color used by the manufacturer or something close. The restoration that caught my eye was the one done by Jameel Abraham. The attention to detail was impressive. But for now I happen to enjoy the look of how it was made and it's journey to what it is today. I may try some Simple Green to see what it does to freshen it up though. The machine was originally sold out of Los Angeles to the University of California Santa Barbara. From there it made it into private hands in Santa Barbara and then to a professional furniture maker who later settled in Arizona. I'm apparently the 4th owner.

Matt - Do you have a link to pictures of your restoration?

[Steve Mathews]

Has anyone discovered a unique part on this jointer, at least something that doesn't appear on most other Northfield 12" medium duty jointers?

[Matt Day]

Here’s my restoration thread:
http://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=173076&hilit=Northfield&start=15
Miss August this year on the calendar btw.

Not sure what you mean by a unique part? No other manufacturer makes the 12ld/md so one can argue every part is unique.

[Steve Mathews]

Here’s my restoration thread:
http://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=173076&hilit=Northfield&start=15
Miss August this year on the calendar btw.

Not sure what you mean by a unique part? No other manufacturer makes the 12ld/md so one can argue every part is unique.

The unique part with respect to Northfield only as far as I know is the bracket that holds the cutterhead guard. It is like no other that I've seen from other Northfield 12MD owner's pictures. According to a Northfield jointer drawing it is the one used for the patternmakers jointer and is different that their standard bracket. I have no idea what it has to do with this specialized jointer but would like to find out. Anyone?

Thanks for the link to your jointer restoration but unfortunately they're posted on photobucket and I'm not able to see them.

[Darcy Warner]

I don't believe it is the original paint though. I've never seen any Northfield machinery that wasn't green.

That's original paint. They made the switch from stock grey to green in the late 70s early 80s I believe.

[Darcy Warner]

The unique part with respect to Northfield only as far as I know is the bracket that holds the cutterhead guard. It is like no other that I've seen from other Northfield 12MD owner's pictures. According to a Northfield jointer drawing it is the one used for the patternmakers jointer and is different that their standard bracket. I have no idea what it has to do with this specialized jointer but would like to find out. Anyone?

Thanks for the link to your jointer restoration but unfortunately they're posted on photobucket and I'm not able to see them.

My least favorite part of NF jointers is the bracket for the gaurd. My favorite is the porter as it can easily drop down out of the way.

[Matt Day]

Thanks for the link to your jointer restoration but unfortunately they're posted on photobucket and I'm not able to see them.

Click on the pictures. It’ll bring you to PB and you’ll see them non-fuzzy.

[Steve Mathews]

Click on the pictures. It’ll bring you to PB and you’ll see them non-fuzzy.

After doing that I get some clear pics until my virus protection stops everything because of some malware.

[Ron Citerone]

Awesome machine! Don’t fix it until it’s broken IMO. Nice it was being used up until you purchased it. Eliminates a lot of headaches! Good luck!

[Matt Day]

Then forget about my restoration. Good luck with your machine.

[Edward Dyas]

That's original paint. They made the switch from stock grey to green in the late 70s early 80s I believe.I don't know, I have a 12" jointer made in the 1960's that is green and a shaper I bought new in the mid 1980's that is green.

[Darcy Warner]

I don't know, I have a 12" jointer made in the 1960's that is green and a shaper I bought new in the mid 1980's that is green.

Currently 6 NF sitting in my shop ranging from the early 50s to to the late 70s. All still in their original grey.

Shaper, 4 unipoints, a 12" jointer and a #4.

Hold it, how did #7 slip in?

[Steve Mathews]

Then forget about my restoration. Good luck with your machine.

I would really like to see your restoration but after turning off my adblock (photobucket requirement) some of the ads apparently contained malware, which my virus protection was fortunately able to identify and block. The whole photobucket debacle has been a real turnoff. However, I was able to read through your description and it appeared quite impressive.